Alcohol + Coffee? How to Make the Irish Version of "Sauce-Aroma Latte"

Luckin Coffee's recent "Sauce-Aroma Latte" caused quite a stir—its ingredients include China's best-known distilled spirit, Moutai. But the concept is nothing new in Ireland! There, the native spirit whiskey has long been combined with coffee to create the famous Irish Coffee!

The Origin Story of Irish Coffee

Irish Coffee has several origin stories, but the most credible one involves a flight delay. In 1952, at an airport in western Ireland, all flights were grounded by worsening weather. Stan delnplane, an American journalist due to fly home that day, was stuck waiting. So he headed to the airport cocktail bar to pass the time. Cocktail bars, of course, offer more than the printed menu—customers can talk with the bartender and have a drink tailored to their mood. Stan's request: "I'd like a cocktail suited to this dreadful weather." The bartender understood immediately and got to work—warming the spirit, brewing coffee, whipping cream—and after a series of deft moves set a steaming hot cocktail in front of Stan.

Stan was astonished at first sip. It was alcoholic, yet wonderfully warming! He asked what it was called, and the bartender replied: "It's made by combining coffee with our local specialty, whiskey—and we like to call it Irish Coffee!" Once flights resumed, Stan said goodbye and flew back to San Francisco, where he told the owner of a café he frequented—Buena Vista Café—about the drink, hoping the owner could recreate it.

As hoped, the owner succeeded. Once Buena Vista introduced Irish Coffee, Americans fell for it. Most Americans' knowledge of the drink traces back to that café, and the shop became a famous tourist attraction. Today Irish Coffee has its own dedicated glass, its own alcohol-lamp holder, and its own competitions. At internationally renowned coffee-and-spirits contests, Irish Coffee is a highlight: finalists must prepare two Irish Coffees plus two other creative drinks—a measure of just how important it is!

How to Make Irish Coffee?

Part of why Irish Coffee stars in competitions is that it tests the contestant's understanding of both whiskey and coffee—and both come in endless varieties. Intertwine different types and flavors, and you get completely different Irish Coffees.

Now let's make one—this version skips the alcohol lamp for a safer approach. You'll need: one glass (about 200ml), whiskey (30ml), hot black coffee (140ml), any syrup (10ml), and cream (as needed). No restrictions on the coffee, either—any black coffee works (pour-over, espresso, moka pot).

First, prepare the black coffee. For espresso: extract 36ml of liquid from 18g of grounds in 30 seconds, then add 100ml of 65°C hot water and stir. For pour-over: use 15g of beans at a 1:10 ratio.

Next, pour the syrup and whiskey into the glass.

Then add the pour-over coffee—or the espresso plus hot water (140ml total).

Finally, top with cream. Done!

The first sip feels like a Dirty—hot and cold layers at once. Without stirring, the flavor and texture keep shifting as you drink, making for a wonderfully layered experience. And simply by changing the beans, your Irish Coffee changes completely! If you can, try different combinations at home. But if you don't drink alcohol, please enjoy responsibly.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Since the base coffee defines the drink, pick beans with body and character. For the espresso route, FrontStreet Coffee's Classic Blend (the traditional Mamba formula of Mandheling and Brazil) is ideal: superb crema, mellow warmth, and caramel-nut depth that stands up beautifully to whiskey and cream.

If you prefer a pour-over base, FrontStreet Coffee's PWN Golden Mandheling (medium-dark, herbal and dark chocolate, very low acidity) or the Brazil Fazenda Rainha Yellow Bourbon (nuts, cream, sugarcane) both lend the cocktail a smooth, sweet spine without clashing with the whiskey.