Irish coffee is traditionally made with Irish whiskey, coffee, sugar and cream.
The drink is strongly associated with Foynes, County Limerick, where chef Joe Sheridan is credited with serving a whiskey coffee to travelers in the early 1940s. When Foynes airport operations moved to nearby Shannon Airport, the drink’s recipe and reputation traveled with them. Stanton Delaplane later helped introduce it to San Francisco’s Buena Vista Cafe in 1952.
The classic presentation places sweetened hot coffee and Irish whiskey beneath a layer of lightly whipped cream. The cream is intended to float on top, allowing the hot coffee to be sipped through it. Proper technique and cream texture matter more than elaborate garnish.
Irish coffee is not simply any coffee with Irish whiskey. Adding cream distinguishes the classic style, while sugar balances the bitterness of the coffee and helps support the cream layer. Modern café versions may use syrups or liqueurs, but those are variations.