We’ve taken the classic Irish Coffee to whole new levels of scrumptiousness by swapping the traditional Irish whiskey for chocolate, gin and amaretto! And, what’s more, the recipe couldn’t be easier to do at home. You need to give this one a go…

Irish Coffee Origins:

There are a few different conflicting Irish Coffee origin stories, but the leading one is that the Irish Coffee we know and love today was invented in Limerick, Ireland, by one Joe Sheridan, sometime between 1942 and 1943.

Sheridan was the head chef at Foynes Port, an airbase for seaplanes from which many transatlantic flights would come in and out. Sheridan would add Jameson’s Irish whiskey to coffee and give it to travellers.

It is said that he later emigrated to San Francisco, taking the recipe with him and making it popular there too.

How to make Irish Coffee:

The traditional Irish Coffee recipe is a mix of hot coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar and double cream.

For our recipe, we are using gin and amaretto instead of whiskey (with the added gin, you could also call it an English Coffee!). The rich juniper of the gin and the nutty, sweet amaretto work so well with the complex flavour profile of a good coffee. The chocolate then adds an extra touch of wonderfully moreish indulgence.

But which gin should I use for this recipe? We recommend Stillgarden Social Gin for this recipe. From Dublin, Ireland, it’s brimming with bright herb, floral and citrus notes that add a real elegance to this Irish Coffee recipe.

Chocolate, Amaretto and Gin Irish Coffee

30ml Stillgarden Social Gin
15ml amaretto
200ml fresh coffee
35g dark chocolate (at least 70%)
50ml double cream, whipped
Chocolate sauce, to garnish (optional)

Add the coffee and chocolate to a pan on medium heat and stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is hot. Add the gin and amaretto to your glass or mug and add the hot coffee mix. Carefully pour over the cold cream and enjoy.