On a cold winter’s night, nothing beats sipping on something hot and boozy to relax and comfort you. A popular cocktail among many is Irish Coffee; I am fond of making similar versions myself using whiskey from our whisky-loving neighbor Scotland across the North Channel – hence we now call this beverage Scottish Coffee!
What Is the Difference Between Scottish and Irish Coffee? Scottish and Irish coffees both include coffee, whiskey and cream but vary significantly when it comes to the type of whiskey, sugar and cream used.
Scottish coffee consists of Scotch whisky, brown sugar and lightly whipped heavy cream.
Irish coffee consists of Irish whiskey, granulated or cubed sugar and fresh cream that may or may not have been whipped before using this classic Buena Vista Irish Coffee Recipe.
Irish coffee was first created by Irish chef Joe Sheridan in Ireland in 1942; Scottish coffee used Scotch whisky instead of Irish whiskey in its recipe.
How Does Scotch Differ From Irish Whiskey? Our Scottish Coffee recipe uses almost identical ingredients as Irish, but changes it up a bit by using Scotch Whisky instead of Irish whiskey. Don’t get it confused though: these two drinks don’t compare directly; Scotland takes its national drink very seriously indeed; for one thing it must only come from distilleries located within their borders under strict regulations governing production – and as an indicator must contain at least 40% ABV before being aged at least three years prior to being labeled Scotch Whisky.
Scotch Whisky, commonly referred to as Scotch, should be chosen for this recipe in its unpeated version. Unpeated whiskies offer clean smooth flavors while peated varieties add layers of smokey depth as part of their profile. Although Scotch has become extremely popular around the world, we advise using an unpeated variety when making this dish – the label should help guide your selection process!