#54: Ambush Coffee

1 oz Irish Whisky
1 oz Amaretto
Fill with hot black coffee, top with whipped cream and sprinkle with shaved almonds, then dribble 4-5 drops Green Creme de Menthe on top.

Let's talk about Irish Whiskey.

Key regulations defining Irish whiskey and its production were established by the Irish Whiskey Act of 1980 and are relatively simple (for example, in comparison with those for Scotch whisky or American whiskey). Here's the basics:

• Irish whiskey must be distilled and aged in the Republic of Ireland or in Northern Ireland. (duh)

• The contained spirits must be distilled to an alcohol by volume level of less than 94.8% from a yeast-fermented mash of cereal grains in such a way that the distillate has an aroma and flavor derived from the materials used. (glad it won't smell like something that's not in there! Guess that keeps the roadkill-mash crowd in Kentucky out of the running. There are SOME standards left)

• The product must be aged for at least three years in wooden casks. (I have underwear older than this, although I have no idea what that means)

• If the spirits comprise a blend of two or more such distillates, the product is referred to as a "Blended" Irish whiskey. (again, duh. although I see the point here. Spell out any numbering for the drinkers. Saves trouble later.)

So, follow those basic rules, and you get a pretty good tasting alcohol, I must say. Very different from what we call whiskey here in America. Smooth, sometimes smokey, more oaky than American (at least what I've had), and definitely strong on the taste. I can see why people get passionate about their whiskey. It just has a special something that most other liquors don't, a character that is all it's own, and every one is different, unique, and special in its own way. (good god, did I just write that?)

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On to the drink. This had a strong coffee flavor, with the Irish Whiskey providing an equally strong backdrop. The Amaretto did not make much of an appearance though. I couldn't really taste it, even though after I took the photo and stirred everything up to blend and get the full flavors.

As the whipped cream melted into the coffee, it mellowed the flavor substantially and made this into a nice after dinner drink. When you get to that point, you can taste the mint drops on top, which makes for a nice touch with the almonds.

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#47: Almond Mocha Coffee

1 oz Amaretto
1 oz Creme de Cacao
Fill with hot black coffee, top with whipped cream, and sprinkle with shaved almonds and/or shaved chocolate.

You were worried something would go wrong, but all your calculations had given you hope. After months of building, late nights spent in the workshop cutting, bending, and welding, days spent going over every calculation and rivet, you were confident it would work. It just had to.

No longer would you be limited to the standard, pedestrian, clockwise progression of time. You would be your own master, beholden to no clock or watch. You stepped into your timeogrifier and pulled the levers, tensing as the useless little lights you installed blinked away. You shut your eyes, felt a shudder, and opened them on a new world. A world where you would be able to have steak for breakfast and coffee in the evening. Your first test: an Almond Mocha Coffee at 8 pm. Tomorrow, who knows?

So, how do you drink shaved almonds? Let them rest on top of the whipped cream and you get a crunchy dessert at the end of this tasty drink. I must say, the streaks of whipped cream as it melted down the sides of the glass was very cool. Hopefully you can see the streaks in the photo.

This was less sweet than the previous drink, with the bitterness of the black coffee cutting into the sweetness of the amaretto and creme de cacao and blending pleasantly. Basically you get exactly what the name says, almond mocha coffee. Don't stir this, as you will lose the neat streaks down the sides, and the almonds will be lost to the depths.

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