Tawny port and Cognac shake up with a whole egg into something silky, rich and dessert-like, with a deep, coffee-dark colour and not a drop of coffee in the glass. The port brings dried fruit and nutty sweetness, the Cognac a warming backbone, and a dusting of nutmeg over the foam gives each sip a gentle, fragrant spice.
Garnish: Grated Nutmeg
shaken · Coupe · Up
add
Add the whole egg, simple syrup, tawny port, and Cognac to a shaker.
shake
Add ice and shake very thoroughly to emulsify the egg and build a rich, frothy texture.
strain
Double-strain into a chilled coupe, leaving the ice behind.
garnish
Grate fresh nutmeg over the top before serving.
No one is credited with inventing the Coffee Cocktail; its earliest known appearance is in the 1887 edition of Jerry Thomas's The Bar-Tender's Guide, and it is missing from his 1862 edition. Thomas shook plain brandy and port with a fresh egg and sugar, strained it into a bar goblet and finished it with grated nutmeg — and he conceded the name was a misnomer, since the drink holds neither coffee nor bitters and merely resembles coffee when properly made. The same port, brandy, egg and sugar formula went on to turn up again and again in other vintage bar guides, placing it among the egg-and-spice drinks of the flip family.