Irish coffee gets a bad rap, says Jack McGarry, bartender extraordinaire and co-author of the hypnotic cocktail guide The Dead Rabbit Drinks Manual. And it's partly deserved: "Too many people use old, bitter coffee." His secret? A fresh brew, of course — and also ultra-fresh cream and a good aged Irish whiskey. Here's how he makes his bar's signature drink.

Photography by Heather Ramsdell