On several Clancy Brothers albums they discuss "Punch" and on one concert album, I wish I recalled which, they tell how to make it. The spiel goes something like You take hot water, whiskey, and a lemon studded with cloves... then somebody says You don't need the cloves! And someone answers Well, you don't really need the hot water either!

Anyway, when I went to Ireland, in the first pub I fell into (in Galway) I tried to order Punch. Blank look. So I asked for Whiskey punch. Blank look. So I started into the Clancy Brothers spiel, and the bartender immediately interrupted with Oh, you want Hot Whiskey. So from then on I ordered Hot Whiskey, and I always got the same delicious thing. Here is how they made it:

You take a glass and pour hot tap water into it; pour the water out. Take some boiling water from a kettle or put more hot water in the glass and microwave it, you want a glass with some really, really, really hot water in it, dangerously so. If you skip Step 1 you get shattered glass a lot. You have a lemon cut into slices or wedges, each slice/wedge liberally studded with cloves; put in the hot water with a spoon of sugar, stir. Then, after that so you minimize the evaporation of the alcohol, you add a good shot of good Irish Whiskey, I recommend Powers, and drink while still very hot. This kept me going all through a November in Ireland, wet and all! We now do these (and real Irish Coffee) at all family gatherings, whether holiday-oriented or not.

Real Irish Coffee: Strong coffee, sugar and cream, and good Irish whiskey, I again recommend Powers, and again, add the alcohol last and stir as little as possible. If you want to adulterate it with whipped cream, you can use the sweetened kind and skip the sugar. But no drizzles of Bailey's or Irish Cream, whatever you do. You can always have some Irish Mist, later. If you want to sneak extra alcohol into the coffee itself, substitute Kahlua or a coffee liqueur for the sugar. But then it isn't Irish any more - but it will be kickass delicious!