How The New York Whiskey Bar Scene Has Changed + New Barrel Aged Coffee
Tommy Tardie and Fred are longtime friends. In an interview in Fine & Rare in New York, which Tommy owns, Tardie talks about his new product–The Morning Dram. They eat dinner over, sip whiskey, talk about the New York whiskey scene and enjoy a French press of the barrel aged coffee.
PRESS RELAESE
The Morning Dram, a new line of barrel-aged coffee brought to you by the owner and operator of The Flatiron Room and Fine & Rare, announces its official launch in time for the holiday season. Founded by Tommy Tardie, The Morning Dram is a collection of coffees created for the spirits drinker. Launch products include Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee, Rye Barrel Aged Coffee, Apera Sherry Barrel Aged Coffee, and House Blend No. 1 along with options such as a subscription box, starter kit, and The Morning Dram merchandise available for purchase exclusively at www.TheMorningDram.com. The Morning Dram is also served at Tardie’s New York landmark establishment Fine & Rare.
For more than a decade Tommy has owned and operated spirits-focused restaurants in New York City with some of the country’s largest selections of whiskey and spirits. The Flatiron Room, which celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2022, was awarded “Best Whisky Bar” in 2021 by Whisky Magazine. Inspired by the commonality between fine spirits and quality coffee, where aficionados enjoy savoring the experience and each note and layer of their drink, Tardie created a coffee with the spirits drinker in mind.
“Good coffee and fine spirits have so much in common, you want to appreciate each sip,” shared Tommy Tardie, Owner & Operator of Goodnight Group. “The Morning Dram offers a balance of complex notes and simple joy, robust flavors of coffee beans cradled in these spirits barrels.”
Appropriately named after the term for a small pour of alcohol, usually referring to whiskey, The Morning Dram utilizes high-quality beans aged in barrels from top distilleries. Rather than setting a standard time to age each coffee, Tommy uses his senses to determine the appropriate time to remove the beans to achieve a rich, smooth finish. This can vary for each batch, since all barrels are different, and achieves distinct tasting notes for each coffee blend.
Bourbon Barrel Aged: Honduras
• Caramel corn, vanilla fudge, toasted marshmallow, sweet bourbon
Rye Barrel Aged: Colombia & Mexico
• Milk chocolate, orange zest, ginger candy, cinnamon toast, sweet oak
Apera Sherry Barrel Aged: Guatemala
• Cherries dipped in milk, chocolate, Brazil nuts, figs, strawberry preserves
There is no alcohol in The Morning Dram, and no flavorings or additives. The only ingredient: coffee beans. The distinctive flavor of each coffee is a result of the beans’ time in the barrel, a process that mirrors the whiskey-making process, where barrels are carefully chosen to provide flavor and finish to the liquid aged within.
“The Morning Dram is truly designed for spirits enthusiasts, those who have a passion for exploring the subtle notes and complex flavors resulting from the mastery of a distiller and the barrels they choose for the aging process,” added Tardie. “And with The Morning Dram, that experience can be enjoyed anytime of the day. It’s always eight o’clock somewhere.”
For the holidays and beyond, The Morning Dram has curated a collection of gift items at www.themorningdram.com/collections/gifts.
Source: The Fred Minnick Show