Our Story: How our Barrel-Aged Coffee Began
The Morning Dram – coffee for the spirits drinker.
If we haven't met before, my name is Tommy Tardie (and that's my wife, Davi, in the picture). For over a decade, I've owned and operated spirits-focused restaurants in New York City. My venues have some of the country's largest selections of whiskey and fine spirits and I'm proud to say that The Flatiron Room was awarded "2021 Best Whisky Bar in America" by Whisky Magazine.
I've spoken with thousands of people at my restaurants and can tell you there's a commonality amongst spirits drinkers. They take pride in what they order. There's usually an emotional connection with the bottle they choose. They remember where they tried it, who they were with, and what was going on at the time. Spirits drinkers enjoy learning more about what they're drinking. They drink it slowly, taking time to notice the flavor notes and enjoy each sip. They're proud to call a certain few their favorites.
The Morning Dram is coffee for the spirits drinker.
I am a spirits drinker but I also love coffee. I drink it every morning and afternoon. Good coffee and fine spirits have so much in common. There's a lot of mediocre options, but when you are drinking a good one, you feel better about it and want to appreciate each sip. It's a bit more ceremonial.
I set out to make a barrel-aged coffee that I'd want to savor. I don't use cream or sugar in my coffee, so it has to taste great on its own. I would only put my name behind a specialty coffee that is balanced, smooth, complex, and something I could drink as morning coffee, and for my afternoon coffee break. That was achieved by using high-quality, specialty coffee beans, freshly emptied barrels from the best whiskey distilleries, and experienced specialty coffee roasters. You can taste the difference in the quality.
If you're wondering "What is a dram?", simply put, it's a small pour of alcohol, usually referring to whiskey. I love my ritual of drinking good coffee in the morning as much as I love a good dram of whiskey at night. The idea of coffee being my dram for mornings is how the name The Morning Dram was born.
I hope you enjoy it, fellow spirits drinker.