St. Patrick’s Day is Saturday & St. Paddy’s on a weekend is a win/win for all! And I just wouldn’t be the Spirited Traveler if I didn’t have some delicious Irish cocktail recommendations for you. So instead of the norm (green colored drinks & beer, or Irish Car Bombs ~shudder~), I’m offering up beverages that will have you ringing in St. Patrick’s Day like a pro.
To accomplish this, I invited my St. Patrick’s Day drinking crew over for an informal tasting to sample 5 new-to-us Irish cocktails. Word of caution, the Irish are known for their whiskey, and all of these drinks feature healthy doses of it.
Tune in below and watch us make 5 delicious Irish cocktails, give our honest impressions, and, of course, share plenty of laughs along the way.
So without further ado, Sláinte! And here’s to naked Leprechauns! (don’t ask, just watch the videos 😀 )
The Irish Derby
The Irish Derby is a delightful beverage combining Irish whiskey, sweet vermouth, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and Angostura bitters.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ oz Irish whiskey (I used Bushmills)
- ½ oz sweet vermouth
- ½ oz Cointreau
- ½ oz freshly squeezed lime juice from 1/2 lime
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Directions:
- Add whiskey, sweet vermouth, Cointreau, lime juice, and bitters to a cocktail shaker
- Fill with ice and shake until well chilled, about 20 seconds
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
- Garnish with lime twist if desired
The Copywriter
The Copywriter is a refreshing combination of Irish whiskey, lemon juice, honey syrup, sweet vermouth, and seltzer water.
Ingredients:
Honey Syrup:
- ½ oz hot water
- ½ oz honey
Cocktail:
- 2 ounces Irish whiskey (I used Bushmills)
- ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
- ½ oz Sweet Vermouth
- ½ oz honey syrup
- Seltzer, chilled
- Garnish: lemon twist
Directions:
Honey Syrup:
- Stir together hot water and honey until honey dissolves.
Cocktail:
- Add whiskey, lemon, sweet vermouth, & honey syrup to a cocktail shaker; fill with ice
- Shake until well chilled, about 15 seconds
- Strain into an ice-filled Collins glass
- Top with seltzer and garnish with a lemon twist
The Irish Maid: ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣
The Irish Maid is a refreshing and light beverage that has moved its way into my Top 5. As you can see, it received the coveted 5 shamrock rating from my guests. Combining Irish whiskey, cucumbers, St. Germain, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup, this is a beverage you could enjoy all spring and summer long.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Jameson Black Barrel Irish Whiskey
- ½ oz St. Germain
- ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
- ¾ oz simple syrup (1 part sugar, one part water) <recipe here>
- Cucumber, 2 slices
Directions:
- In a shaker, muddle the cucumber slices
- Add remaining ingredients and fill shaker with ice
- Shake vigorously, and fine-strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with ice
- Garnish with a cucumber slice
The Emerald
The Emerald is a smooth, mellow beverage of Irish whiskey, sweet vermouth, and orange bitters. This beverage would pair very well with a cigar.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Irish whiskey (I used Bushmills)
- 1 oz sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes orange bitters
Directions:
- Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass and fill with cracked ice
- Stir well for 30 seconds and strain into a chilled cocktail glass
- Garnish with a piece of orange or lemon peel, or nothing at all
The Dead Rabbit
The Dead Rabbit is a very tasty Irish coffee. Consisting of Irish whiskey, coffee, simple syrup, and a dash of nutmeg, not only is this drink perfect for brunch, it would also pair well with a cigar.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ oz Contarf whiskey
- 4 oz hot brewed coffee
- ¾ oz Demerara syrup (one part Demerara sugar, one part water)
- note: you can also use regular simple syrup here
- Heavy cream, lightly whipped
Directions:
- Fill an Irish Coffee glass with hot water and let stand for a few minutes to warm
- Pour out the water and add the Demerara syrup, whiskey and coffee
- Stir to combine and top with a layer of heavy cream the width of your thumb
- Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg
I hope you enjoyed these Irish cocktail recommendations and the color commentary provided. 😀 Sound off in the comments with your impressions of the drinks if you try any of them.
And extra special thanks to my friend Wiley Brown, of Wiley Brown Photography, for filming, trying to wrangle the cats (i.e. provide direction to people drinking cocktails & laughing) and the video production work. If you’re in the market for photography or video services, check him out. Wiley never fails to deliver stunning visuals and superb customer service.
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