When it comes to celebrating Irish holidays like St. Patrick’s Day, there are generally only a handful of widely known options. There’s the Irish Shot, whose regrettable previous moniker of Irish Car Bomb has thankfully been slowly abandoned. There’s the beloved Irish Coffee, a quintessential cold-weather drink. And there’s the Tipperary, a lush and rich cocktail with Irish whiskey, sweet vermouth, green herbal liqueur, and bitters. It’s a bit of a short list, so fans of the oft-misunderstood but beloved family of Irish whiskeys are often looking for something new.
Irish whiskey is for more than merely sipping neat. While often not the first type of whiskey bartenders and home cocktail enthusiasts turn to when mixing a drink, the spirit shouldn’t be ignored. Its flavors work in everything from hot drinks to refreshing sippers and can be spiced up with fruit chocolate or even coffee. Try these 4 cocktails and you’ll see just how versatile Irish whiskey can be.
Emerald
If you take a Manhattan to Ireland, you’ll get the Emerald. Irish whiskey serves as the base, of course, and it’s given new life when combined with the rich flavors of sweet vermouth. A dash of orange bitters adds an extra punch of flavor and depth, while an orange twist makes for an elegantly simple garnish.
Ingredients:
2 ounces Irish whiskey
1 ounce sweet Italian vermouth
1 dash orange bitters
Garnish: orange peel
Directions:
Stir the whiskey, vermouth and bitters with cracked ice until cold, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an orange peel.
Head of Steam
Combine Irish whiskey, sweet vermouth, sherry, and two types of bitters for a stirred and boozy cocktail. Expressed oils from an orange peel add aromatic appeal and play off the citrus notes in the orinoco bitters.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounces Irish whiskey
1 ounce vermouth
1/2 ounce sherry
4 dashes orinoco bitters
4 dashes Xocolatl Mole bitters
Garnish: orange twist
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Express the oil from an orange peel over the top of the glass, then discard the peel.
Brotherhood
Like a handshake between Ireland and France, this cocktail blends the best of the two nations in liquid form, combining Irish whiskey with orange liqueur and French herbal liqueur, with a splash of lemon juice thrown in.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounces blended Irish whiskey
3/4 ounce French herbal liqueur
3/4 ounce orange liqueur
3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Garnish: lemon peel
Directions:
Add the Irish whiskey, liqueurs, and lemon juice into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Twist a swath of lemon peel over the top of the cocktail and drop it into the drink.
Dubliner
The Manhattan gets a citrusy spin in this cocktail. It borrows the city sophistication of its New York-named sibling, combining Irish whiskey with sweet vermouth, but gets a splash of orange-flavored liqueur and a few dashes of orange bitters. A green maraschino cherry emphasizes the drink’s Emerald Isle ties.
Ingredients:
2 ounces Irish whiskey
1/2 ounce orange liqueur
1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
3 dashes orange bitters
Garnish: 1 green maraschino cherry
Directions:
Add the whiskey, orange liqueur, sweet vermouth, and orange bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a green maraschino cherry.
