I love Irish Whiskey, and have since I first graduated from beer to spirits. I have enough of a selection of home-bar bottles of the Aqua Vitae to open my own Irish bar, I love it so. My favorite way to drink it is neat, just a finger width from the bottom of a heavy, whiskey glass, with a cold Guinness sitting behind it. Smoother than almost any other in the whiskey family, Irish goes down like a kiss, yet fills the mouth with indescribable flavor; flavors that very tremendously from style and region, yet still taste universally like Irish whiskey. Jameson or Bushmills basic whiskeys are perfect places to start, but if you find yourself developing a taste for the dram, you can graduate to their 10 & up years aged product, or a more peated Connemara, or the pure Redbreast, the Knappogue Castle, Paddy, Tullamore Dew … I could go on and on. But I won’t….this is a collection of Irish Whiskey Cocktail Recipes, and for these, I’d stick with a basic bottle. No need to be using top-shelf whiskey, when you’re adding other flavors. I’ve only very recently started using my precious Irish in mixed cocktails, but the ones here are tried and tested and worth the loss. Irish Whiskey is a perfect drink to enjoy as the cold months end and the start of Spring creeps in. The flavor is earthy and deep and will remind you of the smell of the breeze as things start growing in the yard or in the woods behind your house. Enjoy an Irish whiskey neat, like I describe above, but also make room for one of these satisfying cocktails. I’m sure you’ll enjoy both.
Leprechaun Dancer
I know, I know the name is horrible, as clichéd as any I’ve come across. Still, the drink has something going for it, it tastes great! A satisfying high-ball that brings a lot to the party and is very easy to whip up. Ginger, lemon and the peaty flavor of the whiskey jig together in magical ways.
Here we go –
- 2 oz Irish Whiskey
- 2 oz lemon juice
- club soda & ginger ale or ginger beer
In a tall glass filled with ice, pour the lemon juice & whiskey. Top with equal parts club soda & ginger ale/beer, stir & garnish with a lemon peel.
Celtic Cocktail
Delicious and serious, this one’s best left to the serious whiskey drinker at your bar. You have to love the strong flavors, but don’t let that scare you away. Keep this drink cold and you’ll be fine. The bite thickens as the drink warms, so I suggest using your smaller, antique cocktail glasses for this one. Pre-dinner or at the start of a poker game, this cocktail will warm you from the inside out. I know it sounds odd, the mixing of two very distinct whiskeys in one glass, but it works with the help of juice & bitters. I was quite curious when I read the recipe … but my curiosity was rewarded.
Here we go –
- 1 1/2 oz Blended Scotch
- 1 oz Irish Whiskey
- 1/2 oz lemon juice
- dash or three Angostura Bitters
Shake everything gently in an ice-filled shaker then strain into chilled cocktail glass.
Wild Irish Rose
Posted this one recently on our Facebook page. I found this one in an old magazine and happened to have everything on hand. This was just a great cocktail and one I enjoyed as an early evening sipper. The whiskey was definitely there, but the sweet cut of the grenadine & sparkle of the soda created more of a cooler than serious drink. An Irish whiskey drink to enjoy on a warm day or while preparing an early spring dinner.
Here we go –
- 1 1/2 oz Irish Whiskey
- 1 1/2 tsp. Grenadine
- 1/2 oz lime juice
- club soda
In an ice-filled high-ball glass, pour everything but the soda and stir. Fill with Club soda, stir again and garnish with an orange or lemon peel.
Cold Irish
Takes about eleven seconds of pre-prep because you have to mix a little cold coffee with a little whipped cream & Creme de cacao, but boy is she worth the effort. This is a spring dessert cocktail and one that goes exceptionally well with a full stomach. Pour your guests one after dinner or at the tail end of the evening as a sweet period on the evening’s sentence. This is the kinda drink you make for the pure fun of it. “Tis sweet, so be careful.
Here we go –
- 1 1/2 oz Irish Whiskey
- 2 tsp. Irish Mist Liqueur
- Whipped cream mixed with a little Creme de’ cacao & cold coffee. It doesn’t’ have to be thick because you’re going to want it to seep down into the drink.
Add whiskey & liqueur into an ice-filled (not too high) tall glass. Add club soda to near the top, leaving room for the whipped-cream concoction. Pour the whipped cream mixture on top and lightly stir with a stir stick.
Irish Milk-And-Maple Punch
Perfect for a brunch or as a potent stomach- settler at the start of the evening. I believe this is the 2nd milk punch I’ve posted the recipe for, and this one is also a winner. Frothy, cold, potent, and drinkable, this is a perfect drink for late winter or early, cool spring. You’ll love it!
Here we go –
- 2 oz blended Irish Whiskey
- 8 oz cold milk
- 1 tbsp. maple syrup
- ground nutmeg
Shake liquid ingredients with plenty of ice ’till frothy & cold. Pour into a tall glass and dust with ground nutmeg.
Black Manhattan
Calls for a specific Irish Whiskey, Bushmills Black Bush, I happened to have a bottle and mixed one on up. Another great reason to mix a Manhattan, the ultra- smooth finish of the whiskey, the sweet of a good Italian vermouth and the absence of bitters caused this variation to stand out nicely.
Here we go –
- 2 oz Bushmills Black Bush Irish Whiskey
- 1/2 oz sweet vermouth
You know the drill, stir with plenty of cracked ice ’till freezing cold, pour up into a chilled cocktail glass and enjoy. Maraschino cherry garnish. (add a couple dashes Angostura bitters, and you’ll have a Paddy Cocktail)
Irish Trinity
Best served on St. Pat’s, this is nothing more than an Irish booze salad in a glass. Still, it has its purpose, and if you happen to be celebrating in March or are in the mood to get happy in a hurry, I see no harm in enjoying one or two with a ride home waiting for you. Potent and sweet, I tend to stay away from drinks like this, the conditions have to be right. I’ve tried one, I liked it, so I want to post it for our sweet drink fans.
Here we go –
- 1 oz Irish Whiskey
- 1 oz Irish Mist liqueur
- 1 oz Irish Cream (Baileys would be fine)
Pour everything over a rocks filled, whiskey glass and stir. Drink, but only if you’ve had dinner.
Well, this should get you started if you’re new to Irish Whiskey cocktails. I tried to stay away from the super-obvious cocktails ( Nutty Irishman, IRA Cocktail, Irish Coffee, etc..), I wanted to present some of the lesser known. Like I mentioned at the start, you can’t go wrong with a couple drams of good Irish Whiskey and a Guinness to sip after, but, as we all know, cocktails have their places and Irish Whiskey does make a wonderful addition to your whiskey arsenal. “Slainte!”
