Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Drinking Irish whiskey this St. Patty’s Day?  I don’t know a better way to commemorate St. Patrick!  Invented by the Irish monks, whiskey predates Scotch by over seven hundred years.  Most historians believe that it was invented sometime around 500 AD.  Originally named Uisce Beatha, or The Water of Life, whiskey was first used for medicinal purposes.  And if somehow you entered an altered state by drinking this Water of Life, it was considered a holy phase.  Nowadays, that holy phase is entered every St. Patrick’s Day by not only the Irish, but by anyone who is feeling Irish for the day.

The Kilbeggan Secret Sour

Ingredients:

• 1 1⁄2 oz Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey
• 3⁄4 oz Dry vermouth
• 1⁄2 oz Fresh lemon juice
• 1⁄2 oz Grapefruit juice
• 3⁄4 oz Simple syrup
• 1 1⁄2 oz Club soda
• 1 dash Orange bitters

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice.  Shake, strain into a Collins glass filled with ice, and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Hearn

Ingredients:

• 1⁄2 oz Knappogue Castle 12 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey
• 1 1⁄2 oz Dolin Rouge vermouth
• 1⁄2 oz Green Chartreuse
• 4 dashes Bitters
• 2 dashes Absinthe
• 2 dashes Orange bitters

Directions:

Add all of the ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice.  Stir ingredients and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Twist a orange peel over the drink to release the oils and discard the peel.

The Copywriter

Ingredients:

For the Honey Syrup:

• 1/2 ounce hot water
• 1/2 ounce honey

For the Cocktail:

• 2 ounces Irish whiskey, such as Jameson
• 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed juice from 1 lemon
• 1/2 ounce Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
• 1/2 ounce honey syrup
• Seltzer, chilled
• Garnish: lemon twist

Directions:

For the honey syrup, boil water and stir in honey till dissolves.  For the cocktail, fill a shaker with ice and add the whiskey, lemon, sweet vermouth, and honey syrup.  Shake well and strain into an ice-filled Collins glass.  Top with seltzer and garnish with a twist of lemon.

Whiskey Ginger Smash

Ingredients:

For the ginger syrup:

• 8 fl. Oz water
• 8 oz white sugar
• 2 oz chopped ginger

Cocktail:

• 2 oz whiskey
• ¾ oz ginger syrup
• ½ lemon, cut into wedges
• 4 mint leaves

Directions:

For syrup bring water to a boil and reduce to medium heat.  Stir In sugar till it dissolves and add chopped ginger.  Allow to simmer for 10 minutes then remove from heat.  Strain once cooled.  To make the cocktail, start by mudding the lemon with mint in a shaker.  Add the ginger syrup and whiskey.  Shake with ice and strain into an ice filled rocks glass.  Garnish with mint and lemon.

McGlashan

Ingredients:

• 1 1⁄2 oz Knappogue Castle 12 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey
• 3⁄4 oz Oloroso sherry
• 3⁄4 oz Fresh lemon juice
• 3⁄4 oz Ginger syrup
• 1 tsp Orange-ginger marmalade
• 3 dashes Bitters

Directions:

Fill a shaker with ice, add all ingredients, and shake vigorously.  Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.

I hope you have a Happy St. Patrick’’s Day and enjoy these delicious cocktails!

Cheers,

Danyelle