When St. Patrick’s Day rolls around, many drinkers grab for bottles of Tullamore D.E.W., Bushmills, and Jameson for shots, slow-sipping, and cocktails. And while that’s all well and good. You’re missing out if you neglect these and other Irish whiskeys for the rest of the year. News flash: just like your favorite bourbon, rye, or single malt Scotch whisky, you can enjoy Irish whiskey (it’s spelled with the ‘e’ just like American whiskeys) all year long.
Before we get started, here’s a little refresher on what makes an Irish whiskey. It might seem fairly straightforward, but just like with bourbon in the US, there are specific rules governing the spirit. According to the Irish Whiskey Act of 1980, there are a few basic requirements for a whiskey to be labeled as an “Irish whiskey”.
Surprising to no one, the whiskey must be distilled in Ireland. It can be the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. It must be made from a mash of grains (and a combination of barley, rye, wheat, or corn). It can either be double or triple-distilled. It also cannot exceed 94.8% ABV. Lastly, they must be matured in wooden barrels for a minimum of three full years.
The best Irish whiskey cocktails
Now that you learned a little bit about Irish whiskey, it’s time to drink some. While we love a nice glass of Irish whiskey neat, on the rocks, or with a splash or two of water, we also enjoy it mixed in flavorful, nuanced, complex cocktails. Luckily, there many cocktails featuring Irish whiskey that are not only flavorful but easy to make. Below, you’ll find our favorite Irish whiskey cocktails. Keep scrolling to see them, learn their histories, and see step-by-step instructions on how to make them.
Tipperary
Tipperary is not only a county in Ireland that’s well-known for its horse farms, but it’s also a complex, delicious cocktail that you’ll want to add to your repertoire. While we’re not sure who invented it, this take on the classic Bijou first appeared in print in Hugo R. Ensslin’s 1916 book ‘Recipes for Mixed Drinks’. You can make this sometimes-overlooked classic cocktail at home if you have Irish whiskey, sweet vermouth, green chartreuse, and Angostura bitters.
What you need to make a Tipperary
- 1.5 ounces of Irish whiskey
- .75 ounce of sweet vermouth
- .75 ounce of green chartreuse
- 2-3 dashes of Angostura bitters
The Tipperary recipe steps
1. Add ice to a mixing glass.
2. Pour in the Irish whiskey, sweet vermouth, green chartreuse, and Angostura bitters into the mixing glass.
3. Stir to combine.
4. String into a chilled cocktail glass.
5. Garnish with an orange peel.
Irish Coffee
When it comes to Irish whiskey-based drinks, there are none even remotely as famous as the iconic, warming, and delicious Irish Coffee. There are a handful of stories purporting to be the drink’s origin. However many believe that the drink was first created in the 1940s at Foynes Airport (which is now Shannon Airport in County Clare, Ireland. This combination of Irish whiskey, coffee, brown sugar, and cream was supposedly invented by a man named Joe Sheridan who served it to waiting passengers during World War II.
What you need to make an Irish Coffee
- 1.5 ounces of Irish whiskey
- 1 ounce of cream
- 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
- 2.5 ounces of hot coffee.
The Irish Coffee recipe steps
1. Add whiskey and brown sugar to a coffee mug.
2. Pour over hot coffee.
3. Stir gently to combine.
4. Top with cream.
Good Cork
While we enjoy a classic cocktail as much as anyone, sometimes we like to give the contemporary drinks their due as well. One of our favorite modern-day Irish whiskey-based cocktails at the Good Cork. Created by Phil Ward at New York City’s Mayahuel bar in 2013, this nuanced, flavorful drink is made with Irish whiskey, mezcal, Benedictine, and Peychaud’s bitters.
What you need to make a Good Cork
- 1 ounce of Irish whiskey
- 1 ounce of mezcal
- .5 ounces of Benedictine
- 2-3 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters
The Good Cork recipe steps
1. Add ice to a mixing glass.
2. Pour in the Irish whiskey, mezcal, Benedictine, and Peychaud’s bitter.
3. Stir gently to combine.
4. Strain into a chilled rocks glass.
5. Garnish with a slice of apple.
Emerald
In the most basic sense, the Emerald is the Irish whiskey version of the Manhattan. If you enjoy that drink, you’ll love the Emerald. Like many drinks, its genesis is a bit of a mystery. While we don’t know who created it, the drink did appear as early as 1914 in various cocktail guides and books. As easy to make as it is to drink, the Emerald is made with Irish whiskey, sweet vermouth, and orange bitters. That’s it.
What you need to make the Emerald
- 2 ounces of Irish whiskey
- 1 ounce of sweet vermouth
- 1-2 dashes orange bitters
The Emerald recipe steps
1. Add ice to a mixing glass.
2. Pour in Irish whiskey, sweet vermouth, and orange bitters.
3. Stir gently to combine.
4. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
5. Garnish with an orange peel.
