Irish Whiskey's Versatility Shines in Cocktails

When it comes to making whiskey cocktails, people often go straight to bourbon or rye—and indeed, many classic recipes were invented with these styles in mind. Irish whiskey may not have the storied cocktail history of its American counterparts, but it’s just as mixable with a wide variety of ingredients and worthy of the spotlight in the cocktail realm.

Patrick McGoldrick, beverage director at Afterbar in Chicago, believes that Irish whiskey is one of the most essential and versatile spirits in the world. “It’s incredibly accessible to novices and whisky veterans with its smooth and balanced sweetness,” he says. “This makes it a wonderful choice for both sour-style drinks as well as spirit-forward ones.”

Irish whiskey in fact offers something for every type of whisky drinker: It shares similarities with scotch due to the malted barley in its mashbill, but its lack of big, bold smokiness in favor of subtler sweet and fruity qualities makes it equally enticing to an American whiskey drinker.

McGoldrick often reaches for Irish whiskey when making a Whiskey Sour or a Highball. “These refreshing cocktail styles highlight the malty sweetness that’s so characteristic of Irish whiskey,” he says, adding that the spirit works equally well in Old Fashioneds and Manhattan-style drinks, and when mixed with coffee flavors like in the classic Irish Coffee.

“When working with Irish whiskeys and deciding what flavors to experiment with, the best advice I can give is to go by smell,” says Amanda Perez, general manager and head mixologist at Tropical Distillers in Miami. “Malted barley-forward expressions, for example, are very aromatic, which means they mix well with various fruit flavors to create a drink that can make you feel like you’re sitting on a secluded beach.”

Irish rye is newer to the scene—there are just a couple on the market—but that’s bringing some excitement to Irish whiskey cocktails. “With an Irish rye, I like using lighter and brighter ingredients—dry vermouth and apricot liqueur highlight the classic notes of an Irish whiskey, like stone fruit and green apple, while still allowing the robust rye to shine through,” says Meaghan Dorman, bar director for New York City bars Dear Irving on Hudson and Raines Law Room.

There are certainly many different routes to take when building cocktails around Irish whiskey depending on the expression you’re using, the ingredients you have on hand, and your personal preferences. From bright and fruity concoctions to modern takes on spirit-forward classics, these recipes will get you started on your journey to discovering the beauty of an Irish whiskey-based cocktail. Sláinte!

CALL ME MICHAEL COLLINS

Patrick McGoldrick, beverage director at Afterbar in Chicago

• 2 oz. Jameson
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. simple syrup Club soda
• Orange slice, for garnish

Shake all ingredients except the soda with ice. Strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice and top with soda. Garnish with a brûléed orange slice (brûlée optional).

ST. PADDY’S SMASH

Jessica Christensen, property mixologist for Graton Resort & Casino in Rohnert Park, California

• 1¼ oz. Jameson
• ¾ oz. St-Germain elder-flower liqueur
• ½ oz. lime juice
• ½ oz. simple syrup
• 2 cucumber slices, 1 lime wedge, and 6-8 mint leaves
• Cucumber wheel, for garnish

Muddle cucumber, lime, and mint in a Boston shaker. Add remaining ingredients and ice. Pour the contents back and forth between tins 2-3 times (a technique called rolling). Pour into a double Old Fashioned glass and garnish with a cucumber wheel.

IRISH COFFEE MARTINI

Patrick McGoldrick

• 1½ oz. Jameson
• ½ oz. Baileys cream liqueur
• ½ oz. coffee liqueur
• 1 oz. espresso
• ¼ oz. demerara syrup
• Espresso beans and mint, for garnish

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with espresso beans and a mint bouquet.

ESPRESSO OLD FASHIONED

Amanda Perez, general manager and head mixologist at Tropical Distillers in Miami

• 3 oz. Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition
• 3 sugar cubes (or ¼ oz. simple syrup)
• 2 orange wedges
• ½ oz. J.F. Haden’s Espresso liqueur (or other espresso liqueur)
• 4 dashes Angostura bitters
• Dash cinnamon and orange peel, for garnish

In a mixing glass, muddle the sugar and orange wedges until the sugar is completely broken down (if using cubes). Fill the mixing glass with ice. Add liqueur and bitters and stir for 10-15 seconds. Add whiskey and stir for another 20-25 seconds, then strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Top with cinnamon and express an orange peel over the drink, then discard.

LUCKY LIMERICK

Ryan Christensen, bartender at Lucky Rooster Kitchen + Bar in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

• 1½ oz. Writers’ Tears
• ¼ oz. Luxardo maraschino liqueur
• ½ oz. fresh lime juice
• ½ oz. fresh grapefruit juice
• ¼ oz. simple syrup

Shake all ingredients with ice and double strain into a coupe.

EAST GREENPOINT

Brian Evans, partner and director of bars for Brooklyn, New York-based Sunday Hospitality Group

• 2 oz. Powers Irish rye
• ½ oz. Yellow chartreuse liqueur
• ¼ oz. Dolin dry vermouth
• 1 tsp. Giffard Lichi-Li lychee liqueur
• ½ tsp. Clear Creek pear brandy

Lychee, for garnish Stir all ingredients with ice for approximately 45-50 rotations. Using a julep strainer, strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a peeled lychee fruit.

GRACELAND

Ziv Scherman, food and beverage director at Blue Jay Bistro in Littleton, North Carolina

• 1¼ oz. banana-infused Jameson (recipe below)
• ¾ oz. Skrewball peanut butter whiskey
• Splash banana liqueur
• Slice of bacon and brûléed banana slice, for garnish

Pour all ingredients into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Stir to chill and garnish with a bacon slice and brûléed banana slice.

Banana-Infused Jameson

In an airtight storage container, place four extra-ripe sliced bananas. Pour a 750-ml bottle of Jameson over the bananas and allow to steep in the fridge for 4 days. Strain out and discard the bananas and impurities. Store the liquid in the original Jameson bottle in the refrigerator.

CROWN ALLEY

Meaghan Dorman, bar director at Dear Irving on Hudson and Raines Law Room in New York City

• 1 oz. Powers Irish rye
• 1 oz. Method Spirits dry vermouth
• 1 tsp. Giffard Abricot du Roussillon apricot liqueur
• 1 dash orange bitters
• 2 oz. Conquilla cava
• Lemon twist, for garnish

Stir all ingredients except cava with ice. Strain into a flute and top with cava. Garnish with a lemon twist.

LA ROUE DE ZELDA

Monica Collins, mixologist and beverage manager at Chez Georges in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

• 2 oz. Legendary Silkie
• 1 oz. Compass Box Spice Tree
• 1 oz. tamarind liqueur
• 3-4 dashes 18.21 Tart Cherry & Saffron bitters

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Smoke the drink using a smoking gun and cloche (optional).

IRISH CRUSH

Evan Prish, restaurant manager at The Ritz-Carlton in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

• 2 oz. Teeling
• 1 oz. peach schnapps
• ½ oz. ginger syrup
• ½ oz. simple syrup
• ½ oz. lemon juice
• ½ oz. lime juice
• Dehydrated lime wheel and edible orchid, for garnish

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a double Old Fashioned glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a dehydrated lime wheel and edible orchid.