Presented by Cooks’ World and Pinnacle Wine & Liquor

Just ahead of St. Patrick’s Day, consumers have an understandable peak of interest in Irish whiskeys, and there are a lot of uniquely Irish whiskey cocktails you can make and enjoy. But good news: You needn’t learn a new recipe (or just as importantly, you needn’t buy new ingredients) to enjoy Irish whiskey in a great cocktail. Here are five classic cocktail recipes in which a hearty Irish whiskey will work beautifully.

Whiskey selection is key, of course. Before you buy a new bottle, you may wish to familiarize yourself with the four legally defined styles of Irish whiskey and equip yourself to interpret what you see on the labels. Here’s a post I did two years ago to help readers along their Irish whiskey journey. Even better, when you have a chance to sample a whiskey without buying a whole bottle first, jump on it. I’ll be doing tastings at Pinnacle this Friday and Saturday offering exactly that opportunity. See the Events tab on this blog for details.

Your taste should dictate which Irish whiskey you choose, but the most popular blended Irish whiskeys can be a little timid in a mix with other strongly flavored ingredients. My current personal picks for blended Irish whiskey would be either Roe & Co. or Kilbeggan’s Triple Cask. But if you haven’t tried good Irish single pot still whiskeys yet, or Irish single malts, here’s your chance. They’ll be splendid in these mixes, too. 

THE EMERALD (a/k/a “Irish Manhattan”)
2 oz Irish Whiskey of choice
1 oz Sweet vermouth
1 dash Orange bitters

“Dubliner” option: Instead of a full ounce of sweet vermouth, use ½ oz sweet vermouth and ½ oz Grand Marnier or other Cognac-based orange liqueur. I featured this in last week’s post. 

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with plenty of ice and stir for 15-20 seconds, until well chilled. Strain into a chilled Martini glass or coupe and garnish with a twist of orange peel.

IRISH OLD FASHIONED
2 oz Irish whiskey of choice 
3 dashes Aromatic bitters (e.g., Angostura)
1 tsp Simple syrup (adjust to taste)

 Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and stir with ice until chilled (15-20 seconds). Strain into a lowball glass over a single large ice cube, then garnish with an orange twist and two Luxardo Maraschino Cherries.

IRISH BOULEVARDIER
1½ oz Irish Whiskey of choice
1 oz Campari
¾ oz Hearty sweet vermouth (e.g., Carpano Antica Formula or a good Vermouth di Torino) 
1 Barspoon (~1 tsp) Green Chartreuse (optional)

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and stir with lots of ice for 20 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe or small Martini glass. Express oils from a peel of orange zest over the drink and discard the peel or use it as garnish.

IRISH SIDECAR
1½ oz Irish whiskey of choice
¾ oz Cognac-based orange liqueur (40% abv—e.g., Cointreau or Grand Marnier)
¾ oz Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

Combine the ingredients in a shaker two-thirds full of ice. Shake 15-20 seconds until well chilled, and strain into a chilled cocktail coupe or Martini glass. Garnish with a strip of orange zest. (Optional: Before mixing, sugar the rim of the glass.)

ESPRESSO MARTINI
2 oz Irish whiskey of choice
¾ oz Coffee liqueur (my favorite is the amazing St. George NOLA)
1 oz Freshly brewed espresso
1 tsp Simple syrup

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds until well chilled, then fine-strain (to remove ice shards) into a chilled cocktail coupe or Martini glass. Garnish with three coffee beans dropped gently onto the foam, or with a sprinkle of chocolate powder.

About our Cocktail of the Week partners—shop local and independent!
Cooks’ World and Pinnacle Wine & Liquor are less than a mile from each other, on Monroe Avenue near Twelve Corners in Brighton.

Cooks’ World, in business since 1978, is Rochester’s premier retailer of dining, kitchen, and cooking products, including a complete selection of glassware, mixology tools, and accessories for wine and spirits lovers. Follow Cooks’ World on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up here to receive Cooks’ World’s daily email specials and other news. 

Pinnacle Wine & Liquor, in business since 1997, offers a thoughtfully curated selection of spirits and wine from around the world, with a savvy staff to assist in your selection and encourage you along your cocktail and wine journey. Follow Pinnacle on Facebook and Instagram. For the inside track on Pinnacle’s spirits sales, send two text messages to (585)765-7546:
— Text the word “bourbon,” to receive weekly text messages offering the chance to buy rare or allocated whiskies or special prices on popular products.
—Text the word “spirits,” to receive roughly monthly offers on fine spirits other than whiskies.