After a year like 2020, it seems as if any reason is a good reason to celebrate, but there is something special about St. Patrick’s Day. While the day can be full of pints of green beer, guzzles of Guinness and sips of Jameson, there are cocktails that are simple to make, yet take this holiday to another level.
While some of these are classics that have been altered for the occasion (like the Irish iced coffee and the Green Mary!), others have a little something special all their own. And, spoiler alert: Not all of them are green, for those of you who want to be a bit more low-key with your tipple.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Gourmet Insiders!
Emerald Old Fashioned
Courtesy of Joaquín Simó
- 2 oz Knappogue Castle 12 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey
- 1 Tsp Honey Syrup
- 1 Tsp Green Chartreuse
- 1 Tsp Dolin Genepi
Directions: Pour all ingredients (not including the garnish) into rocks glass full of ice. Stir the contents by placing a shaft of barspoon between your index and middle finger. Insert spoon into the glass until the spoon touches the bottom. Keeping your arm and fingers still, use your wrist to turn the spoon in the glass. The spoon will spin about in your fingers on its own axis. Stir for about 12-14 seconds. Garnish with a mint sprig, slapped and inserted into the drink.
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Truly Can o’ Gold Cocktail
Courtesy of Truly Hard Seltzer
- 8 oz Truly Lemon Iced Tea
- 1 oz citrus vodka
- 1 Herb bundle (mint, rosemary, basil tied together with butcher’s twine)
- 3 Meyer lemon wheels
Directions: In a glass, add vodka and Truly Lemon Iced Tea. Cover with ice and then garnish with Meyer lemon wheels and herb bundle.
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Irish Iced Coffee
Courtesy of Tullamore D.E.W. Brand Ambassador Gillian Murphy
- 1 ½ oz Tullamore DEW
- ¾ oz Irish Cream (like Kerrygold or Baileys)
- 1 oz Espresso
- ¼ oz Simple Syrup
Directions: Combine ingredients and shake over ice. Strain into a rocks glass and add fresh ice, garnish with mint leaf.
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The Sour Shamrock
Courtesy of Margaritaville Resort Orlando
- 1 ½ oz of Jameson Irish Whiskey
- 4 oz of Lemon Sour
- A healthy squeeze of simple syrup
Directions: Add ingredients into a tin, give it a good shake and pour over fresh ice. Serve in a rocks glass with a garnish of lemon and lime wheel.
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Pocket Full Of Green
Courtesy of Hendrick’s Gin
- 1.5 oz Hendrick’s Gin
- 8 to 12 Torn mint leaves
- 1 oz Cucumber juice
- ½ oz Freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 oz Aloe vera juice
- 1 oz Soda Water
Directions: Add Hendrick’s Gin, cucumber and lemon juice along with mint into a glass and gently muddle until a pulpy consistency. Add plenty of cracked ice and churn. Add aloe vera juice, soda and stir. Add more crushed ice, building into a stack.
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Sweet Baby Stout Shot
Courtesy of Margaritaville Resort Orlando
- ½ oz of Jameson Irish Whiskey
- ½ oz of Kahlua coffee liqueur
- Floater of Rum Chata
Directions: Add Jameson and Kahlua into a tin, dry shake. Pour contents into a shot glass. Layer Rum Chata floater on top.
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Easy Being Green
Courtesy of Rachel Ramirez, Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery
- 1 ½ oz Nelson’s Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey
- ½ oz Blue curaçao
- ¼ oz Licor 43
- ¼ oz simple syrup
- .375 oz lemon juice
- .375 oz lime juice
- 1 egg white
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Dry shake without ice to mix the ingredients and then add ice and shake hard until chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Express the oils from a lemon peel over the top of the drink and discard the peel.
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Spicy Leprechaun
Courtesy of Margaritaville Resort Orlando
- 1 ½ oz Dano’s jalapeño pineapple tequila
- 3 oz of Ripe lime sour
- 1 drop of green food coloring (optional)
- Muddled jalapeño
Directions: Add tequila into a tin, add two sliced jalapeños, muddle. Drop of green food coloring and add ice. Moderate shake and pour contents into a margarita glass with an Old Bay rim with fresh ice.
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Green Mary
Courtesy of Ketel One Vodka
- 1 ½ oz Ketel One Vodka
- ½ oz Pineapple juice
- 1 Stalk of coriander leaves
- 1 Stalk of mint leaves
- 3 to 4 jalapeno slices
- ¼ oz apple cider vinegar
- .15 oz agave syrup
- Garnish with half moon and mint bouquet
Directions: Take a clean Highball Glass, add your ingredients over ice, finish with a ribbon and serve.
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Four Leaf Clover
Courtesy of Margaritaville Resort Orlando
- 1 ½ oz of Teeling Irish Whiskey
- Fresh lime juice
- 4 oz of ginger beer
- Simple Syrup
Directions: Add Teeling to shaker. Add three lime wedges and muddle, add ice and give a hard shake. Pour contents over fresh ice, complete with ginger beer.