Entertaining

Sláinte to St. Patrick

Greg Horton, ReserveBar Spirits Contributor

St. Patrick wasn’t born a Patrick. The son of a Roman officer, Maewyn or Magonus was born in what is now Wales or Scotland. Records from the 4th century are understandably sketchy, but one thing is clear, St. Patrick’s Day was always going to sound better than St. Maewyn’s Day. No way that would have caught on.

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A Brief History

The patron saint of Ireland is famous – according to legend, not history – for converting the island of Ireland to the Catholic faith, but his feast day wasn’t approved until 1631, and the first parade in the U.S. didn’t happen until 1762. Clearly, Patrick was a guy you have to get used to, not like right away. Irish immigrants brought his feast day to the world, and while it wasn’t always the raucous event it has become, it was always celebrated in the U.S. with parades and parties post-1762.

The confluence of two other cultural phenomena helped catapult the March 17 celebration to a major drinking holiday. That week is also Spring Break for most schools in the U.S., and it’s the first weekend of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, so people are already out of school and off work to celebrate other annual events. The trinity of sports, vacation, and drinks with friends has made it one of the country’s biggest days for bars and restaurants. Traditionally, it has been a beer-forward celebration, but with the advent of craft bartending, more and more people are turning to serious cocktails to fuel their festivities.

To help you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, we have collected some of our favorite cocktail recipes that rely on the smooth, buttery character of Irish whiskey as a base. We begin with the standard – not a shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey, which we actually recommend sipping alongside a good pint – and a great choice for St. Patrick’s Day, since the festivities typically begin late morning, depending on your time zone.

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Irish Coffee

The original recipe calls for brown sugar instead of simple syrup, and that’s the one we recommend. The brown sugar pulls the caramelized notes from Irish whiskey forward, making for a warm, round flavor and mouthfeel.

1 ½ oz. Slane Irish Whiskey
4 oz. hot, black coffee, brewed strong
2 tsp. brown sugar, packed
Heavy cream, whipped but not stiff

Spoon brown sugar into an Irish coffee glass, and then add the coffee and whiskey. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Float whipped cream on top and serve.

For a midday jolt of energy, or if you just prefer cold brew coffee, our Cocktail Lounge has dozens of recipes to help you improve your home bartending skills, including this delicious Cold Brew-Tini, made with Jameson Irish Whiskey.

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Bobby Burns

Ordinarily made with blended Scotch, this classic cocktail is perfect to showcase what Scotch’s lighter cousin – Irish whiskey – can do as a substitute. With less malty notes than Scotch, the cocktail takes on a completely different flavor profile while maintaining its family resemblance to the original. Some recipes call for a splash of Benedictine. Start small and add to your own taste.

1 ½ oz. Bushmills Irish Whiskey
1 ½ oz. Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
¼ or ½ oz. Benedictine, to taste
Lemon peel for garnish

Add whiskey, vermouth and Benedictine to a mixing glass with ice. Stir until well chilled. Strain into a coupe and serve up.

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Irish Spring Sour

A favorite of the St. Patrick’s Day block party celebration in and around James E. McNellie’s Public House in Oklahoma City, this simple refresher – crafted by bar wizard Julia McLish of Barkeep Supply – is a harbinger of the spring equinox, just a few short days after the party. It’s a true sour, so you will need an egg white handy. McLish uses Giffard for the peach, but we recommend Juliette.

1 ½ oz. Jameson Irish Whiskey
½ oz. Juliette Heirloom Peach Liqueur
¾ oz. fresh lemon juice
¾ oz. simple syrup
1 egg white
Sprig of mint for garnish

Add whiskey, liqueur, egg white, lemon and simple to a shaker tin without ice. Shake dry for about 30 seconds. Add ice, and shake again until well chilled, 20-30 seconds. Strain over ice in a rocks glass and garnish with mint.

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In Closing

The variety of cocktails you can make with an Irish whiskey base is roughly equal to the number you can make with bourbon or rye; it’s serious whiskey for serious cocktail fans.

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