Kiss Me, I’m Irish…

Or at least your cocktail can be! Its the first Friday in March and I think everyone should celebrate with an Irish-themed cocktail to start setting the mood for upcoming St. Patrick’s Day. Maybe its because Mallory is in Hawaii and I’m not 🙁 but I really felt like this weekend needs a special celebratory cocktail. Heck, I even pulled out (and ironed!) my green striped shirt that I save in my closet just so I have something to wear to the office every St. Patrick’s Day. Maybe its the Irish cocktails speaking, but yes, I am indeed admitting that I keep a shirt just so I can wear once a year (very un-Marie Kondo of me). Apparently I really worried about getting pinched…

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My favorite of the two Irish cocktails we sampled was the Irish Rose. It was a fantastic combination of tart and sweet. Don’t tell my mom, but I may have made myself a second immediately. Our second Irish cocktail – the Lady Irish – appealed to me because its champagne-based. Who doesn’t love a great champagne cocktail? It was a bit sweet for my taste, but after doubling the amount of champagne the original recipe called for, I would absolutely indulge in a Lady Irish again. (Ha! That sounds so much worse when written down. Original recipe called for approx. 1.5 ounces of champagne and I converted to approx. 3+ ounces. See, not that bad!)

Irish Rose

• 2 ounces Irish whiskey
• 1 ounce fresh lime juice
• ½ ounce grenadine
• maraschino cherry, for garnish
• lime slice, for garnish
• ice

Combine the Irish whiskey, lime juice, and grenadine in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously until very cold, about 30 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry and/or a lime slice.

Recipe Credit: Real Simple

Lady Irish

• 2/3 ounce Irish whiskey
• 2/3 ounce oloroso sherry
• 1/2 ounce grenadine
• 1/3 ounce fresh lemon juice 
• 1 teaspoon simple syrup
• 3-4 ounces chilled Champagne (to taste)
• maraschino cherry, for garnish
• ice

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the Champagne and the garnish and shake well. Strain the drink into a large chilled coupe and top with the Champagne. Garnish with the red currants.

Recipe Credit: Food and Wine

Looking for some other fun St. Patrick’s Day cocktail ideas? Try a Irish Whiskey Maid or a Gaelic Grasshopper from Town and County Or, alternatively, a Irish Gold or Whiskey and Ginger from The Spruce Eats. Each link contains very festive ways to up your cocktail game this March!

We hope you have a great weekend with an Irish cocktail (or two)! Cheers!