When scotch is too smoky, rye too spicy and bourbon too sweet, Irish whiskey inhabits a much-welcome middle ground.
Smooth and easy-drinking, Irish whiskey can complement a wide range of ingredients with grace. Allspice liqueur? Easy. Absinthe and Bénédictine? Please. Irish whiskey’s a pro at this game.
Challenge your nearest Irish bottle to a few of these clever recipes, and you’ll find yourself well prepared for the upcoming holiday.
This piece originally appeared on Liquor.com.
Frisky Whiskey
Unleash your wild side with the help of Irish whiskey and sweet honey liqueur, a wily duo that’s balanced by a bit of orange juice, simple syrup and Angostura bitters.
Irish Maid
Burly Irish whiskey is tamed by a few coolheaded counterparts in this refreshing cocktail, including muddled cucumber, elderflower liqueur and fresh lemon juice.
Blackthorn
Love Manhattans? Next time, trade your go-to rye or bourbon for Irish whiskey, then add a dash of absinthe for subtle anise undertones that will reinvigorate the classic in ways you never imagined.
Serpent-Less Swizzle
A classic Caribbean swizzle changes course and sails north thanks to the substitution of Irish whiskey for rum, buoyed by blanc vermouth, lemon juice and grenadine.
The Dead Rabbit Irish Coffee
The perfect Irish Coffee is very much the sum of its parts. That’s why Jack McGarry of New York’s The Dead Rabbit only uses rich Demerara syrup, French press coffee, quality Irish whiskey and lightly whipped cream to build his version.
Good Cork
Mezcal and Irish whiskey? Might seem like an odd coupling, but that bold smokiness is smoothed by the addition of herbal Bénédictine and fragrant Peychaud’s bitters for a surprisingly balanced effect.
Head of Steam
Irish whiskey is the base fuel that keeps this locomotive running on track, but amber vermouth, spicy bitters and intensely sweet Pedro Ximénez sherry contribute contrasting sparks of flavor to the raging engine.
Isaiah Rynders
Named for the Tammany Hall gang leader who ran wild throughout New York City during the mid-1800s, this variation on the Dark and Stormy could inspire shenanigans of its own. A potent blend of black barrel and peated Irish whiskeys, it deepens in intensity thanks to slugs of Cardamaro, spicy ginger syrup and tamarind chutney.
