Recipes Drinks Cocktails Skip the ‘Party Drinks’ This St. Patrick’s Day and Mix Up a Classic Irish Cocktail Instead No agonizingly sweet drinks or colorful mixers needed. By Sean Flynn Sean Flynn Instagram Website Sean Flynn has spent the past 17 years working across digital, print, broadcast, and radio, covering food and drink, travel, architecture, and immigration. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Edible, Afar, Travel + Leisure, and Condé Nast Traveler, among others. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 16, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Eva Kolenko 'Party drinks' have become synonymous with St. Patrick's Day but there's no need to go for overly complicated cocktails that are filled with artificial colors or loads of sugar. Ireland produces some of the best spirits in the world after all, so why not mix up a drink that celebrates those complex flavors rather than mask them. These classic drinks reflect the artfully crafted spirits from around the country and are just the drinks to showcase your skills at your next party, say, your St. Patrick's Day party. 21 Recipes to Make This St. Patrick's Day, From Corned Beef and Cabbage to Traditional Brown Bread 01 of 08 Irish Coffee Brent Hofacker / Getty Images This list wouldn't be complete without an Irish coffee, but skip the Bailey's. This recipe is a classic that calls for real whipped cream, Irish whiskey, good coffee, and sugar. Get the Recipe 02 of 08 Gaelic Punch © Tina Rupp Looking for a crowd pleaser for your St. Patrick's Day party that's no fuss? The Gaelic Punch is the answer. This make-ahead recipe serves 14 and is bound to be a hit. Pro tip, use young Irish whiskeys for your hot punches. Heat intensifies the tannic edge of older whiskey, whereas young ones stay smooth. Get the Recipe 03 of 08 Once Upon a Paris Bar Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Don't let the name of this cocktail fool you, created by Oisin Kelly at Dublin's Sidecar Bar, the Once Upon a Paris Bar is a riff on the classic Sidecar. The cocktail highlights Irish whiskey (the team at Sidecar prefers Roe & Co., but another fruit- or vanilla-forward Irish whiskey will do) and the presentation is first-class. Get the Recipe 04 of 08 Mr. J Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Ariel Sanecki spent years overseeing the drinks program at Adare Manor, one of Ireland's more revered luxury hotels, earning a reputation as one of the best bartenders in the country. He's now mixing up drinks at Hilliard's in Killarney, a restaurant and cocktail bar recently opened in a landmark department store. He's shared one of his favorite drinks that combines the richness of chocolate bitters and coffee, and highlights the complexity of the Scotch. Get the Recipe 05 of 08 Tipperary Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon Since Ireland produces some of the best whiskey in the world, we wanted to highlight the spirit as much as possible in the drink. We use one-and-a-half ounces of Irish whiskey, plus equal parts green Chartreuse and sweet vermouth to compliment the sweet and spicy flavors. Then just two dashes of angostura bitters to add an extra bite and an expression of orange peel oils to brighten it up. Get the Recipe 06 of 08 Hums of Aisling © Lucas Allen New York City mixologist Pamela Wiznitzer describes this hot Irish whiskey drink as perfect on a bitter-cold day. According to Wiznitzer, many women in the 1700s and 1800s snuck whiskey into their hot drinks. “Thank goodness there’s nothing taboo about a woman enjoying a hot whiskey drink these days,” she says. Get the Recipe 07 of 08 Hot Toddy Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon While this recipe calls for Bourbon, supplementing with an Irish whiskey packs an extra punch of flavor. And while most think of a Hot Toddy on cold winter nights, this really could (and should) be enjoyed year round. It's just too good to relegate to one season per year. Get the Recipe 08 of 08 Irish Buck Cocktail Eva Kolenko Light yet oaky, Irish whiskey joins tart lemon juice, honey, and spicy ginger beer in this refreshing, fizzy, basil-scented Irish Buck cocktail. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit