Irish Cocktails

September is a transition month with summer ending and cooler days entering the mix. As a shout out to one of the month's most famous days, we created the 21st Night cocktail as a fun shout out to the hit song "September" from 70's superband Earth, Wind, and Fire. This cocktail serves as the perfect bridge between seasons. Our 21st Night cocktail combines ingredients that represent the three classical elements that make up the band's name. The chosen Irish whiskey should have earthy notes. We use the Ardara single malt, a 46% abv "all grain in" peated expression from Donegal...

The Chicago Craic Smuggler is an IWSA riff on a summer sour cocktail. The name is derived from the ingredients that make up this complex blend of flavors. Chicago's smuggling legacy during Prohibition is the theme that ties the ingredients together.  Smuggling Nun Irish Poitin is made by the Copeland Distillery in Northern Ireland. The product's name comes from the true story of a nun smuggling Irish Poitin into the USA in a bottle of holy water. The use of Malort Liqueur, known as Chicago's drink, links the bootlegging to the center of illegal activity during Prohibition. We modernized the...

The IWSA creation, Maid Merrion, is our riff on two classic cocktails. Combining elements of the Irish Maid and Seelbach brings our version to life. The Irish Maid, created at the Dead Rabbit in New York, combines Irish whiskey and elderflower liqueur. The Seelbach is named for the famous Louisville, KY hotel known for its collection of art, ties to The Great Gatsby, and Prohibition influence. Their namesake classic cocktail combines bourbon and champagne with a heavy influence of bitters.  Our Maid Merrion replaces the elderflower liqueur and champagne with Elderflower tonic, recreating the orchard pear notes while retaining the...

Picked up this recipe during our IWSAmerica member group trip to Kilkenny. The Kilkenny Waterfall is a fruity profile cocktail and makes for a perfect summer drink. County Kilkenny is home to two prominent waterfalls, Kilfane Glen and Waterfall and Poulanassy Waterfall. EQUIPMENT  IWSA Cocktail Shaker  Rocks Glass INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 oz Kyteler's Inn Irish Whiskey 2 oz apple juice 1/2 oz pineapple juice 1/2 oz blueberry syrup* 1 dash cherry bitters INSTRUCTIONS Combine ingredients in shaker with ice Shake until cold Strain into rocks glass with new ice Garnish with blueberries (optional) Kyteler's Inn is a pub located in the...

The IWSA Spicy Gopher honors both fiery redheads and the state of Minnesota. Utilizing pepper and ginger liqueur creates the requisite spiciness of the cocktail. Using Minnesota based brands in 2 Gingers Irish Whiskey and Mr. Stacks Ginger Liqueur honors our favorite Irish redheads and the Gopher State. What's not to love with this spirited animal? (Unless you are a groundskeeper on a golf course). But I think even Kenny Loggins would agree that this cocktail is Alright. EQUIPMENT  IWSA Cocktail Shaker  Rocks Glass INGREDIENTS 2 oz 2 Gingers Irish Whiskey 1 oz Mr. Stacks Ginger Liqueur 2 pinches of cayenne...