Irish Whiskey Cocktails

[EvergreenDan]

Tried the Weeski, and found it like Irish Whiskey: I'd prefer the ingredients as two separate drinks. Maybe I just like whiskey neat too much. Or maybe Clontarf wasn't up to the challenge?

[Chris Amirault]

What's the profile of Clontarf?

[David Santucci]

My favorite Irish whiskey cocktail is the Brainstorm.

[Chris Amirault]

David, what vermouth do you use?

[LoneSavant]

I make a Jameson manhattan-riff at my place that has really got some fans to it:

The Dark Skye

1.5oz Jameson

.25oz Noilly Prat Blanc

.25oz Dubonnet Rouge

.25oz Benedictine

Stir very well, strain into glass rinsed with a dash of Laphroaig 10yr

Garnish with flamed lemon coin

[thirtyoneknots]

Noilly Prat makes a Blanc? Do tell.

[campus five]

I'm pretty sure that just means "dry", not "blanco." Although, they do make an "ambre"

[thirtyoneknots]

I figured, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. Is the ambre still only available at the winery?

[Chris Amirault]

Made a Tipperary with 2 oz Redbreast, 3/4 oz Carpano Antica Formula, -1/4 oz Chartreuse, and three drops of Fee's OF bitters. Lovely.

[thirtyoneknots]

It's bad enough cheating to put CAF in a drink, but Red Breast, too? For shame.

[Chris Amirault]

I know. It's precisely how I usually feel, as my typical state is CAF-free.

[Chris Amirault]

Increasingly I find that Redbreast is one of my half dozen favorite spirits, neat, rocks, or in cocktails. I've been fiddling around with orange rosemary syrup (orange rinds, rosemary, simple steeped for a while) and using Islay-style whisk(e)y as an accent. The proportions below rely on an intensely orangey and rosemary-y syrup, and while I think that bitters can vary in many drinks for something to work, in this case, I think you need the JTDs. If you sub in a straight-up Islay unlike the caramel-edged McCarthy's, you might want to bump the syrup a bit. As this is a take on Ted Kilpatrick's Scotland the Brave, and as Kilpatrick is, well... you'll figure it out:

Kilpatrick the Brave

2 oz Redbreast

3/4 oz orange rosemary simple syrup

1/2 oz McCarthy's Oregon Single Malt Whiskey

1/4 oz Fernet Branca

dash Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas Own Decanter bitters

Stir; strain; garnish with a pinched rosemary sprig poked through an orange peel that you've twisted over the drink.

[FrogPrincesse]

Irish Mermaid (Massimo La Rocca) with Irish whiskey (Redbreast), cherry heering (Luxardo cherry liqueur), Aperol, orgeat (homemade), Angostura bitters

 

 

Seemed too sweet and odd on paper, but was actually quite nice. The Aperol kept it balanced, and the flavor of the whiskey really came through.

[FrogPrincesse]

Another Irish Whiskey + Aperol combo (who knew) - The Glorious Socialite (Benjamin Davies) with Jameson Irish whiskey (upgraded to Redbreast 12-year), Aperol, Lustau Puerto fino sherry (Lustau Jarana fino), Lillet blanc, Fee brothers whiskey barrel aged bitters, discarded lemon twist (oops).

 

Spicy indeed. Small sips.

 

 

[FrogPrincesse]

Weeski (David Wondrich) with Redbreast 12-year Irish whiskey, Lillet, Cointreau, orange bitters. It's like training wheels for people who have never had Irish whiskey. So I am with Dan on this one. I think I'd rather drink the whiskey by itself.

 

 

[FrogPrincesse]

Irish cocktail (Harry Johnson via Frederic Yarm) with Green Spot irish whisky plus a touch of Luxardo maraschino, Pierre Ferrand dry curacao, St. George absinthe, Dr. Elemegirab's Boker's bitters. I would go slightly easier on the maraschino next time, otherwise it's a nice one with a touch of sweetness and nice complex flavors.