Irish Sour – St Patrick’s Day Cocktail

Share this...

Last Updated on March 26, 2023 by The Noms

Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, or anytime, this Irish Sour is a tasty Irish whiskey cocktail!

When Saint Patrick’s Day rolls around everyone wants to be Irish for a day! Our Facebook feeds and Instagram accounts are filled with green clad folks and equally green drinks. While the occasional green drink can be fun (like our Roquette) a lot of us we want to celebrate being Irish with something a bit different than your typical green beer!

Wanting to come up with something different, we thought about a way to use some great Irish Whiskey! Irish whiskey cocktails are so flavorful and tasty!

Whiskey Sour Cocktail

The whiskey sour is a classic cocktail that goes back a long time! Seems to be first mentioned in 1870 in a Wisconsin newspaper. The whiskey sour is also on the list of International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails, meaning it has an official recipe. Typically this cocktail uses a bourbon or rye whiskey, but you can make it with Irish whiskey, too!

This post contains affiliate links for products that we think you as readers might find useful, and we make commission off of these! For more details about our affiliates, click our Disclosure and Contacts Page.

Irish Sour

Since a good starting point is the classic whiskey cocktail, the Whiskey Sour, we used this as the base idea. Wanting to put an Irish twist on the cocktail, we started out with Jameson Irish Whiskey, light and fruity with hints of nutty and vanilla tones. The finish is smooth and mellow.

We swapped some of the typical lemon juice for some fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, which added a slightly bitter sourness to the drink. We knew at this point we would make a different twist on the Irish Sour than just Jameson whiskey, lemon juice and simple syrup.

Wanting a bit more depth, we added a bit of Maraschino liqueur which adds a nutty sweetness. We topped the Irish Sour with a float of grenadine to add a bit of color and flavor. If you use real grenadine like we did that doesn’t have a high sugar content, it will sink into the drink, but if you opt for the bright red stuff, it will float on top!

While our sour was well on its way, but the balance was a bit off, leaving the drink a bit one note-ish. Wanting a bit more sweet, and while Simple Syrup works, we wanted something that would add sweetness and layers of flavor. So, we added some white vermouth for layers of flavors. These flavors included things like vanilla, floral and citrus. 

Irish Whiskey Brands

Obviously not all, but ones that we have tried and liked:

• Jameson Irish Whiskey – Probably the worlds’ most popular Irish whiskey brand. Smooth and toasted notes of barley.
• Bushmills – Some fresh berries and subtle vanilla notes that make this whiskey a perfect starting point for those who want to build their understanding with Irish whiskey.
• Egans – Warm spices and sweetness from aging in American oak bourbon barrels for eight years. 
• Tullamore D.E.W. – A blended Irish whiskey that has a smooth finish and versatile, citrus-forward palette that makes it a perfect pick for fruitier cocktails like a classic sour. 
• Teeling – They age their whiskey in California Cabernet Sauvignon casks. The whiskey is smooth and almost fruity.
• The Sexton – Using triple distilled 100% malted barley and aged in former sherry butts.

If you want another Irish cocktail perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, try our Irish Coffee or Toasted Cream Irish Coffee! Or, Bailey’s Irish Cream Recipes, St Patrick’s Day Vodka Drinks or Irish Cream Cocktail Recipes, too!

Cheers!

Also, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and tag #gastronomcocktails so we can see all the wonderful recipes YOU recreate from this site!

You can also subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss a delicious recipe again!

Like this recipe? Try these below, too!

Savory Irish Stout Hand Pies

The Smoked Cherry Cocktail

Other Irish Whisky Cocktails

• Irish Coffee – Cooking with Curls
• Irish Mule – Fox & Briar
• Jameson Old Fashioned – Cake N Knife
• Irish Buck Cocktail – Martha Stewart
• Espresso Kahlua and Irish Whiskey Frozen Cocktail – Creative Culinary

Continue to Content

Yield: 1

Irish Sour - Irish Whiskey Cocktails

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 3 minutes

A great alternative to green beer for St. Patrick's Day, this Irish Sour is sure to make your whiskey dreams come true.

Print

Ingredients

Irish Sour Cocktail

• 2 ounces Irish Whiskey
• .75 ounce white vermouth
• .75 ounce freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice
• .50 ounce simple syrup
• .25 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• .25 ounce grenadine
• 1 bar spoon Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• Dash of club soda

Instructions

Place the whiskey, vermouth, Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, citrus juices, grenadine and simple syrup in a shaker with ice.

Shake and strain into glass.

Add the bitters and dash of club soda.

Cheers!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer for Cocktails
• 
  Mikasa Laura High Ball Glass, 15.5-Ounce, Set of 4
• 
  Cocktail Shaker – 17oz Parisian Cocktail Shaker
• 
  Stirrings Authentic Grenadine Cocktail Mixer, 12 Ounce | Pack of 1
• 
  HIC Citrus Juicer Reamer with Handle and Pour Spout, Heavyweight Glass
• 
  Shamrock and Chevron Irish Theme Paper Drinking Straws - St Patrick's Day Supply - Green and Gold Foil - 100 Pack - Outside The Box Papers Brand
• 
  Angostura Bitters Set

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

1

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 298Total Fat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 566mgCarbohydrates: 24.8gFiber: 0.3gSugar: 11.6gProtein: 0.2g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

PIN THIS IRISH SOUR COCKTAIL RECIPE FOR LATER!

Interested in stocking your own home bar? Make sure to see our favorites at our Amazon Store!

If you liked this recipe, don’t forget to subscribe for new (and of course free) recipes by entering your email address on the side bar (and get all the recipes delivered to your inbox when we post), so you don’t miss out on a thing. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter!

Gastronomblog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Share this...