Irish Sour – St Patrick’s Day Cocktail

Last Updated on July 18, 2024 by Leah Hall

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 like our Irish Old Fashioned 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!

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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. Try a Frozen Irish Coffee for those warmer days, too!

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!

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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.

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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!

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  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

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