St Patrick's Day Cocktails

St Patrick's Day (weekend) is here, so the team at The Spirit Circle have put together some of their favourite Irish cocktails. No green food dye found here!!

Smoked Rosemary Old Fashioned

This has proved to be a firm favourite on our Sensorium experience. That smooth blend of Irish Whiskey with a little hint of rosemary smoke works perfectly.

• 75ml Powers Whiskey
• 3-5 Dashes Angostura Bitters
• 10ml Rosemary Sugar Syrup
• Rosemary Sprig to garnish

1. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.
2. Stir for 20-30 seconds.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over a big block of ice (branded, if you want to show off like us!).
4. Carefully light a sprig of Rosemary and set on the rim of the glass to garnish.

Irish Coffee

Our favourite pick me up drink, perfect for this cold snap we seem to be having at the minute or if you just need a wee bit more energy this weekend!

• 1 x teaspoon of brown sugar
• 70ml Freshly brewed coffee
• 35ml Bushmills Black Bush
• 30ml Double Cream
• Nutmeg to garnish

1. Add sugar, whiskey and fresh coffee to a preheated glass, ideally one with a handle or stem.
2. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Separately, whisk the cream until it goes thick but still runny. We shake it in a cocktail shaker, if you have a protein shaker this works really well too!
4. Carefully layer the cream using a spoon onto the top of your drink.
5. Grate nutmeg across the top.

Little Pot Fizz

This one is a real winner on our Belfast by the Glass experience. Really refreshing and it definitely surprises people how delicate Poitin flavours can be.

• 35ml Shortcross Poitin (You can use the stuff your Da has stashed at back of the cupboard, but we couldn't recommend it!)
• 15ml St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur 
• 15ml Sugar Syrup
• 20ml Fresh Lemon Juice
• London Essence Soda Water
• Lemon peel twist to garnish

1. Add all ingredients to your favourite highball glass, add ice and top up with soda water and give a gentle stir.
2. Garnish with a lemon peel.

Irish Melon

Ok, so we couldn’t have a St. Patrick’s Day drinks list without a green drink…

• 50ml Copeland Rum
• 25ml Midori Melon Liqueur
• 15ml Sugar Syrup
• 20ml Lime Juice
• Dehydrated lime wheel to garnish.

1. Shake all ingredients with ice.
2. Fine strain into a coupe glass.
3. Garnish with a lime wheel

Slainte!

Words by Phil McAlister.