March is full of festivities but one for the cocktail calendar is 17th March – St. Patricks Day!
The celebration of St. Patricks Day (Paddy’s Day) has a rich history in Irish culture, but let’s face: it’s basically an excuse to paint stuff green, make green stuff and drink green stuff!…We’ve got your back on that last one!
Traditionally many people enjoy drinking Guinness or beer throughout the day and into the night, but sometimes one likes something a little lighter/fruitier than Guinness…the obvious answer being cocktails!
So this St. Patrick’s Day put down the Guinness or that cheap green beer and slowly back away. Back all the way up to the bar (home or out) and choose from one or more of our St Patricks style cocktails..think Irish whiskey or a glass of something that’s actually intended to be green!
1. Paddy’s Cocktail

Image credit: Pinterest
We couldn’t miss this one with the name, colour and ingredients all asking to be drunk in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.
25ml Crème de Menthe (Green)
25ml Chartreuse (Green)
25ml Irish Whiskey
Dash of Bitters
Method:
Pour all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass.
2. Bushmills Irish Buck
This is so delicious and extra special when you use Fever-Tree Ginger ale – refreshing if the sun shines for Paddy’s Day.

Image credit: Discovery.com
40ml Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey
5ml Fresh lime juice
55ml Ginger ale
Lime wheel for garnish
Method:
Add the whiskey and lime juice to a Collins glass filled with ice. Top with the ginger ale and garnish with a lime wheel.
3. The Last Word

Image credit: David Lebovitz
This recipe makes two reasonable sized cocktails, although you can make one decent sized one from using 25ml of each ingredient.
- 40ml gin
- 40ml maraschino liqueur (recommend Luxardo)
- 40ml green Chartreuse
- 40ml freshly squeezed lime juice
Method:
Chill two stemmed cocktail glasses in the freezer.
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice. Add the gin, maraschino, Chartreuse and lime juice. Shake vigorously for 15 to 30 seconds. Strain into the chilled glasses.
4. Irish Coffee

Image Credit: Joseph Phillips
If you are celebrating in Ireland you’ll find you can grab one of these anywhere and most pubs and bars elsewhere will be serving them up on Paddy’s day too!
40ml Jameson Irish Whiskey
25ml Brown sugar syrup (one part brown sugar, one part water)
Hot brewed coffee
Unsweetened cream, lightly whipped
Method:
Add the whiskey and sugar syrup to an Irish Coffee glass and fill two-thirds of the way with coffee. Top with one inch of whipped cream.
5. Luck of the Irish Martini

Image credit: Good Cocktails
55ml vodka
12ml dry vermouth
12ml Irish whiskey
Method:
Pour whiskey into a martini glass. Then, swirl it around the glass in order to coat the inside, and drain the excess whiskey. Pour the vodka and dry vermouth into a shaker filled with ice, shake well, and strain into the glass.
6. Emerald Isle

Image credit: Discovery.com
50ml Gin
1 tsp Green Crème de menthe
2 dashes bitters
Method:
Pour the ingredients into an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass.
So there you have it…6 simple cocktails to celebrate Paddy’s Day on 17th March! Let us know what you end up making- just tag us in your photos @tastecocktails