The Best Irish Cocktails for All Your Saint Patrick’s Day Festivities

The cocktail gets its name from the Irish golfer, ICYMI, so think of it like an Irish Arnold Palmer. Combine 2 ounces of Hardshore Original Gin with 1 ½ ounces of fresh lemon juice, 1 ounce of pear syrup, 1 ½ ounces of double-strong Irish black tea and a mint sprig for good luck.

Recipe from Hardshore Gin

Peet’s coffee AND Bailey’s Irish cream? Say no more. For this recipe, bring ¼ cup of fresh mint leaves, ½ cup of sugar, ½ cup of water and ⅛ teaspoon of sea salt to a simmer for five minutes. Go ahead and remove the mixture from the stove top, strain it and let it cool. Then, combine 32 ounces of Peet’s House Blend coffee with 8 ounces of Bailey’s Irish cream. Add in one to two tablespoons of the minty syrup.

Just FYI: The recipe makes four coffees, so one for you and three friends, or all of the coffee for you, no judgment.

Recipe from Peet's Coffee

There’s no better way to ring in the holiday than with actual Irish whiskey, and Bushmills is here to answer that call. This take on a margarita is as simple to make as it is easy to drink (read: very). Combine the 2 ounces of whiskey, 1 ounce of pineapple juice, 1 ounce of lime juice and ½ ounce of agave syrup. Shake well and serve in a glass rimmed with chili salt.

Recipe from Bushmills Irish Whiskey

Stay on theme with this Hornitos tequila-based glass of deliciousness. In a mixing glass, add two parts of tequila with ⅔ parts of green chartreuse liqueur and one part of fresh lime juice. Shake, strain and garnish with a lime twist.

Recipe from Hornitos Tequila

This decadent cocktail is both sweet and stunning. Combine 1 ounce of Ilegal Mezcal Joven, 1 ounce of Creme de Menthe, 1 ounce of cream and 1 ounce of Creme de Cacao liqueur, and shake until blended. For bonus points, go ahead and dust your drink with Mexican chocolate.

Recipe from Illegal Mezcal

So this cocktail gets its name from the Irish river that's the water source for the Slane Whiskey Distillery. It’s simple, it’s refreshing, and it’s a quintessentially Irish cocktail. To whip it up, combine 1 ounce of Slane Irish Whiskey, 1 ounce of lemon juice, a dash of orange bitters, and 1 tablespoon of honey. Top it all off with tonic water and garnish it with a sprig of mint and a lemon wedge.

Recipe from Slane Irish Whiskey

Go ahead and majorly upgrade your shamrock shake. Add 1 ½ ounces of Bailey’s Original Irish Cream and 3 ounces of milk to a blender along with two scoops of your favorite mint chocolate chip ice cream. Blend until smooth.

Recipe from Baileys

This absolute delight of a cocktail combines elderflower liqueur with cucumber, which just might be the day’s winning combination. To make it, mix 1 ½ ounces of Grey Goose La Poire vodka, ½ ounce of St-Germain elderflower liqueur, 2 ounces of juiced cucumbers, ½ ounce of lemon juice, and ½ ounce of simple syrup. Top it off with soda water and raise a glass to yourself.

Recipe from Grey Goose

Try a boozy upgrade to your regular soda. Just mix 1 part of Midori Melon Liqueur and 2 parts of any lemon-lime soda in a mixing glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Recipe from Midori

There’s no way around it: This cocktail is just plain pretty. To make it, grab 1 ¼ ounces of Belvedere vodka, a ½ ounce of fino sherry, ¾ ounce of fresh lemon juice, ¾ ounce of honey water and two chunks of cucumber. Put it all in a shaker with ice and strain it into your most gorgeous coup glass.

Recipe from Belvedere

NYC-based distillery Great Jones offers a fresh take on the classic mint julep. To make your own, combine 2 ounces of Great Jones Straight Bourbon, ¾ ounces of fresh lemon juice, ¾ ounces of spiced honey syrup, 5 large mint leaves, and 4 large blackberries. Muddle the blackberries with the mint leaves and add the mixture into a shaker along with the other ingredients. Strain and drink!

Recipe from Great Jones

Start muddlin’! Grab three slices of cucumber and a few mint leaves to mash in a mixing glass. From there, add 2 ounces of Dogfish Head Analog Vodka, 1 ounce of fresh lime juice, and ¾ ounce of simple syrup.

Recipe from Dogfish Head

For all of you martini lovers out there, this is your drink! Combine 1 ½ ounces of The Botanist Gin, ½ an ounce of dry vermouth, 1 teaspoon of elderflower liqueur, and a sprig of mint. Mix it a little, and then enjoy it.

Recipe from The Botanist

Fresh, light and easy to make? Sign us up. Combine 1 ½ ounces of Pinnacle vodka, ½ an ounce of lime juice, 1 ounce of simple syrup, and all of the lime wedges your heart desires.

Recipe from Pinnacle Vodka

Kick your martini game up a notch with this basil-infused take on the old classic. Combine 1 ounce of Finlandia vodka, 1 dash of simple syrup, 2 dashes of lime juice, and 5 basil leaves. Shake, strain, and garnish with more basil or limes.

Recipe from Finlandia Vodka

It really doesn’t get any better than elderflower-flavored anything, and this drink is no exception. Combine ½ ounce of St-Germain elderflower liqueur, ½ ounce of Absenteroux, ½ ounce of dry vermouth, a dash of absinthe, and a little bit (or more if you want!) of lime sherbert. Mix it well and then top it off with champagne. Yes, there is a lot of alcohol in this drink.

Recipe from St-Germain

Lemonade, but make it Irish, of course. Add 1 ounce of Jameson Original, 2 ounces of lemonade, a splash of club soda, and a dash of bitters. Toss in some lemons and fresh mint to garnish.

Recipe from Jameson Irish Whiskey

There has never been a better day to embrace matcha. To make this bright cocktail, mix a teaspoon of matcha tea powder with your milk of choice, add 2 ounces of Don Julio Blanco, and toss in some honey to taste, as well as some sprigs of mint. Shake well and pour over ice.

Recipe from Don Julio

Consider this the Irish equivalent of a frozen piña colada. If you want to feel like it's bikini weather, combine 1 tablespoon of Torani Crème de Menthe syrup, ½ tablespoon of Irish cream liqueur, ½ tablespoon of Irish whiskey, and 2 shots of espresso. Toss it all in a blender until it’s smooth.

Recipe from Torani

This fizzy green drink is the perfect option if you're hoping to take a break from the heavier drinks. Just combine 1 ounce of Green Chartreuse, 4 ounces of tonic, and as much ice as you want.

Recipe from Chartreuse

If you love Guinness, this is the cocktail for you. It’s also super easy to throw together: Simply combine 1 ounce of Crème De Menthe with a Guinness Extra Stout or a Guinness Draught. Pour it over ice and add a mint leaf, if the mood strikes you.

Recipe from Guinness

Grab 3 ounces of your favorite green juice and combine it with 1 ¼
ounces of Tanqueray London Dry Gin, for a drink that actually adds a lil bit of nutrition to your day. Stir it gently and add—you guessed it—a sprig of mint as a garnish.

Recipe from Tanqueray

With coconut and lemon flavors, this drink will have you convinced that you’re sitting on the beach. Combine 1 ½ ounces of Smirnoff coconut, ¾ ounces of fresh lemon juice, and 7 mint leaves in a shaker until they’re all really well-combined. Then pour into a glass and top with club soda and a lemon wheel if you’re feelin fancy.

Recipe from Smirnoff

This simple martini will keep you on the holiday theme as you sip something reminiscent of your fave sour candy. Add 1 ounce of DeKuyper Pucker Sour Apple Schnapps, 1 ounce of vodka and ½ ounce of sour mix.

Recipe from DeKuyper

For some new mixers you might not usually have, try this bright green cocktail that has brandy and grenadine. It’s really simple to make: Combine 1 ounce of DeKuyper Kirschwasser Brandy, 1 ounce of gin, 3 ounces of sour mix, and a splash of grenadine. Shake and enjoy!

Recipe from DeKuyper