A sip in the sun: 5 of the best summer cocktails to sample across Ireland this weekend

Crafted based on what’s in season to create a balanced beverage that will most definitely hit the spot, a summer-inspired cocktail should be on your weekend to-do list.

To bring you the very best options, we’ve scoured the length and breadth of the country to see which bars, beer gardens and gastro pubs are pulling out all the stops.

Distilling the feeling of heady summer evenings spent soaking up sunshine into a chilled glass with a colourful garnish, each small sip is an experience in itself.

Without further ado, here are some standout mixed drinks to sample this weekend…

A sunburnt margarita at Rúibín

1-3 Docks Road, Galway

With their ever-changing seasonal cocktail menu, Rúibín tends to draw quite the crowd. This summer’s offering includes an incredibly tempting sunburnt margarita, made with chilli-infused tequila, orange liquor, grapefruit, sugar, lime and spice. The rim of the glass is generously salted, garnished with a fiery chilli pepper, and is best enjoyed in the sunshine out front, gazing out across the docks.

A pornstar martini at Harcourt Bar

The Harcourt Hotel, 60 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2

A classic cocktail made to an incredibly high standard, Harcourt Bar’s pornstar martini is made with vanilla Ketel One vodka, passionfruit liquor and purée, fresh lemon and pineapple juice, and that all-important sparkling wine accompaniment. Sipping an artfully mixed drink in one of D2’s largest outdoor garden lounges? Sounds like a good way to spend a weekend by our standards.

A spiced iced tea at 101 Limerick

101-102 O’Connell Street, Limerick

Known far and wide for serving up some of the absolute best cocktails in Limerick, The Secret Garden at 101 is the place to be when the sun’s shining. A welcome escape from the city, the interiors can only be described as an explosion of colour and you would be hard pushed to beat a refreshing tipple in this setting. The spiced henny iced tea is made using Hennessy VS, Aperol, ginger, lime, orange, Rooibos tea, Peychaud’s bitters and nutmeg.

Embrace Your Inner Grace at Sketch

The Imperial Hotel, 76 South Mall , Cork

If you’re looking for some truly immaculate vibes, head straight to Sketch. The summer cocktail collection features fruity and refreshing flavours, all curated with the finest local spirits. Embrace Your Inner Grace is a mixed drink served up in a botanic box of greenery and baby’s breath, made with Irish rum, passionfruit syrup, lime, watermelon CBD oil, egg white and muddled watermelon. I am quite literally salivating just typing that.

A frozen peach daiquiri at 360 Cookhouse

The Park House, Castle Street, Dungarvan, Waterford

You know it’s a good spot when they’ve got a dedicated doggie menu, and 360 Cookhouse knows how to keep both humans and canines thoroughly satisfied. Their cocktail offering is led by the seasons, and their summer selection makes good use of strawberries, mangos, kiwis and passionfruit. When you’re in need of instant refreshment, a frozen daiquiri is an absolute essential, and we recommend making it a peach one.