Support Irish and have a tipple with these two craft cocktails using Irish spirits

Support Irish spirit makers with two Irish craft cocktails to change up your typical Christmas bar.

To celebrate the plethora of great spirits our little isle has to offer, Craft Cocktails showcases over 50 cocktail recipes from Ireland’s leading spirit makers. From classic favourites like an Old Fashioned to showstopping concoctions, you won’t need an experienced mixologist on hand to ensure your bubble are having a good time.

Collecting recipes from Irish connoisseurs around the world, we’ve got two recipes from the book to help spice up your typical bar cart fare this Christmas, one with a twist on a classic tipple and the other a razzle-dazzling number that’s perfect for prepping up a quiet New Year’s Eve.

Egan’s Fortitude Old Fashioned

Egan’s Fortitude recently won double gold and Irish Whiskey of the Year at the New York International Spirits Competition. Due to the maturation of Egan’s Fortitude being aged purely in Pedro Ximenez Sherry Casks, this cocktail makes for an amazing twist on the classic Old Fashioned. This recipe was created by Ian Doody, former Beverage Director & Mixologist of The Rising Bar, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

You will need:

?60ml Egan’s Fortitude Whiskey
?1tsp demerara sugar
?4-5 dashes orange bitters
?1tsp water
?orange zest and peel, to garnish

Method:

Muddle the sugar, water and orange bitters together until dissolved. Add Egan’s Fortitude, ice and stir for 50-60 seconds. Strain into an old fashioned glass over a large ice cube and finish with an orange zest over the top. Garnish with an orange peel.

Bees Knees

This is a take on the classic 1920s Prohibition-era cocktail. Honey and lemon were added to mask the taste and smell of bathtub-made gin. Thankfully, there’s nothing but deliciousness in this recipe featuring Beara Ocean Gin and made by the Kinsale Supper Club’s Tom, Milo and Jean.

You will need:

?20ml Beara Ocean Gin
?40ml Kinsale Atlantic Dry Mead
?10ml honey syrup
?10ml fresh lemon juice
?lemon peel, to garnish

Method:

Place all ingredients in a shaker. Shake well and pour in a saucer cocktail glass with a lemon twist to garnish.

You can pick up Craft Cocktails: A Collection of Recipes & Stories from Ireland’s Leading Spirit Makers (€24.95) by Monika Coghlan online here, or in selected quality stores nationwide including Meadows & Byrne, Butlers Home, Industry & Co.

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