Happy St. Paddy’s Day!

How are you celebrating today? Are you kissing someone Irish, wearing green, or enjoying a tasty dish of Bangers & Mash? I’ll be celebrating by whipping up a cocktail with an Irish twist!

This past winter I was sent the book Savory Cocktails by Greg Henry (affiliate link) for review. I’ve been making my way through the book getting creative with drinks such as a Perfect Martini and Salad Bowl Gin & Tonic. Enjoying the tart and refreshing combinations of herbs and liquor. As I was working on creating a cocktail in honor of St. Patrick’s Day I wanted to find something that would pair well with Irish Whiskey, so I picked up the Savory Cocktail book looking for ideas.

While I can drink a bourbon with just ice, for me Irish Whiskey has a bit more of a bite to it and I wanted something that would smooth out the flavor while keeping its notes of honey and citrus. (Not all Irish Whiskeys are the same… so, I may still discover something I can drink sans mixers.)  That is when I stumbled upon Henry’s recipe for Clove-Infused Honey Syrup… the combination is PERFECT. It is smoky, rich, smooth, and sweet.

How to make an Old Irish Cocktail:

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Clove-Infused Honey Syrup
• 2 oz Irish Whiskey
• Freshly Squeezed Juice of 1 Orange
• 1 orange slice for garnish

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients over ice in a rocks glass (I love my large ice cube mold for my whiskey drinks— the larger ice cubes don’t melt as fast or water down my cocktails as quickly.)
2. Garnish with orange slice
3. Sláinte! 

How to Make Clove Infused Honey Syrup

Recipe from Savory Cocktails by Greg Henry shared with permission

• 2 tbsp whole cloves
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup honey

“Place the cloves in a small, nonreactive container and lightly crush them with a wooden muddler. Add the warm water and honey; stir to combine, then cover and set at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Taste the syrup; add more honey if you feel it is too strong.

When your syrup has the taste you want, pour it through a wire-mesh sieve lined with a double layer of damp cheesecloth; discard the solids. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Makes about 1 cup.”

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of “Savory Cocktails” for purposes of review. All thoughts and opinions above are my own. I’ve also included affiliate links in this post. Items purchased from affiliate links help this blogger earn a small percentage of the sale. Thank you for supporting this blog.