The best Irish cocktails to make at home are the Irish coffee, the Irish mule, the Irish old fashioned, the whiskey sour, the Irish maid and a classic hot whiskey. Every one of them is built around a smooth Irish whiskey, needs five ingredients or fewer, and takes about five minutes.

Why are Irish cocktails so easy to make?

Irish whiskey is triple-distilled and gentle on the palate, so it doesn't fight with other ingredients. A squeeze of lime, a splash of ginger beer or a hot cup of coffee is usually all it needs. You don't need a shaker kit to get started, just a glass, a spoon and a lemon or lime.

How do you make a proper Irish coffee?

Stir 2 teaspoons of brown sugar into 120ml of hot, strong coffee, add 40ml of Irish whiskey, then float 30ml of lightly whipped cream over the back of a spoon. Don't stir it in. You drink the hot coffee through the cold cream. The cream should be thick enough to pour but still loose, whipped just until it leaves a soft trail.

How do you make an Irish mule?

Fill a glass with ice, add 50ml of Irish whiskey and 15ml of fresh lime juice, then top with about 120ml of ginger beer and finish with a lime wedge. It's the easiest long drink on the list and a good way to win over friends who say they don't like whiskey.

How do you make an Irish old fashioned?

Stir 60ml of Irish whiskey with 1 teaspoon of demerara or sugar syrup and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters over ice for about 30 seconds. Strain over a large ice cube and express a strip of orange peel over the top. Keep it simple and let the whiskey lead.

How do you make an Irish whiskey sour?

Shake 50ml of Irish whiskey, 25ml of fresh lemon juice and 15 to 20ml of sugar syrup hard with ice, then strain into a glass over fresh ice. Add an egg white for a silkier, foamier drink if you like. Bottled lemon juice is the one thing that will ruin it, so squeeze it fresh.

How do you make an Irish maid?

Gently muddle 3 slices of cucumber in a shaker, add 50ml of Irish whiskey, 20ml of lemon juice, 15ml of elderflower liqueur and 15ml of sugar syrup, shake with ice and strain over fresh ice. It's light, fresh and a great one for the warmer months.

How do you make a classic Irish hot whiskey?

Pour 40ml of Irish whiskey into a heatproof glass, add a teaspoon of sugar or honey, a slice of lemon studded with 3 cloves, and top with about 150ml of just-boiled water. Let it sit for a minute. It's the cosiest serve in the book on a cold night.

Which Irish whiskey is best for cocktails?

Pick a smooth, easy-drinking blend rather than a heavily peated or very expensive bottle. A blend of grain and triple-distilled malt gives you a soft, fruity base that works in both hot and cold drinks, and it means you aren't mixing with something you'd rather sip neat.

Where does Flying Tumbler fit into this?

Flying Tumbler is a blend of grain whiskey and triple-distilled malt, non-chill filtered with no added colouring, made at the family farm at Larch Grove in Co. Carlow. The Roller is our pick for hot serves like the Irish coffee and the hot whiskey, The Bird is the easy all-rounder for the mule, sour and maid, and The Tippler (46%) stands up best in an old fashioned. Paddy the Pigeon would tell you the best cocktail is the one you make for someone you're glad to see home. Please enjoy responsibly, and only if you're 25 or over where you are.