Toast St. Patty’s Day with Real Irish Spirit

St. Patrick’s Day is coming up soon and since it’s on a Thursday, it may be a good idea to get the party started a wee early this weekend. There are any number of green-colored creations you can whip up, but instead of toasting with something that just looks the part or a standard Irish beer, you can raise a glass with something that is actually made on the Emerald Isle—Baileys Irish cream liqueur.

The Smoky Aye could start your celebration off with its warming combination of Baileys Original Irish Cream mixed with Irish whiskey, Campari and freshly brewed coffee. If you prefer something over ice, the Dude’s Breakfast, made with Baileys Original Irish Cream, vodka and cold brew coffee, may be the way to go to celebrate the luck of the Irish.  

A tidbit to sip on while enjoying your cocktails—Baileys, which was introduced in 1974, was the first Irish cream on the market, blending Irish whiskey with Irish dairy cream and a touch of chocolate in a shelf-stable liqueur that took several years to perfect prior to its release. 

It seems anyone can have fun celebrating and being a bit Irish on St. Patty’s Day, whether or not they have any Irish heritage. Cheers!

The Smoky Aye

Created by Mixologist Kate Bolton

3/4 oz. Baileys Original Irish Cream
3/4 oz. Irish whiskey
1/4 oz. Campari
1 3/4 oz. freshly brewed coffee
1 1/2 oz. Zested Orange Crème (recipe below)
Grated orange zest, for garnish

Combine Irish whiskey, Campari and coffee in a footed coffee mug and stir.
Pour in Baileys Original Irish Cream. Top with Zested Orange Crème. Garnish with grated orange zest.

Zested Orange Crème
1 oz. heavy cream
1/2 oz. simple syrup
2 large orange zests

Combine heavy cream, simple syrup and orange zests in a chilled cocktail shaker. Shake well into whipped cream consistency.

 

The Dude’s Breakfast

Created by Mixologist Michael Lay

1 oz. Baileys Original Irish Cream
1 oz. Cîroc Vodka
3 oz. cold brew coffee
1 dash Angostura Bitters
Fresh grated nutmeg, for garnish

Combine Baileys Original Irish Cream, Cîroc, cold brew coffee and bitters in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well.
Strain contents into a double rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a dash of fresh grated nutmeg.

Mary Subialka is the editor of Real Food and Drinks magazines, covering the flavorful world of food, wine, and spirits. She rarely meets a chicken she doesn’t like, and hopes that her son, who used to eat beets and Indian food as a preschooler, will one day again think of real food as more than something you need to eat before dessert and be inspired by his younger brother, who is now into trying new foods.