Gather ’round for the tale of an old whiskey—perhaps the oldest—that’s become quite new again. 

For a great long time, Irish whiskey found itself face down on the mat. If it wasn’t a war with Britain, a civil war, and then a trade war that all but extinguished the star export, then US Prohibition surely placed the final straw. What does a whiskey industry do when the barrels and bottles are all stacked up with nowhere to go? Wait it out and regroup was the answer—and it was a waiting period that lasted well into the 1980s, when some fresh faces brought their distilling dreams (or sometimes just money) to kickstart a rebirth. Uisce beatha (water of life) would rise again!

The ups and downs may have been as breathtaking as the Cliffs of Moher, but what of Irish whiskey’s characteristics? Much less dramatic, it turns out. You can’t read much about the stuff without coming across the word “smooth.” This very apparent sense of evenness is a direct result of the triple distillation Irish whiskey undergoes, which has a dampening effect on the striking wood and grain interplay you’d experience from other styles. 

For cocktails? Well, for one thing, feel free to exit the dark mahogany study and step into the fresh air. With its light disposition, Irish whiskey is the rare type that’s wide open to play with more delicate elements: floral, botanical, soft fruits, you name it. In a world full of whisk(e)ys that assert their expressions to you, the Irish style asks the opposite; lean in and—without being walloped by flavor—casually take in the gentler essences that only such smoothness can offer. 

It’s been a rainbow ride and back since we last focused on this spirit, but we’re ready to journey back to the pot of gold that is one of the fastest growing categories going! Read on to discover the tasty treasures buried in the crinkles of The Ballad of Irish Whiskey Box and may your March be touched with a bit of Irish luck . . . and flavor!

Harry Nilsson laid the groundwork, quite repetitively, in terms of putting the lime in the coconut, but what’s Robert Sickler ever to do with all these roses? Better invite one and all to his Gaelic Garden to sling some fine and floral Irish whiskey cocktails! This quencher takes its cues from a spirit that actively looks to link up with flavors on the softer side, finding just the right fit with coconut water, lavender bitters, and a double touch of rose (both in a syrup and dried to infuse with sugar on the rim). We’ve left the gate open, so let yourself in and enjoy an unexpectedly light and ultra-leisurely look for whiskey!  

Robert is the owner and operator of Bayou Bodega Natural Wine Bar in Tampa and the host of the spirits podcast Raise a Glass. He’s also the owner of Voice of Whisky, a company specializing in whisk(e)y tastings and education, and is a licensed instructor for the Whisky Ambassador program based in Glasgow, Scotland. You can catch up on his many S&S hits, such as Four Paths, Peachy Keen, The Caloosahatchee, and El Caballero!

Ana Patrizia Cabrera is a familiar face in the San Antonio bartending scene, has familial roots in Puerto Rico, and yet is daydreaming of a place somewhere in between with this cocktail: New Orleans. In her mind (and memories), hibiscus is the flower to unite all these culturally lush locations, just as it does with its red-hued fruitiness in Mardi Me Lucky. Combined in a syrup with the Mexican cane sugar piloncillo, the flower parades on alongside cranberry-walnut bitters and, of course, Irish whiskey; all marching through the French Quarter toward a smoky surprise: a rocks glass you’ll upend to fill with mesquite smoke!

For almost 20 years, Ana has bartended her way through chef-driven concepts, craft cocktail bars, and independent pop-ups. She has spent the past few years working two legislative sessions for the state of Texas, while continuing her Court of Master Sommeliers journey later this year to test for Level 2 Sommelier certification.

In jazz, you’ll never hear a group play a song the same way twice, and in cocktails, we’re blessed with formats like the old fashioned where that’s also true. Three components—spirit, sugar, bitters—and yet a multiverse of flavor possibilities to experiment with from there. Christopher Frierson is just plain riffing right in the pocket with this New Jazz Old Fashioned, in which Irish whiskey finds a beautifully mellow mate in a jasmine + black tea demerara syrup, along with the accenting percussive power of aromatic bitters and a lemon oil spritz!

Hailing from Dallas, TX, Christopher is a long-standing barman who was raised in kitchens by his father, an executive chef. This shaped his approach behind the bar and today his passion has taken him from the Deep South to the West Coast to Accra, Ghana, and all points in between in search of the perfect cocktail.

Follow the sound of the fiddle to The Ballad of Irish Whiskey Box and experience three memorable cocktails bursting with imaginative concepts, fun techniques, and springy flavors—all to honor a spirit that’s got a pivotal patch in the quilt of spirit history!

🌹🌺🌼,
The Shaker & Spoon Team

*not vegan: nothing
*potential allergens: coconut water contains coconut. Cocktailpunk Cranberry Walnut Bitters contain walnuts. Hibiscus blossoms were originally processed in a facility that contains peanuts, tree nuts, soy, milk, wheat, and sesame seeds.