Skip the ‘party drinks’ this St. Patrick’s Day and whip up a classic Irish cocktail instead

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div>No need for terribly sugary drinks or colorful mixers.

“Party drinks” have become synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day, but there’s no need to opt for overly complicated cocktails filled with artificial colors or sugar. After all, Ireland produces some of the best spirits in the world, so why not mix up a drink that celebrates those complex flavors rather than masking them. These classic drinks reflect the artfully crafted spirits across the country and are just the drinks to showcase your skills at your next party, say, your St. Patrick’s Day party.

Related: 21 Recipes to Make This St. Patrick’s Day Corned Beef and Cabbage on Traditional Brown Bread

Irish coffee

This list wouldn’t be complete without Irish coffee, but avoid Bailey’s. This recipe is a classic that calls for real whipped cream, Irish whiskey, good coffee and sugar.

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Gaelic Punch

Looking for a crowd pleaser for your no-frills St. Patrick’s Day party? The Gaelic Punch is the answer. This make-ahead recipe serves 14 and is sure to be a hit. Pro tip, use young Irish whiskeys for your hot punches. Heat intensifies the tannic edge of older whiskeys, while young ones remain smooth.

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Once upon a time there was a Parisian bar

Frederick Hardy II / Food styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Accessories styling by Christine Keely

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Don’t let the name of this cocktail fool you, created by Oisin Kelly at Dublin’s Sidecar Bar, Once Upon a Paris Bar is a riff on the classic Sidecar. The cocktail showcases the Irish whiskey (the Sidecar team prefer Roe & Co., but another fruity or vanilla Irish whiskey will do) and the presentation is first class.

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M.J

Frederick Hardy II / Food styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Accessories styling by Christine Keely

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Ariel Sanecki spent years overseeing the drinks program at Adare Manor, one of Ireland’s most revered luxury hotels, earning a reputation as one of the country’s finest bartenders. He now makes cocktails at Hilliard’s in Killarney, a newly opened restaurant and cocktail bar in an iconic department store. He shared one of his favorite drinks that combines the richness of chocolate bitters and coffee, and showcases the complexity of Scotch.

The story continues

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Tipperary

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Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon

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