Irish whiskey—and Irish culture at large—is undeniably popular here in the U.S. “Go to any U.S. city and you’ll find a romanticized Irish pub, complete with ‘kiss me, I’m Irish’ merch,” says Maddie Kaye, bartender at Haven in Tampa, Florida. “If you ever find yourself wondering if there’s a market for Irish whiskey here, hit the town on March 17.”

However, as popular as Irish pubs and shots of Jameson are on St. Patrick’s Day, Irish whiskey has only very recently started to get the proper craft cocktail treatment. When the Irish-centric Casements Bar opened six years ago in San Francisco, it was filling a need, notes owner Gillian Fitzgerald. “The lack of use of Irish whiskey in cocktail bars in San Francisco meant that we had a niche opportunity to showcase that incredibly oily pot stills, heavy single malts, and blended Irish whiskeys could hold their own against any other whisk(e)y category,” she says. “We started our first menu using The Whistler Irish whiskey and haven’t looked back since. Today we pride ourselves on having the largest selection of Irish whiskey on the West Coast.”

Since opening her bar, Fitzgerald has noticed others incorporating more Irish whiskey offerings onto their cocktail lists. “Starting with the Irish Mule, more contemporary Irish whiskey cocktails have grown a lot, especially in San Francisco,” she says. “With the addition of new brands I’ve definitely seen a growth in the way bartenders play around with the category.”

Nelson Juarez, bartender at The Falls in Falls Church, Virginia, says that Irish whiskey has gone through a major shift at the bar. “Guests used to think of it mainly in terms of shots or Irish Coffee, but now there’s a much bigger appreciation for its range and nuance,” he says. “As more distilleries release higher proof expressions, single pot still whiskeys, and interesting cask finishes, bartenders have started to treat Irish whiskey the same way they treat Bourbon or Scotch—as a fully versatile base spirit. You see it in refreshing Highballs, bittersweet amaro-driven builds, and even more serious stirred cocktails. It’s become a spirit people want to explore rather than just default to. The more creative the cocktail landscape becomes, the more room Irish whiskey has to thrive.”

Smooth And Mellow

At The Falls, which has an extensive whisk(e)y selection, Irish whiskey is a popular choice. “We see a lot of Bourbon and rye drinkers exploring the category and adding Irish whiskey to their selections—but even if guests don’t come in with deep knowledge, they’re curious, and Irish whiskey offers an easy entry point: it’s familiar, approachable, and often softer than the American whiskeys they’re used to,” Juarez says. “Once they realize how much range the category has—from delicate blends to richer pot still expressions—their interest grows quickly.”

Haven’s Kaye notes that blended Irish expressions are especially approachable. “They’re super drinkable, if not crushable; the tradition of triple distillation leads to a more mellow spirit, plus the combination of malted and unmalted barley unique to Ireland gives their whiskey a discernable creamy texture compared to other categories,” she says. “As a whiskey category it fills a gap between the sweeter and hotter Bourbons and the more mellow but smoky Scotches.” Her Irish Folklore ($17) features McConnell’s 5-year-old Irish whiskey, house-made Guinness cordial, and Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate bitters.

“McConnell’s 5-year-old is a blended Irish whiskey that drinks like a single pot still: It’s a blend of Irish malt and grain that’s rested in ex-Bourbon casks,” Kaye says. “It presents itself with a baking spice nose and follows that up with notes of vanilla and butterscotch with clear presence of oak. It’s a great blended Irish whiskey for spirit-forward cocktails.”

Edwin Gonzalez Jr., bartender at The Liberty Tavern in Clarendon, Virginia, notes that Irish whiskey brings an “easygoing balance” to cocktails. “It has a lot of flavor without demanding the spotlight, which is helpful in a busy environment where guests want drinks that are both interesting and effortless to enjoy,” he says. “Compared to other whiskies, it often has cleaner, fruitier edges, and that plays well with a wide range of ingredients. It’s a great ‘bridge’ whisk(e)y in cocktails: bold enough for whisk(e)y drinkers, but smooth enough for guests who don’t typically order whisk(e)y-forward drinks.” His Irish Goodbyes ($15) comprises Writers’ Tears Irish whiskey, Dolin Rouge vermouth, MURPHYNonino amaro, fresh lemon juice, and Regans’ No. 6 Orange bitters. “Writers’ Tears is great when we’re looking for a little more elegance and lift in a stirred or spirit-forward build,” Gonzales Jr. adds. “The main thing to keep in mind when working with Irish whiskey is to use ingredients that complement the whiskey’s softer profile. Irish whiskey doesn’t always have the big oak or spice you get from American styles, so you don’t want to overpower it.”

Kevin Doherty, owner of Tara Mor and Tara Rose in New York City, also advises against overpowering the Irish whiskey in a cocktail with too many strong flavors. “Keep it clean and fresh—any ingredient that’s been cooked or fat-washed will most likely dominate the whiskey and render the lighter flavor profile obsolete,” he says. “Use fresh fruit and produce and you can’t go wrong.” At both Tara Mor and Tara Rose, Doherty’s Take Cahir ($17) blends Muff Irish whiskey, green cardamom-infused Lillet aperitif, unfiltered apple juice, lime juice, and house-made clove and star anise syrup; bartender Bernardo Herrera’s San Bernardo ($17) mixes Muff, ginger and lime juices, and house-made hibiscus soda; and bartender Fiona Harte’s Green & Red of Mayo ($17) features Muff, Mathilde Framboise raspberry liqueur, unfiltered apple juice, and house-made lime and clove shrub. “Irish whiskey is a great introduction to brown spirits; we find that guests who are typically afraid to try a whisk(e)y cocktail are often fond of Irish whiskey cocktails due to the spirit’s lighter notes,” Doherty adds. “The use of unmalted barley results in a much more refreshing flavor profile that doesn’t stick with you like many Scotches, is less sweet than Bourbon, and is less spicy than rye, giving Irish whiskey a versatility that’s probably unmatched.”

Casements Bar’s Fitzgerald points out that since Irish whiskey has fewer production regulations than other whisk(e)y styles, there’s a wider range of ingredients that it pairs well with in a cocktail. “It plays well with banana, cherry flavor like in crème de noyaux, Luxardo maraschino, and Cherry Heering, and bitter spirits like Cynar, Montenegro, and other amari,” she says. “Almost everything plays well with an Irish whiskey.” At Casements Bar, Fitzgerald’s Samhain Old Fashioned ($16) comprises The Whistler Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish, Ron Colón Salvadoreño Red Banana Oleo rum, and Angostura bitters, while bartender Séan Clem’s Lunasa Old Fashioned ($16) features The Whistler Imperial Stout Cask Finish, Faccia Brutto Nocino walnut liqueur, simple syrup, and house-made hazelnut bitters made with poitín.

Well-Rounded And Versatile

Haven’s Kaye also points out that lax regulations are a boon to Irish whiskey as it allows for a large variety within the category. “There’s an inherent rebel spirit in Irish whiskey, giving it range and a lot for us bartenders to work with,” she says. “My favorites to use in spirit-forward cocktails are single pot still Irish whiskeys—the unmalted barley denotes itself with an unmistakable oiliness on the palate, round chocolate and coffee notes with hints of spice, while a copper pot still contributes to the robust and roasted flavor found in this style. On the other end of that spectrum are blended Irish whiskeys, which are sweet and floral, making them perfect for spring and summer fruity cocktails. By pairing Irish blended whiskey with melon and honey I’ve gotten the ‘this is whiskey?’ reaction from people and that’s always fun.” At Haven, her Emerald Isle ($15) mixes The Quiet Man blended Irish whiskey, Rockey’s botanical liqueur, Giffard Orgeat syrup, and fresh honeydew and lemon juices.

“This is a surprising and bright cocktail: The Quiet Man whiskey leans into floral notes and the finish is mellow due to the whiskey being high in malt; Rockey’s botanical liqueur’s base notes come from green and black tea, punctuated with citrus and pineapple, making it perfect for brighter cocktails; and orgeat helps boost the creaminess and sweetness of the cocktail without adding simple syrup,” Kaye adds.

Diego Livera, bar manager at Jersey City, New Jersey-based San Patricios—the newest concept from the team behind The Dead Rabbit in New York City—notes that Irish whiskey-based cocktails have evolved in recent years in response to the growing variety in the category, especially the increase in interesting aging techniques MURPHY“Bartenders now have more depth and complexity to work with, leading to more inventive and refined Irish whiskey cocktails,” he says. “At San Patricios, we showcase several Irish whiskeys paired with Mexican flavors, and the response from our guests has been phenomenal.”

The San Patricios Coffee ($16)—created by Livera and beverage director Aidan Bowie—blends Teeling Small Batch Irish whiskey, Patrón Silver Tequila, house-made café de olla (Mexican spiced coffee), whipped cream, and a dusting of chocolate powder. Livera and Bowie’s Life of Reilly ($18), meanwhile, mixes Bushmills Black Bush Irish whiskey, Milpa Mexican whiskey, Old Forester Bourbon, Dos Maderas 5+3 rum, Ancho Reyes ancho chile liqueur, Fusion Verjus Rouge, house-made mole aperitif, mole syrup, and mole bitters, and saline. “Irish whiskey’s wide range of flavors and styles gives bartenders the freedom to use it in many different types of cocktails,” Livera adds. “I believe that as long as bartenders stay curious, excited, and motivated to discover new Irish whiskey brands, the spirit will continue to grow in cocktails.”

Wil Schultz, bar manager at Oak Steakhouse in Nashville, Tennessee, appreciates how easy he finds Irish whiskey to work with. “Because Irish whiskey tends to be lighter and less wood-driven, those stone-fruit notes really come through and make it a much more versatile and workable spirit behind the bar compared to some heavier whisk(e)y styles,” he says. “You have a lot more room to bring in fresh, bright flavors—it makes a great base for cocktails that use additional fruit elements, sour components, or flavored syrups. You can add ingredients to an Irish whiskey cocktail that you couldn’t in a Bourbon drink because you’re not fighting to mask or soften dominant oak notes. Overall, Irish whiskey is just an easier whisk(e)y to layer flavors onto. I love using banana with the spirit—it just blends so naturally with a wide range of flavors.” At Oak Steakhouse, his The Rebel County ($20) features equal parts Banana-infused Jameson Irish whiskey, Bénédictine herbal liqueur, Yellow Chartreuse liqueur, and lemon juice, while his The Crosswalk ($17) comprises Jameson Black Barrel, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao, grapefruit juice, house-made raspberry syrup, and Goslings ginger beer.

“A few years ago, most Irish whiskey cocktails felt pretty traditional, but now there’s more freedom to pull in herbal, bitter, and citrus-driven elements—things like amaro, vermouths, and even lighter aperitivo notes,” The Liberty Tavern’s Gonzalez Jr. says. “Irish whiskey’s softer profile plays incredibly well with those ingredients; it rounds out the bitterness and lets you build cocktails that feel both familiar and a little unexpected.” He adds that guests are more open to seeing Irish whiskey on cocktail menus than ever before. “Guests are less tied to old ideas like ‘Irish whiskey is for shots’ or ‘Bourbon is for cocktails,’ and that flexibility means we get to use Irish whiskey more creatively,” he says. “Irish whiskey’s versatility is its superpower, and the next few years will only highlight that more.”

Embracing Irish whiskey’s lighter profile, Juarez’s One Last Dance ($15) at The Falls mixes Green Spot Irish whiskey, house-made honey-lavender syrup, fresh lemon juice, Regans’ No. 6 Orange bitters, and sparkling water. “Green Spot is great when we’re leaning into brighter, spring-forward flavors; the orchard fruit notes make it an easy match with honey, herbs, and fresh citrus,” Juarez says. “Irish whiskey gives you a lot of room to be creative. It has enough personality to anchor a drink, but it’s gentle enough to let supporting flavors shine—that’s a rare balance. Compared to other whiskies, it’s often brighter and more floral, which makes it incredibly flexible in cocktail development. You can build drinks that are light and refreshing, warm and bittersweet, or clean and spirit-forward and the whiskey adapts beautifully. It’s a spirit that invites nuance.