The Best Irish Whiskey Cocktails For St. Patrick’s Day Weekend in Boston

(Clockwise) 1) Irish Coffee at Grafton Street Pub / Photo provided / 2) St. Kevin Sling at Drink / Photo by Eric Luciano provided / 3) Irish Maid at Coppersmith / Photo provided /

Red Legs
Citizen Public House & Oyster Bar

The newest draft cocktail here is rooted in deep Irish history, albeit an unsavory one. Made with Glendalough Double Barrel, pineapple, lime and Amaro di Angostura, its name is what white laborers in Barbados and other Caribbean islands were called; many Irish men were forcibly serving after the British conquest of their country.

1310 Boylston St., Fenway, Boston, 617-450-9000, citizenpub.com.

Irish Maid
Coppersmith

A refreshing take on the whiskey cocktail (pictured above): Black Barrel Jameson, which is aged in double-charred bourbon and sherry casks to give it more spicy, nutty notes and vanilla sweetness, is then infused with cucumber at the Southie bar. Elderflower liqueur, fresh cucumber, and lime take it into springtime.

40 West 3rd St., South Boston, 617-658-3452, coppersmithboston.com.

The St. Kevin Sling
Drink

Named for the patron saint of the County Wicklow valley from whence Glendalough Double Barrel Irish Whiskey hails, this classic drink from Ezra Star also features Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, lemon juice, grenadine, orange bitters, and a splash of soda (pictured above).

348 Congress St., Fort Point, Boston, 617-695-1806, drinkfortpoint.com.

Paddy’s Tea
Grafton Street Pub

Sadly, this won’t be a spring-like St. Patrick’s Day. Warm up with this mug of Irish breakfast tea with Tullamore Dew, raspberry preserves, and lemon. Or, go for a classic—and beautiful—Irish coffee (pictured above).

1230 Mass Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge, 617-497-0400, graftonstreetcambridge.com.

The Marksman at GrandTen Bar. / Photo provided

The Marksman
GrandTen Bar

OK, so not an import—this shaken sipper is made with South Boston Irish Whiskey, made on-site at GrandTen Distillery. Instead of a typical simple syrup, GrandTen Bar manager Steve Schnelwar uses super-concentrated Lapsang Souchong black tea to make smoked honey syrup. With a little lemon juice, it’s a smoky, sweet, spirit-forward experience. And it will pair well with barbecue—the still-to-glass cocktail bar is hosting Boru Barbecue for a St. Paddy’s Day fest, which will feature an entire menu devoted to the house whiskey.

383 Dorchester Ave., South Boston; 617-269-0497, grandten.com.

Goodnight Irene (See You in my Dreams)
The Hawthorne

Designed by cocktail connoisseur Jackson Cannon as a nightcap, this drink is a bit lower in booze than, say, a snifter of straight whiskey. The Redbreast Lustau Edition was born of a friendship between the Irish distillery and Spanish sherry makers Bodegas Lustau. The drink joins sherry with the sherry-aged whiskey, as well as Cynar, and it sips herbaceous with hints of almond and sweet raisin.

500 A Commonwealth Ave., Kenmore Square, Boston, 617-532-9150, thehawthornebar.com.

Beehive
Highland Kitchen

Barenjäger honey liqueur makes this Glendalough Double Barrel cocktail buzz.

150 Highland Ave, Somerville, 617-625-1131, highlandkitchen.com.

The 124 at La Brasa. / Photo provided

The 124
La Brasa

This Old Fashioned riff from the mind of bartender David Ratiu has Glendalough Double Barrel, and Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters.

124 Broadway, Somerville, 617-764-1412, labrasasomerville.com.

Big Moe
Lion’s Tail

Owner and beverage director Jarek Mountain created this cocktail for this speakeasy’s first St. Paddy’s Day: brown butter-pecan-washed Jameson is stirred with hot coffee and house vanilla syrup, and topped with fresh whipped cream.

At Ink Block, 300 Harrison Ave., South End, Boston, 857-239-9276, lionstailboston.com.

Lucky Charms Milkshake
Rosebud American Kitchen and Bar

Imagine how proud of your of-age self an 8-year-old version of you would be. This vanilla ice cream-and-Lucky Charms milkshake is spiked with Irish whiskey, naturally.

381 Summer St., Somerville, 617-629-9500, rosebudkitchen.com.

The Skinny Dennis at the Smoke Shop. / Photo by Rice Wales provided

Irish Whiskey Skinny Dennis
The Smoke Shop

The frozen coffee at Andy Husbands’ barbecue joint goes Irish this spring with Glendalough Double Barrel.

1 Kendall Square, Cambridge, 617-577-7427, thesmokeshopbbq.com.

Jameson Averna
Tapestry

With an ownership trio named Ward, Walsh, and Sullivan, of course this spot has St. Paddy’s Day options. The boiled dinner special this weekend comes with a pint of Guinness, but try this as a nightcap with Jameson Irish whiskey, Caffè Borghetti coffee liqueur, Amaro Averna, and an egg white.

69 Kilmarnock St., Boston, 617-421-4470, tapestry.restaurant.

Irish Tea-Soaked Tipperary
Tavern Road

First, beverage director Tenzin Samdo soaks Barry’s Irish Breakfast Tea bags in Glendalough Double Barrel for 48 hours, then blends the infused whiskey with Cinzano Rosso and green Chartreuse.

343 Congress St., Fort Point, Boston, 617-790-0808, tavernroad.com.

The Irish Goodbye
Trina’s Starlite Lounge

The night ends with a beer cocktail: Irish whiskey-spiked Harpoon Boston Irish Stout, with a dash of walnut bitters and cinnamon syrup. Good night.

3 Beacon St., Inman Square, Somerville, 617-576-0006, trinastarlitelounge.com.