Shamrock Sour Whiskey Cocktail

The Shamrock Sour cocktail is an Irish whiskey drink that is so delicious! Its vibrant green color is perfect for St. Patrick's Day. This cocktail mixes the warmth of whiskey with the tanginess of citrus, plus a touch of sweetness. The lime peel garnish in the shape of a shamrock makes it even more festive!

This is a great cocktail for celebrating St. Patrick's Day, but it's also really versatile with its flavors! It's kind of like a classic whiskey sour, but the lime juice gives it some more tang. The combination of whiskey with both lemon and lime makes this a really refreshing drink.

Looking for more festive cocktails for St. Paddy's Day? Check out the Tipperary Cocktail, which also features Irish whiskey, or the delicious and festive Irish Margarita. The green-colored Midori Sour is such a simple and tasty low-alcohol cocktail for sipping all day long. Or, try out the Eastside, a gin cocktail with cucumber, lime and mint.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this drink:

• Irish whiskey - Irish whiskey is traditional here, and a great choice! I used Jameson Irish whiskey.
• Lemon juice - this brings out the warmth of the whiskey and also adds bright tart flavors. For the citrus, try to use freshly squeezed if possible.
• Lime juice - this adds even more tartness and bright flavors.
• Maple syrup - using maple syrup for the sweetener not only adds sweetness, but also a subtle warm flavor to the drink.
• Midori liqueur - you only need a tiny bit of this liqueur, and although it does add color, the melon sweetness definitely adds to the drink.
• Blue Curacao liqueur - again, a tiny bit goes a long way! This is mostly for color, but it also adds a tiny bit of sweetness and orange flavor.
• (Optional) Lime peel - for the optional shamrock garnish, a lime peel is perfect.
• (Optional) Gold edible glitter - this is more of an entertaining touch! Just before serving, add a puff of gold edible glitter spray over top of the drink. It will float on the surface and give it some sparkle.

Substitutions

Here are some ways you can substitute the ingredients in the Shamrock Sour cocktail:

• Irish whiskey - you can also use bourbon or Canadian whiskey instead.
• Lemon and lime juice - if you don't have fresh juice, you can use bottled juice. But, I actually prefer using True Lemon and True Lime crystallized powder along with some water. In a pinch, you can use a sweet and sour mix, but you'll have to reduce the amount of maple syrup in the drink.
• Maple syrup - if you don't have maple syrup, you can use simple syrup, agave nectar, or a honey syrup with 1 part honey and 1 part water.
• Midori and Blue Curacao - if you don't have these liqueurs, you can add a couple of drops of green food coloring to get the green effect. If you omit them, add in a touch more maple syrup.
• Lime peel - you can make the shamrock garnish out of a cucumber peel if you don't have a lime. Or, just garnish with a lime twist or a lime wedge.

Variations

Here are some tasty variations on this recipe:

• Sour Apple Shamrock - rather than the Midori, try adding in some Sour Apple Pucker liqueur. You can add up to ½ ounce depending on how sweet you want the cocktail.
• Coconut version - instead of the maple syrup, use some cream of coconut syrup. This will add a creamy color and a coconut flavor.
• Non-alcoholic Shamrock Sour - if you're avoiding alcohol, try using a whiskey substitute. Monday Whiskey or Lyre's American Malt are good options. Just use green food coloring in place of the liqueurs.
• Serve over ice - instead of serving in a coupe glass, fill a Collins glass with ice and serve over the ice. Top it off with plain seltzer or ginger ale to give it a refreshing fizz.

Instructions

Garnish

To make the optional shamrock garnish, start by cutting a large piece of lime peel with a vegetable peeler.

Use a cocktail pick, a metal toothpick or something similar to trace the shape of a shamrock into the white side of the lime peel.

If you have chef scissors, use them to cut out the shape of the shamrock. If you don't have the scissors, you can use a paring knife or an Xacto knife that is dedicated to food use.

Once it's cut out, stick the cocktail pick through the shamrock so you can rest it on the edge of the glass just before serving the drink.

Set your garnish aside while you make the cocktail.

Add your lime and lemon juice to the cocktail shaker.

Add in the maple syrup, and then add the Midori liqueur.

Add the Blue Curaçao liqueur, and then add in your whiskey.

Fill the shaker with ice. Then seal it up, and shake vigorously, about 15 to 20 times. This will chill and dilute the drink.

Strain the drink into your serving glass. If you have a second fine mesh strainer, you can use that too to catch any citrus pulp or ice chips.

Add your shamrock garnish to the glass.

If you want to add a little extra sparkle, use a puff of gold edible glitter spray over top of the drink just before serving!

Hint: Try chilling your cocktail glass for about 30 minutes before making the drink. It will keep the liquid colder longer!

Top tip

Since you'll be using such small amounts of the Midori and Blue Curaçao, it really helps to pour it from the bottle into a clean jigger first. Then, measure the amount in a spoon before adding it to the drink.

That way, it makes it much less likely to spill over the sides of the spoon, and you can also pour any extra back into the bottle. Cheers!