A trend that seems practically made for St. Patrick’s Day is the Pickle Back — a shot of Irish whiskey followed with a shot of pickle juice. It may sound strange, but it’s a phenomenon that’s hitting New York hot spots like the Breslin and the Randolph and making national news and getting attention.

And you know what? It actually is pretty amazing! I tried it with some Jameson and Krugerman Frischgurkens … and the flavors really complimented each other.

So if you don’t see this at your favorite St. Paddy’s Day pub, you may want to try it at home.

Photo Credit: Washington Post

Seems like it isn’t St. Patrick’s Day without a little Irish whiskey. On second thought, make that a lot of Irish whiskey. If you’re looking for a way to mix it up instead of downing it straight, here are some tasty Paddy’s Day cocktails for you!

Irish Tea Party

4 parts Sweetened Green Tea (chilled)
1 part Jameson Irish Whiskey
½ part Pernod Absinthe
Rinse rocks glass with Pernod Absinthe. Add ice. Pour Jameson over the ice. Add Green tea and garnish with a lime slice.

Irish Apple

1 part Jameson Irish Whiskey
1½ parts Hiram Walker Sour Apple Schnapps
5 parts Ginger Ale

Jameson Whirlaway

2 parts Jameson Irish Whiskey
1 part Hiram Walker White Peach Schnapps
Dash Bitters
Splash of Club Soda

Mix all ingredients except Club Soda in a shaker with cracked ice. Pour into a tumbler and top with Club Soda.

Courtesy of Pernod Ricard

The 2010 Winter Olympics are wrapping up in Vancouver this weekend and this week’s drink celebrates the games well. The fair amount of Canadian whisky should help insulate you from the cold. Canadian whisky and maple syrup, this may work on pancakes as well. Let us know!

Vancouver Cocktail

1 1/2 oz. Canadian whisky
3/4 oz. Dubonnet
1/2 oz. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. maple syrup
1/2 egg white ( powered egg whites can be used if you are concerned about salmonella)
3-4 dashes orange bitters

Combine everything in the tin side of a Boston Shaker. Don’t add ice yet. Use a stick blender or a cappuccino frother get the eggs whites started. Blend lightly for about 20 seconds. Add a scoop of ice and shake well (20 - 30 seconds) and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

If you are brave, flame an orange peel into the drink to release the oils and float it.

I was recently summoned to Bourbon & Branch in San Francisco’s Tenderloin to celebrate the debut of a very special Scotch whisky, Highland Park 1968. This 40 year-old single malt is the first in their Orcadian Limited Edition Series. To be released over the next 5 years, each bottling will consist of just 8 casks each, hand selected by Max MacFarlane, that’s just 1550 bottles world wide.

Retailing at $3,999, Highland Park 1968 comes nicely appointed in a decanter style black bottle with Pictish knot work on the neck and the Highland Park’s “H” logo in Pewter on on the front. The bottle comes in a cabinet quality oak box adorned with a silver “H” on the outside and Viking art illustrates the inside of the lid. Inside the lid a panel slides away to reveal a leather bound book with tasting notes and information about the series.

So how did it was it?

Well, in a word, Amazing.

It’s nose is as smooth as they come, with hints of honey and none of the alcoholic tones. On the tongue, everything is just right. Hints of orange peel, oak and vanilla are complemented by a delicate spiciness.

Of course, we couldn’t just jump in with the 1968. We ran the Highland Park table starting with 18 year, then 25, 30 and 40 year, all Highland Park single malts are aged in sherry casks made of American and Spanish oak and matured in the cool climate of Orkney.

Each whisky was masterfully paired with cheese by Wil Edwars of the Artisan Food School. Cheese ranged from a local Sonoma Tome to a very rare Cheddar from the Isle of Mull, which was paired with the Highland Park 1968.

If you get a chance, get your mouth on the Highland Park 1968.

Ladies this is one hell of a Father’s Day gift.

Highland Park 1968

It’s President’s Day. Not all of out Commander and Chief’s have been drinker’s, but many have. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson even ran distilleries as part of their households. Distilling and brewing was quite common in those days.

Here’s a cocktails our commander and chief’s preferred.

Gerald Ford: Gin and Tonic
Herbert Hoover: Martini
Richard Nixon: Rum & Coke
Franklin D. Roosevelt: Scotch or Brandy
Harry Truman: Bourbon
Lyndon Johnson: Scotch and Soda
Warren Harding: Everything

FDR Portrait of a Drinking President from Modern Drunkard
Our Drunkest Presidents
Cigar Smoking President

see what the Queen of England drinks on Mental Floss…

This prohibition era cocktail was named after the 1922 film Blood and Sand, the story of a young boy who becomes a famous bull fighter staring Rudolph Valentino.

It seems like an odd mixture, but it works. What you get is a well balanced drink with a hint of fruitiness and some kick.

Top bartender Dale DeGroff tells the the story of how he thought it would be “god awful” until he tried it. So good, in fact, BarSmarts named the Blood and Sand as one of 25 cocktails every bartender should know.

Blood and Sand

3/4 oz. Scotch Whisky
3/4 oz. Cherry Heering
3/4 oz. Sweet Vermouth
3/4 oz. Orange Juice (preferably fresh squeezed)

Combine ingredients in a shaker with a scoop of ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with an orange peel.

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Bourbon, pear and cherry … seriously, how can you go wrong with those flavors? Cocktailing alone is not as much fun, so I collaborated with my friend at Savvy Housekeeping on this slightly sweet and sparkling drink for winter made with bourbon, pear syrup and maraschino liqueur.

When you see maraschino liqueur in the ingredients, don’t think of those neon-red cherries that never go bad! It’s actually a liqueur made from real cherries, pit and all, that has a light nutty flavor.

Pearaschino

1 1/2 oz. Bourbon
1 oz. Maraschino liqueur
1/2 oz. pear syrup
roughly 1 oz. ginger ale

In a shaker, combine the bourbon, maraschino liqueur, and pear syrup. Shake thoroughly with ice. Strain into a martini glass and top with ginger ale, about 1 oz. Garnish with a cherry.

Pear Syrup

2 pears
1 c sugar
2 c water
2 Tbs vodka (optional)

First, cut up the pears. Combine them with the sugar and water in a pot on the stove. Boil for about 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the syrup has a strong pear flavor.

Strain the pears from the syrup (you can also save the pears and use as an excellent topping on ice cream, yogurt, etc.). Transfer the syrup to a bottle. If you want it to last longer, add a little vodka to the syrup.

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