Drinks served on St. Patrick’s Day are usually green-dyed beer and maybe wine. You can’t really even just honor Ireland by drinking an Irish wine since there’s very little grape growing there, although there are a few vineyards and producers which are mostly in Country Cork. But let’s face it – no one in the US is drinking it. It’s all about beer and whiskey (Irish whiskey sales were up 17.5% last year), and I’ll always choose the latter. But as we know from Whiskey Week, Irish whiskey is my least favorite. So if I get a bottle, the perfect thing to do with it is mix it into a cocktail! Here are two good ones. Dye green if you must…

bushmills irish honey smash

• 1.5 oz of Bushmills Irish Honey
• 2-3 mint leaves
• 3/4 oz simple syrup
• 2 lemon slices
• 1 oz water

Muddle the lemon, mint, water, and simple syrup in the bottom of a mixing glass. Add Bushmills, shake, and strain into a glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish w/ a sprig of mint and serve.

honey, i’m home

• 1.5 oz. Bushmills Irish Honey
• lemon wedge
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• ginger beer

Add Bushmills, bitters and ginger beer. Shake, stir and strain over ice.