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This Irish whiskey cocktail is the reason I’m a whiskey person now. 🍀
I know, I know — I used to say the same thing you might be thinking: whiskey is not my thing. Too harsh, too smoky, too… whiskey. And then someone handed me this drink at a party, and I just stood there, completely surprised. It was smooth and rich, a little citrusy, and honestly kind of perfect.
We call it the Drunken Leprechaun, but what it really is — is the Irish whiskey cocktail that converts skeptics. It drinks a little like a whiskey sour, but the Guinness reduction and honey syrup take it somewhere completely different. Deeper. More interesting. Very sippable!!
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Pin ItNow I keep whiskey stocked in my bar year-round. I love a simple whiskey and orange juice, a classic whiskey highball on a lazy night, and this cocktail every single St. Patrick’s Day without fail.
Why You’ll Love This Irish Whiskey Cocktail
This is a pub-style, speakeasy-inspired sipping cocktail — the kind you actually slow down and enjoy. There’s a little prep work upfront (a Guinness reduction and a honey simple syrup), but once those are done you can make 8–10 cocktails with almost no effort. That makes it perfect for parties!!
If you’re hosting and want a big-batch option alongside this one, my Irish Whiskey Green Tea Punch is an absolute crowd pleaser — you make it all at once in a big pitcher and guests can help themselves.
Ingredients
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
Jameson Irish Whiskey
Guinness (for the reduction)
Fresh lemon juice
Honey simple syrup
How to Make the Guinness Reduction
Pour one full can of Guinness into a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and let it cook down for about 30 minutes until it’s reduced by half and has a thicker, syrupy consistency.
Let it cool completely, then pour it into a glass bottle and refrigerate it. It’ll keep for weeks — so make a big batch, and you’re set for the whole St. Patrick’s Day season!!
Don’t rush this step. The full 30 minutes is what gives it that beautiful roasted depth. The Guinness flavor is lighter than you’d expect — it blends into the cocktail as a rich, coffee-kissed note rather than a heavy beer flavor.
How to Make Honey Simple Syrup
Honey simple syrup works just like a traditional simple syrup but with honey instead of white sugar — it’s richer, slightly floral, and so much better in this drink. You can find my full honey simple syrup recipe here!
Combine equal parts honey and warm water in a small saucepan. Bring just to a boil, stir until the honey is completely dissolved, then let it cool. Store in the refrigerator.
How to Make This Irish Whiskey Cocktail
Once your syrups are made and cooled, this drink comes together in about two minutes!
- Add Jameson, Guinness reduction, honey simple syrup, and fresh lemon juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice
- Shake well for about 15–20 seconds
- Strain into a coupe glass or stemmed cocktail glass
- Garnish with a fresh mint leaf — or a little sprig of clover if you want to lean all the way into the theme 🍀
Hosting tip: You can shake four of these at once in a large shaker — makes it so much easier to serve a crowd quickly!!
About Jameson Irish Whiskey
Jameson is the most popular Irish whiskey in the world, and for good reason. It has a smooth, approachable flavor profile — sweet honey, vanilla, subtle Graham cracker notes, and a hint of citrus — that plays beautifully with the lemon juice and honey in this cocktail.
What makes Irish whiskey different from Scotch? Irish whiskey is triple-distilled, which gives it a lighter, smoother finish. Scotch is only distilled twice and tends to have that heavier, smokier character. That smoothness is a big reason this cocktail is such an easy yes for people who think they don’t like whiskey!
Tips for the Best Irish Whiskey Cocktail
Don’t rush the Guinness reduction. Give it the full 30 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s reduced to about half the original volume.
Make your syrups ahead of time. Both the Guinness reduction and honey syrup store well in the refrigerator for weeks. Make them on a Sunday and you’re ready to pour cocktails all month.
Use fresh lemon juice. Bottled works in a pinch but fresh makes a noticeable difference in a drink this simple.
Serve in a stemmed glass. Since this is a sipping cocktail, a coupe glass or wine glass feels special and keeps the drink cold longer.
Garnish matters!! A fresh mint leaf turns this from a home cocktail into something that looks like it came from a real bar.
More Whiskey Cocktails
Holidays
Green Tea & Irish Whiskey Punch
Saint Patrick's Day
Jameson Whiskey Jello Shots
Drinks
Whiskey Highball Recipe
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Drunken Leprechaun Cocktail
Ingredients
Drunken Leprechaun Cocktail
- 1 ounce Guinness Reduction simple syrup, recipe below
- 1 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 1/2 ounces honey simple syrup, recipe below
- 3 ounces Jameson Irish Whiskey
- 4 mint leaves
Guinness Reduction Simple Syrup
- 1 can Guinness Beer
- 1/2 cup sugar
Honey Syrup
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup honey
Instructions
Drunken Leprechaun Cocktail
- Prepare the reduction sauce and honey simple syrup below and let them cool.
- Shake all of the above ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Strain into a coupe cocktail glass and garnish with a mint leaf!
Guinness Reduction Simple Syrup
- Bring to a boil and then simmer on low heat until mixture becomes a thicker consistency and dissolved to about half the amount. This could take 30 minutes. Let it cool and pour into a glass bottle to store.
Honey Syrup
- Bring to a boil until honey has dissolved. Let it cool and pour into a glass bottle to store.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Incredibly unique, way too sweet. This recipe was surprising very good with modifications. The lemon and stout work will together, giving the drink a refreshing, but rich taste. To better bring out the stout flavor, cut the lemon down to 3/4 ounce, reduce the 1 c. stout with
1/3 c. honey, and omit the honey sugar water entirely. In this manner, the stout reduction becomes the predominant flavor and not overshadowed by the sweetness. This, of course, also increases the whiskey flavor, too, so use good whiskey. If you don’t like whiskey, why even consider this recipe?
I was skeptical at first, but this is a really great cocktail! The Guinness reduction really makes this drink with its rich, deep flavor — its interesting to make because it never really seemed to “simmer”, even at medium heat, and took almost an hour but did reduce to 1/3 and it was excellent. An excellent, tasty, easy to drink St. Patrick’s Day cocktail.
Perfect for parties with friends!
This looks like such a fun and delicious drink!
This looks like the perfect way to top off the end of the week! ?
This is the perfect cocktail to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with! 🙂