Drunken Leprechaun

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Cocktail History

The Drunken Leprechaun is a St. Patrick’s Day cocktail that was created by Rebecca Hubbel and was first published on her blog Sugar & Soul. The recipe was made as an Irish-inspired variation of the Screwdriver that uses blended Irish whiskey as the base spirit instead of vodka and adds blue curaçao to the mix to turn the recipe bright green. This version also includes Green Chartreuse for a bit more complexity.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Orange Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe oranges that has a light, sweet citrus flavor and pale orange color.

Irish Whiskey: This is a spirit made in Ireland with malted or unmalted barley and yeast, which are distilled and then aged in wooden barrels to develop a smooth, oaky flavor.

Blue Curaçao: This is a liqueur made with dried laraha orange peels, spices, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended, infused, and then dyed with food coloring to develop a sweet, citrusy flavor and bright blue color.

Green Chartreuse: This is a liqueur made in France with a blend of 130 plants, bark, roots, spices, and flowers, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are macerated, blended, and then aged to develop a complex, herbal flavor.

Orange Wedge: This is a slice of an orange that has been cut into a half wheel shape.

Brandied Cherry: This is a type of stone fruit made by soaking maraschino cherries in brandy, water, and spices to make a rich, fruity syrup.

Brands I Used

• 🔗 Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey
• 🔗 Bols Blue Curaçao Liqueur
• 🔗 Green Chartreuse
• 🔗 Collins Stemless Maraschino Cherries

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Bar Mat: This is a rubber or silicone mat that’s placed on the bar surface and used for catching spills, providing grip for glasses and tools, and keeping the workspace clean and organized.

Jigger: This is a small double-sided tool with different volume measurements on each side that’s used for accurately portioning ingredients.

Cutting Board: This is a flat, durable kitchen surface made from materials like wood or plastic that’s used for slicing ingredients and preparing garnishes.

Paring Knife: This is a small kitchen knife with a narrow, sharp blade that’s used for peeling fruit and trimming garnishes.

Electric Citrus Juicer: This is a kitchen appliance with a motorized reamer that’s used for quickly extracting juice from citrus fruits.

Fine Mesh Strainer: This is a mesh metal strainer with a tightly woven bowl and handle that’s used for straining out small ice shards and other solids while pouring cocktails from a shaker or mixing glass.

Measuring Cup: This is a kitchen tool with a handled cup and marked volume measurements that’s used for accurately measuring and pouring liquid ingredients.

Bar Spoon: This is a long-handled spoon with a twisted shaft that’s used for stirring cocktails, layering ingredients, and reaching the bottom of tall glasses and mixing vessels.

Straw: This is a thin tubular utensil that’s used for more slowly sipping cocktails and mixed drinks.

Hurricane Glass: This is a tall, curved glass with a bulbous shape and short stem that’s used for serving tropical or tiki-style cocktails in larger portions.

Tools I Used

• 🔗 A Bar Above 18×12 Premium Bar Mat
• 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Japanese Jigger
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Cutting Board Set
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife
• 🔗 BLACK+DECKER 32 oz Electric Citrus Juicer
• 🔗 Barfly Silver Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Cocktail Strainer
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 2 Cup Angled Measuring Cup
• 🔗 Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon
• 🔗 PakTalk Green & White Striped Paper Straw
• 🔗 Hurricane Cocktail Glass Set

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Eye-catching light green color

• Aroma: Citrus and whiskey spice

• Taste: Orange-heavy flavor with a strong whiskey backbone

• Finish: Slight herbal notes and more citrus tang

Kendall’s Take: “This recipe is a little kitschier than I usually like my drinks to be, but even with its somewhat silly green color, I’ll admit the Drunken Leprechaun quite tasty. My addition of Green Chartreuse takes the flavor from orange juice with a hint of whiskey to a delightfully herbal and citrusy ride. Given that it’s essentially just a Screwdriver, this would be great for a St. Paddy’s Day brunch or afternoon party with friends who usually prefer simple drinks.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from Sugar & Soul, an online food and beverage publication.