Pot of Gold

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Cocktail History

The Pot of Gold is a St. Patrick’s Day cocktail that was first published by Liquor.com. The recipe is a play on the Whiskey Sour template that is similar to the Penicillin in flavor profile. What sets it apart, however, is its inclusion of Irish whiskey and egg white that is shaken with honey and ginger syrup, lemon, and Islay Scotch, served up, and topped with gold flakes as a nod to the treasure found at the end of a rainbow in Irish tales.

Cocktail Ingredients

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

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.

Honey Syrup: This is a sweetener made with honey and water, which are heated and infused into a syrup with a sweet flavor.

Ginger Syrup: This is a sweetener made with ginger root, white sugar, and water, which are heated and infused into a syrup with a spicy, aromatic flavor.

Lemon Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe lemons that has a sweet, tangy flavor and light yellow color.

Egg White: This is the clear portion of an egg that’s separated from the yolk and used to add frothy texture to cocktails.

Islay Scotch: This is a type of whisky made on the island of Islay in Scotland with malted barley or grains and yeast, which are distilled and then dried with peat fires and aged in oak barrels to develop a smoky, peaty flavor.

Gold Flakes: This is gold that has been hammered into small, thin sheets.

Brands I Used

• 🔗 Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition Irish Whiskey
• 🔗 Monin Premium Honey Syrup
• 🔗 Liber & Co. Fiery Ginger Syrup
• 🔗 Ardbeg 10 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• 🔗 Cobakey Edible Gold Leaf Flakes

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.

Boston Shaker: This is a two-piece cocktail shaker made with a large metal tin and a second tin or mixing glass that’s used for shaking and chilling cocktail ingredients.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is a flat metal strainer with a handle and a coiled spring around the edge that’s used for straining shaken cocktails from a shaker while holding back ice and solids.

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.

Tweezers: This is a long, narrow tool with angled tips that’s used for precisely placing delicate garnishes and small ingredients.

Coupe Glass: This is a stemmed glass with a shallow, wide bowl that’s used for serving shaken cocktails and sparkling drinks without ice.

Tools I Used

• 🔗 A Bar Above 18×12 Premium Bar Mat
• 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Japanese Jigger
• 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Boston Shaker
• 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Hawthorne Strainer
• 🔗 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
• 🔗 Stainless Steel Food Tweezers Set

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Bright golden yellow color

• Aroma: Strong, smoky Scotch

• Taste: Sweet honey and spicy ginger flavor balanced by sour lemon

• Finish: Malted whiskey spice

Kendall’s Take: “If you want to enjoy a Penicillin but your palate hasn’t developed enough to handle the prominent Scotch flavor yet, this variation made with similar ingredients is your answer. I absolutely loved this cocktail; it’s bright and has a delicious ginger spice that’s rounded out with whiskey notes. That said, I can’t imagine the Pot of Gold being made in an actual bar with the edible gold garnish unless they have connections to the underground gold trade that I don’t. It was fun but expensive and a bit of a bother to arrange on top of the foam. It would be just as tasty without it.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was found in the publication Liquor.com.