Shamrock

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Cocktail History

The Shamrock is a vintage cocktail that was created in the 1930s by Harry Craddock at The Savoy Hotel in London, England. It’s a simple and refreshing recipe that calls for Irish whiskey as the base spirit and pairs it with dry vermouth, Green Chartreuse, and dark crème de menthe, which is what gives it its festive green color and makes it a great pick for post-dinner sipping on St. Patrick’s Day.

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.

Dry Vermouth: This is a type of wine made with white wine and a blend of herbs and botanicals, which are fermented, fortified with a neutral spirit, and then lightly sweetened to develop a crisp, aromatic flavor.

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.

Green Crème De Menthe: This is a liqueur made with mint leaves, green food coloring, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended and infused to develop a bright, minty flavor and vibrant green color.

Mint: This is an herb made from the leaves of the mint plant, which are harvested and used for their cool, aromatic flavor.

Bartending Tools

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

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. I used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.

Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. I used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Vibrant light green color

• Aroma: Menthol and mint

• Taste: Ice-cold flavor mixture of whiskey and nutty vermouth

• Finish: Mint and herbal Chartreuse notes

Kendall’s Take: “When a cocktail has a lovely green color, it’s often a signal that it’s going to be made with kitschy dyed ingredients. This one’s fairly different though because, aside from the green crème de menthe, it’s a seriously boozy drink. I ended up accidentally trying two versions—one with sweet vermouth and another with dry, which was the correct one—and the cocktail with sweet vermouth ended up being much tastier. I still wouldn’t make the Shamrock though, if I’m honest. The flavor is unique, but it’s also kind of weird. I didn’t love it, but hey, it’s worth a try if you want to serve something minty and green after dinner on St. Patrick’s Day.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from Difford’s Guide, an online guide to cocktails, spirits, and liqueurs.