Five delicious new Irish craft spirits perfect for mixing up a cool cocktail

Tasty new Irish craft spirits

Aoife Carrigy

A new bottle of craft spirits can be a great excuse to play around with cocktail ideas, whatever your mixology skills and ambitions, and the continued boom in Irish craft spirits serves up plenty of inspiration. I’m no professional mixologist, but I enjoy the challenge of mixing up something tasty for a gathering. I take a similar tack to these as I often do in the kitchen: browse lots of recipes for ideas, see what core ingredients I have to hand, and then riff on a theme, adjusting to taste. It’s not without its risks, but it’s a fun way to explore new flavours.

Today’s recommended Listoke Cacao & Raspberry Gin made a great addition to a recent hen party riff on a basil gin smash, along with Glendalough Wild Botanical Gin (a fresh and versatile favourite, €45), a lemon sugar syrup, rose vermouth, citrus bitters and a splash of Extra Dry Prosecco. Variations on that pink gin-based theme would be a Pink Gin 75 (with ruby grapefruit juice, raspberries and Prosecco), a Raspberry Collins (with muddled raspberries, lemon juice, sugar syrup and soda water), or a Pink Negroni (with rose vermouth and Aperol).