As we stagger through the last weeks (or so we hope) of oven-like heat, I’m still looking for light and refreshing at cocktail hour – which for me usually means something based on gin or white rum as opposed to the darker, heavier spirits. But light and refreshing whiskey-based sips do exist, and here’s a perfect one.
Based on Irish whiskey, the Irish Maid comes out of NYC, that ever-bubbling cauldron of cocktail excellence. It’s a variation on the Kentucky Maid (based on Bourbon) and the London Maid (based on gin) and it lands in between those two on the light-and-refreshing scale.
The key here is cucumber. Cucumber aroma and flavor along with the St-Germain and lemon, lift the whiskey into a whole new atmosphere. Light, but not too light, semi-sweet, tons of flavor, and a fairly serious kick.
Perfect for the dog days of summer as we slide (or so we hope) into a more reasonable season!
Irish Maid
2 slices cucumber, quartered
2 oz Irish whiskey – I used Tullamore Dew
.5 oz St-Germain elderflower liqueur
.75 oz lemon juice
.5 oz simple syrup
Muddle the cukes in the bottom of a shaker. Add the other ingredients and shake with ice until cold. Strain into a rocks glass with ice – I like to use one or two big cubes – and serve.