Name: Taoiseach
Total time: 3 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 45 ml Irish whiskey; 10 ml Triple sec; 10 ml Rosso/sweet vermouth; 5 ml Grenadine syrup; 1 dash Aromatic bitters; 1 dash Orange bitters; 5 ml Chilled water

Ingredients

1 ¹⁄₂ fl oz

Irish whiskey

¹⁄₃ fl oz

Cointreau L'Unique triple sec liqueur

¹⁄₃ fl oz

Strucchi Rosso Vermouth

¹⁄₆ fl oz

Monin Grenadine Syrup

1 dash

Angostura Aromatic Bitters

1 dash

Orange Bitters by Angostura

¹⁄₆ fl oz

Chilled water/mineral water (omit if using wet ice)

How to make

Glassware

Prepare

Select and pre-chill a NICK & NORA GLASS.

Prepare garnish of orange zest twist.

Method

STIR all ingredients with ice.

FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish

EXPRESS orange zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Taoiseach contains 153 calories

Alcohol content:

1.3 standard drinks
24.82% alc./vol. (49.64° proof)
18.8 grams of pure alcohol

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Rosso/rouge/sweet vermouth (di Torino) — Sulphur Dioxide/Sulphites

History

Adapted from a recipe created by Aaron Wall at his Homeboy bar in Islington, London, the Taoiseach remains one of Homeboy's signature cocktails. Originally made with Redbreast 12 pot still Irish whiskey.

Pronounced 'Tee-shock', this cocktail is named after the title of the first minister of government in Ireland. Aaron says, "Literally translated the name would mean Chieftain and this drink is a twist on an old rum drink, El Presidente – the Irish word for president is Uachtarán na hÉireann, but we thought that might be a bit tricky for the Anglo Saxon vocabulary. This drink is the perfect example of how Irish whiskey can sit in many positions, like the age rum realm, when it comes to making cocktails."

Comments & Discussion

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Jeremy Harrold 10w

I substituted the Triple Sec with Jägermeister Orange. The result, an old school type of drink - spirit forward with botanicals and a a bit of bitterness. A bit more red fruit towards the end of the drink.

Rob de Santos Premium Member 18w

Excellent. Agree with John Carr's comment that the grenadine is important. I also used Carpano as the vermouth which I think fit well.

Jeff Durbin 19w

It's good, not mind blowing.

Dave McGhee 27w

This is pretty incredible.

Dr Drink 32w

An excellent cocktail. Tried it yesterday with runamok maple orange and maple aromatic bitters and today with reg ango and orange. Both very good, but I’ll definitely always be using the maple when I have them.

John CARR Premium Member 1y

First try of this. I can see where Simon is going with encouraging use of a homemade syrup. I used Monin pomegranate and added a dash of raw apple cider vinegar. Could imagine a variant with fresh berries also.

Romina 1y

smooth

Yorey C 1y

for cockails with added water but "omit if using wet ice" you could also add "...or lower abv ingredients"

Calvin Grant Premium Member 2y

Second time around I had to add a heart to the five stars!

John CARR Premium Member 1y

Agreed. Even better on the second pass. I neglected the additional dilution the first time, but it greatly benefitted from it. Ultimately derived from a Manhattan I suppose, but the delicacy of the aromatics make it almost an “improved Manhattan cocktail” in style. I again went with a couple of mL of apple cider vinegar to freshen up the commercial pomegranate syrup.

Calvin Grant Premium Member 1y

Interesting, the added apple cider vinegar. Might try that. I've got a pint jar of canned mountain huckleberries, been wondering what to do with. Cocktails it is!

John CARR Continue thread (1 reply)

Scott McIsaac Premium Member 3y

I only had 15% triple sec, so I substituted 40% Cointreau. Delicious nevertheless! This seems very similar to the Dubliner and James Joyce cocktails -- they are all riffs on a Manhattan, but with orange liqueur substituted for some of the vermouth, and perhaps some extra aromatics.