Paste is going all in for St. Paddy’s Day celebrations this year. With this Irish tricolour flag shot—made with creme de menthe, Irish cream liqueur, and brandy—you too can conjure the luck of the Irish.
Saint Patrick’s Day is widely celebrated in the U.S., by both Irish and non-Irish alike. “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” t-shirts seem to multiply on March 17, bars advertise the green beer they’ll be serving, children wear green to avoid their classmates pinching them—it’s hard to think of a more fun and easy-going holiday.
The flag of Ireland, known as the Irish tricolour, has a deeper meaning than a casual glance reveals. The green represents “the older Gaelic tradition,” the orange is for the supporters of William the Orange, and the white section in the middle symbolizes the truce between the two factions. With just three strips of color then, the Irish tricolour memorializes the old, the new, and the coming together for peace. It must always be flown with the green section closest to the flagpole; if it’s displayed with the orange section by the flagpole, it will be mistaken for the flag of the Ivory Coast, its mirror opposite. So, be careful to layer your shot in the correct order.
The layers of the shot are (in order) refreshing, sweet, and bracing, and they marry well as you shoot them, making this a great way to celebrate. Don’t forget to toast to good health: Sláinte!
Irish Tricolour Shot
Ingredients
¾ oz. green creme de menthe liqueur (white creme de menthe obviously won’t do!)
¾ oz. Irish cream liqueur
¾ oz. brandy
Directions: First, pour the creme de menthe into your shot glass. This doesn’t have to be done slowly, as the other two layers do.
The secret to even layers is to slowly dribble the Irish cream and the brandy in. Using the back of a bar spoon (or any tablespoon—the larger the easier to dribble) helps.
Hold the spoon round side up, close to, but not touching, the green layer, and slowly drip the Irish cream in a thin stream onto the spoon. Use the same technique for the brandy afterwards.
Your first shot may not look perfect, but will allow you to get the hang of the slow pour for the second one. If you’re looking for a toast before you take the shot, try this: Éirinn go Brách, which means “Ireland forever.”