CEO of Punctum Biodynamic Family Vineyard. With a Master of Business Administration and after six years of experience in the financial analysis sector, Jesús Fernández founded Punctum in 2005 with his sisters Ruth and Cristina.
March 17 is all about meeting friends for a pint or dram of whiskey, but it’s also the perfect opportunity to put together an amazing cocktail! While the trend of serving green drinks on St. Patrick’s Day might be fun, it almost always means not-so-great taste. They’re often melon-scented or artificially colored, and lousy drinks are not the way to enjoy this holiday.
Because we know there’s a big difference between a good drink and a great drink, we’ve put together an awesome one that evokes the St. Patrick’s Day spirit like a charm. And no, it isn’t green.
Why Do We Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Anyway?
Ireland’s patron saint, Patrick was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery. He returned to the Emerald Isle to convert its inhabitants to Christianity, and drive out the snakes!
We celebrate St. Patrick on March 17, the day of his death; for this the church lifted the Lent restrictions during the festivity so everyone could enjoy a drink in his honor.
The Holy Art of Making Liqueurs
Some stories lead us to believe it was the very same St. Patrick who showed people how to distill whiskey in Ireland. Monks in monasteries subsidized their missions by crafting wine, beer, whiskey and liqueurs. Even today, some of the finest alcoholic drinks in Europe have deep roots leading to the continent’s monasteries and abbeys. A few concoctions of Ecclesiastical origin are the bitter Italian spirits, called Amaro, and the fragrant wine-based Vermouth, which is particularly good in Spain.
St. Patrick’s Day in Spain
St. Patrick’s Day is very much an Irish tradition, but you might not know that Spain has a thriving Irish community as well. Madrid’s buildings come to life with green lights, and the numerous Irish pubs scattered around the country become gathering points to have a cold pint of beer or a proper cocktail.
If you’ve ever visited Ireland in March, you know the weather is still chilly, but down in Spain, the sun is already shining and nothing beats a drink with friends on the pebbly, sun-drenched streets of Barcelona or Madrid.
Meet the Ingredients for our St.Patrick’s Day Cocktail!
Our 2021 St. Patrick’s Day Cocktail is the very definition of simplicity and it will surely shine during the season’s celebration.
Here’s what you need:
Gin — We’re spraying our cocktail glass with gin, which will add some lovely aromatics to the already complex drink. There are dozens of different gins out there, and they all have a unique personality, so choose your favorite.
Bruno Marino Vermouth — This fantastic fortified red wine is flavored by a secret mix of herbs, livened by citrus peels and rounded by nine months in oak barrels.
Campari – The king of bitter Italian liqueurs, Campari brings to the table citrus scents and a pleasant bitterness, rounded by a gentle sweetness.
The Garnish – Our drink isn’t green, so we’re adding a speck of the traditional St. Patrick’s Day color to our glass with a fresh olive; a summery orange peel completes the homage to the Irish flag.
St. Patrick’s Day Spanish Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup fresh ice.
- 1 spray of your favorite gin.
- 2 oz Bruno Marino Spanish Vermouth.
- 0.5 oz Campari.
- Orange peel and olive as a garnish.
Directions:
- Fill your cocktail glass with fresh ice and spray it with your favorite Gin. Alternatively, rinse the glass with Vermouth before adding the ice.
- Pour the Vermouth and top with just a kiss of Campari. Adjust the Vermouth to Campari ratio to your liking.
- Build your garnish by wrapping a pitted olive with a 2-inch orange peel on a wood pick.
Wishing you all the luck of the Irish and the Fiery Spirit of the Spanish! Happy St Patrick’s Day!
