The Tairnesh - Irish Whiskey Cocktail
Posted by Irish Whiskey USA on
The Tairnesh is the IWSA reimagined version of a classic whiskey cocktail. Popularized by the Rat Pack in the 1960's, the Rusty Nail is a Scotch and Drambuie mix. The Irish word for nail is tairne. Both rust and tarnish are forms of metal corrosion. We have made the classic recipe Irish while maintaining the honey and herbal notes of the original. By using our chosen ingredients, the drink also offers unique aromas consistent with paint varnish (but in a good way.) Combining all the terms and meanings gives us the Tairnesh.
- 2 oz Old Comber Single Pot Still Irish whiskey
- 2/3 oz Irish Mist Honey liqueur
- 2 splashes Angostura bitters
- Orange slice (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine ingredients in shaker with ice
-
Stir until chilled
- Strain into glass with new ice
- Garnish with orange slice (optional)
Alternative recipes can be experimented with either the ratio of whiskey to honey liqueur, type of Irish whiskey, and/or type of honey liqueur varied. Use of Old Comber single pot still will accentuate spice and varnish notes more than the blend. Use of Celtic Honey, Tullamore Dew Honey or The Whistler Irish Honey will provide varying levels of sweetness and alcohol strength.
For fans of the Manhattan cocktail, consider using Bunratty Meade (available at Total Wine stores) which is a honey and white wine mix. Use a 2:1.5 oz ratio of whiskey to meade (which has a much lower abv compared to the whiskey based honey liqueurs).
Original recipe