Last Updated on December 1, 2021 by Heather Wibbels
I swore I wasn’t going to post a kelly green cocktail for St Patrick’s Day. Turns out I was lying because I came up with this green Suze cocktail I’m calling the Pissed Leprechaun. Some French liqueur Suze, whiskey, and pineapple is a brilliant combination – and it becomes brilliant green with the addition of a touch of blue curaçao. Perfect for a non-traditional St Paddy’s cocktail.
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What’s Suze?
If you missed my earlier post of a Suze Sour, take a minute to head over there for more information Suze. In short, it’s a bittersweet, herbaceous French aperitif made with gentian root and other botanicals.
The liqueur is very aggressive as a cocktail ingredient. In that way, it reminds me of Fernet Branca. Suze drinks, in general, have quite a palate punch – I wouldn’t drink them first unless you’ll be following it with other recipes just as bitter and dry.
Flavors in the Pissed Leprechaun
In addition to the woody flavors from the Suze, I’ve added a bit of Irish whiskey and pineapple whiskey. Now, the Irish whisky isn’t strong enough to get through the Suze completely but adds a bit of sweetness to it. The pineapple flavor melds with the citrus notes from the Suze, sweetening it considerably and pulling out a tropical side of the liqueur. It really makes me want to try it out in some Tiki cocktails.
While you could create this pineapple syrup by using equal parts of pineapple juice and sugar, I prefer using sugar on fresh pineapple to draw out a beautiful, colorful, fresh yellow syrup.
Just a small splash of curaçao turns the yellow drink bright green and adds only a smidge of extra citrus flavor and sweetness to it.
This cocktail is very dry. It’s woody and sweet at the same time. But if dry cocktails bother your palate, skip this one. In general, Suze dries out a cocktail, even with added sweetener.
But that color!
How to Make a Pissed Leprechaun
To make this gorgeous green Suze cocktail, take a minute to gather an Irish whisky, Suze, pineapple whiskey or liqueur, pineapple syrup and blue curaçao. Add the Suze, pineapple whiskey/liqueur, pineapple syrup and blue curaçao to a mixing glass with ice.
Stir for 30 seconds and strain into a rocks glass filled with one large cube. I garnished with lemon to tie the citrus of the pineapple flavors and Suze, but mint would be an amazing combination here.
Other Green Cocktail Recipes You Might Enjoy
Recommended Bar Tools
You don’t need every slick, beautiful bar tool out there, but there are several I’ll recommend. (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. However, that does not affect the cost of the items below.) My favorite pieces usually come from the Cocktail Kingdom section of Amazon:
You may already have these bar essentials, but just in case:
Pissed Leprechaun – Green Suze Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 oz Suze
- 1 oz WhiskeySmith Co Pineapple Whiskey
- 1 oz Irish whisky (don't use the good stuff, the Suze can overpower it here)
- 1/2 oz pineapple syrup
- scant 1/4 oz blue curacao
- Garnish: lemon twist or mint sprig
Instructions
- Combine Suze, pineapple liqueur, Irish whisky, pineapple syrup, and blue curaçao to a mixing glass. Add ice and stir for about 30 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass with one large cube and garnish with a lemon twist or mint sprig.
