More than just a chance to wear a lot of green and pub crawl your way into the early hours, St Patrick's Day is also a great chance to explore Irish culture through one of its best-known exports. So whether you're more into cocktail spirits, a hearty pint, or a super smooth whiskey, here's our list of the best Irish drinks to try on March 17th.

Irish Whiskey

Of course, no blog about St Patrick's day drams would be complete without mentioning the subject closest to The Whisky Shop's heart - Irish Whiskey. We have recently become the UK Exclusive retailer for Old Comber whiskey, one of the key products in the every growing Irish whiskey renaissance. There are now more than 50 distilleries producing fantastic Irish drams, so there's never been a better time to get stuck in and experience the exciting world of Irish single malt, blended, and single pot still whiskies. We recommend starting with one of our favourites from Old Comber, Bushmills, or Redbreast.

P.s: Throughout March, we're running a Bushmills Golden Dram where you could win more the £300 worth of Bushmills products!

Beamish Genuine Irish Stout

For those who love a stout and are looking to explore a world beyond Guiness, Beamish Traditional Irish Stout is a beloved pint originating from Cork City in the South-West of Ireland. Described as having "a rich roasted flavour with coffee and dark chocolate undertones", Beamish was established in 1792, making this a fine example of traditional Irish brewing.

Poitín / Poteen

An almost mythical substance that has been brewed to differing recipes since the sixth century AD, Poitín (or Poteen) is the oldest known Irish drink, and is traditionally made in a moonshine style from a base of grain or potatoes. Despite spending many of the intervening years since its inception being classified as an illicit substance which was often secretly distilled and distributed, in 2008 the clear spirit earned itself geographical Indicator status by the European Commission and has come back with a vengance as a lauded drink for the masses. Prominent amonst those leading the charge in its renaissance is the Micil Distillery, a Galway-based company who not only produce regular Poitín, but who also did a recent collaboration with the band Kneecap, creating a tonic-wine (IYKYK) matured bottling which sold out within hours of being released. Micil are not the only Poitín producers though, so keep an eye out for other brands such as Killowen Distillery, Glendalough Distillery, Teeling Whiskey Co., and Mad March Hare. 

Baby Guinness

Whilst not the most traditional Irish drink, this shot did in fact originate in Ireland, supposedly in the now closed Dublin bar 'the Waxie Dargle'. Made to look like a miniature version of a pint of Guiness, this couldn't be further from a stout! To make one, fill a shot glass 3/4 full of a coffee liqueur (like Satryna Xpresso Coffee Liqueur) then gently over the back of a spoon, top the glass up with some Irish cream (such as Baileys).

And there we have it - just a few suggestions on great Irish drinks to try this St Patrick's Day - enjoy!