Irish Maid
Irish whiskey, elderflower liqueur, muddled cucumber, lemon and sugar, shaken over ice. The Kentucky Maid's Irish cousin — fresh, floral and green, and the modern Irish whiskey cocktail that bars actually sell.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Muddle the cucumber slices gently in a shaker with the simple syrup.
Add the whiskey, elderflower liqueur and lemon juice.
Fill with ice and shake hard for 12 seconds.
Double strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass and garnish with a cucumber slice.
A thoughtful finish
- Muddle the cucumber gently; crushed seeds go bitter.
- Double strain to keep the cucumber bits out.
- A few mint leaves in the shake make it a true Maid.
Common mistakes
- Too much elderflower, which takes over.
- Bottled lemon.
- Skipping the double strain.
A few good questions.
What does an Irish Maid taste like?
Fresh cucumber and lemon with elderflower's floral sweetness over soft Irish whiskey — green, light and refreshing.
What is a Maid?
Sam Ross's Kentucky Maid template: spirit, cucumber, citrus, sugar, mint.
Which Irish whiskey?
A smooth blend — Jameson, Bushmills, Tullamore D.E.W.
Can I use gin?
Then it is close to a Cucumber Gin Cooler, and also good.
Variations
- Kentucky Maid — Bourbon, lemon, sugar, mint and cucumber.
- Cucumber Gin Cooler — Gin, cucumber, lime and soda.
- Elderflower Collins — Gin, elderflower, lemon and soda.
- Whiskey Sour — Bourbon, lemon and sugar.
Where it comes from
c. 2008 · New York · Jackson Cannon
Contested. More than one origin is claimed for this drink. We show the competing accounts rather than pick one.
Sam Ross made the Kentucky Maid at Milk & Honey in New York in 2005 — bourbon, lemon, sugar, mint and muddled cucumber — and the Maid became a template: any spirit with cucumber, citrus and sugar. The Irish Maid is the Irish-whiskey version with elderflower liqueur added for the floral note that suits the whiskey’s softness, usually credited to Boston bartender Jackson Cannon around 2008, though several bars claim it. It is now a standard of the Irish whiskey repertoire and a St. Patrick’s Day drink that does not need to be green. Cucumber and elderflower are natural partners, and the whiskey’s honeyed grain sits behind them without fighting.
Sources
- Difford's Guide, Irish Maid, 2012 (reference)
- Liquor.com, Irish Maid, 2018 (reference)
- Punch, The Maid Family, 2017 (reference)
Strength. About 1.5 US standard drinks at an estimated 19.2% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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