Cocktail & Other Recipes By Spirit Other Whiskey Cocktails

Brotherhood

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Liquor.com
Liquor.com

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Updated 03/27/22
orange-hued Brotherhood cocktail in a coupe glass with an orange peel garnish
Image:

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

Irish whiskey is a versatile spirit that ranges from simple mass-market blends to complex single malts. But its association with St. Patrick’s Day often blurs the nuances between bottles and results in the liquor being knocked back as a shot or mixed into simple (but delicious) cocktails like the Irish Coffee or Irish Shot. Drinkers should enjoy the fun-loving spirit however they prefer, but it’s always good to have an elegant Irish whiskey cocktail like The Brotherhood in your back pocket.

The Brotherhood is an alliance of Irish and French spirits from Charles Joly, a Chicago bartending veteran and the co-founder of Crafthouse Cocktails, a bottled cocktail company. It merges Michael Collins blended Irish whiskey with Benedictine and Grand Marnier, plus lemon juice for sharp balance. Michael Collins is an affordable blend of malt and grain whiskeys that is double distilled and then aged in ex-bourbon casks. Its light nature works well in cocktails, but if you can’t find Michael Collins, you can substitute another blended Irish whiskey.

Benedictine is a French liqueur made from a secret recipe of 27 herbs and spices, including saffron, cinnamon and juniper, and has a sweet, herbal profile. It pairs well with whiskey, as seen in other drinks like the Monte Carlo and Preakness. In this recipe, it’s used liberally at three-quarters of an ounce, imbuing the cocktail with Benedictine’s sweet, rich flavor.

Grand Marnier is a French orange liqueur made from cognac, bitter orange essence and sugar. Its versatile flavor profile lends itself to everything from the Margarita to other Irish whiskey cocktails, like the Dubliner (Irish whiskey, Grand Marnier, sweet vermouth, orange bitters). Fresh lemon juice balances the strong liqueurs with tart citrus, creating a friendly package that tastes great and walks the line between spirit-forward and refreshing.

You don’t need to wait until St. Patrick’s Day to enjoy the Brotherhood. Add it to your rotation whenever whiskey cocktails are in order, or serve it to your whiskey-loving friends who likely haven’t experienced these specific ingredients together in a glass.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces Michael Collins blended Irish whiskey

  • 3/4 ounce Benedictine

  • 3/4 ounce Grand Marnier

  • 3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed

  • Garnish: lemon peel

Steps

  1. Add the Irish whiskey, Benedictine, Grand Marnier and lemon juice into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.

  2. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.

  3. Twist a swath of lemon peel over the top of the cocktail and drop it into the drink.