After being in the shadows for nearly a century, Irish whiskey is returning to its former dominance. It’s all explained by David Wondrich, a drinks scientist and author, who chronicles the trajectory and evolution of Irish bars in the United States since the 17th century in his foreword to “Paddy Drinks: The World of Modern Irish Whiskey Cocktails.” The book, by most partners in the Dead Rabbit, a esteemed bar in lower Manhattan, is an up-to-date treatise on the whiskey, defining the four styles: pot still, malt, grain and blended. There are details for about 50 labels and the book serves as a technical introduction to Irish whiskey cocktails and how to build them. Following recipes for six classics, there are plenty of Dead Rabbit creations, most of which call for esoteric ingredients like tonka bean syrup, za’atar tincture, and roasted fennel salt (recipes included). There are a few more pantry-friendly options, such as head bartender Jillian Vose’s wonderfully bitter Broadway Junction and the Precision Pilot, which she said was one of the first drinks she made at the bar.
“Paddy Drinks: The World of Modern Irish Whiskey Cocktails” by Jillian Vose, Jack McGarry, Sean Muldoon, and Conor Kelly (Mariner Books, $28).
