As the leaves turn golden and the air takes on a brisk chill, there’s no better way to celebrate fall than with a seasonal cocktail.

This Irish whiskey, rosemary, and apple cocktail combines the smooth, rich flavor of Irish whiskey with the warmth of rosemary and the tart sweetness of fresh apples. Whether you're hosting a gathering or just unwinding by the fire, this cozy cocktail will capture the essence of autumn in every sip.

Irish whiskey, rosemary and apple cocktail

Servings: 2

Ingredients

  • 1/8 cup refined sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 1/4 cup Knappogue Castle whiskey
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 2 cups ice
  • Lemon slices to serve

Steps:

- Combine the sugar and water in a pan over medium heat and bring to a boil

- Remove from the heat and stir in honey until it dissolves

- Add in the rosemary sprigs and set aside until the mixture cools

- Pour mixture into a jug and add the apple cider and whiskey

- Place ice in each glass and pour the mixture from the jug

- Serve with a lemon slice and complete with a sprig of rosemary.

About Knappogue Castle whiskey

In 1966, Mark Edwin Andrews purchased Knappogue Castle, a 15th-century castle in Ireland, which was then in ruins. He and his wife, a prominent architect, then embarked on an ambitious program of restoration, in an effort to return the structure to its original state of glory and grandeur.

It was around this time that Andrews began buying casks of fine pot still whiskey from top distilleries in the country. The casks were further aged and bottled under what is now the Knappogue Castle label. His last bottling, a 1951 vintage aged 36 years, is revered by connoisseurs as the oldest and rarest commercially available Irish whiskey on the market.

Many years later, his son, Mark Andrews III, would bring Knappogue 1951 and his father's legacy to the United States and other international markets.

Do you have a favorite Irish cocktail recipe? Let us know in the comments section below.

* Originally published in March 2018, updated in September 2024.