Host a Whiskey Tasting for St. Patrick's Day

Flickr: Photo by Pleasance

Top of the mornin' to ya, laddies!

Okay, so that was my lame attempt at being Irish (or a leprechaun), and yes, I realize it was a little cliche. Hmm...perhaps it's that Irish coffee I had this morning...but happy St. Patrick's Day nonetheless.

Unfortunately, St. Patty's falls on a Wednesday this year (boo), so we're forced to be a bit more tame in our celebrations.

A great way to give a nod to the Irish holiday without going overboard is to host a whiskey tasting. It doesn't require hours spent on decorations that will cause your carpet to shimmer with green glitter for weeks following, so that's a plus. And really, who has time to cut out little paper four-leaf clovers?

You can either have your guests try each type of Irish whiskey (single malt, pure pot still, blended, and single grain) or have a theme around one certain kind.

But before you pick your poison and pour your glass, there's a few things to keep in mind:

• Smell: As with all tastings, a sense of smell is important, so you may want to request that your guests skip the perfume. Also, a touch of water in the whiskey helps release the fragrance.
• Taste: Hold your horses, you're not at a kegger. Sip the whiskey, let it roll over your tongue (but don't swish it as you would wine), and then note the taste. Typical tastes in whiskey include: peaty, floral, woody, fruity, and smoky.
• Shoot it with pickle juice: Yes, you heard right ... this is the latest trend when doing shots of whiskey. I know, weird, but trust me. It's rumored to have started with bartenders in New York, and is slowly becoming a favorite new shooter. It's known as a pickleback shot. Take a shot of Jameson, then a shot of sour pickle juice. The two shockingly go hand-in-hand, and your dive bar friends will love you forever.