Name: St. Patrick's Day Irish Flag Shot
Prep time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: ½ ounce green creme de menthe liqueur; ½ ounce Irish cream liqueur; ½ ounce Grand Marnier liqueur

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This St. Patrick’s Day Irish Flag Shooter is a layered drink that’s perfect for those who don’t appreciate green beer. A bartender’s guide described this shot as ‘interesting’ in flavor and beautiful to look at. In any case, it’s fun to make and drink.

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Silver tray with 3 St. Patrick's Day Irish Flag Shooters - shot glass with creme de menthe, Baily's Irish cream, and Grand Marnier liqueurs layerd to resemble an Irish flag.

Serve the shot before or after a St. Patrick’s Day dinner of Bangers And Mash, Dutch Oven Irish Soda Bread, and Raspberry Irish Stout Brownies.

History Of The Irish Flag

We’ve all seen the orange, white, and green flag flying proudly above Irish pubs and bars, but do you know some of the histories of the flag? Neither did I, so I’ve done just a bit of research.

The flag originated as a symbol of defiance and Irish unity against the British. The flag was adopted by the Irish Republic during the War of Independence with England in 1919. It became the official flag when Ireland became a free nation in 1921. It’s thought to have originally been a gift from a ground of French women supporters in the 1800s, which explains why the tri-color design resembles the French flag.

The green on the flag symbolizes Ireland’s Catholic community and the revolution. The white center is thought to represent peace and hope that the Protestant and Catholic communities can be harmonious.

The orange pays homage to the Protestant population and King William III who is well known for defeating King James II, a Catholic, in the Battle of Boyne.

Close up of a silver tray with a St. Patrick's Day Irish Flag Shot - a shot glass with creme de menthe, Baily's Irish cream, and Grand Marnier liqueurs layered to resemble an Irish flag.

Irish Flag Shooters

The key to this shot is to achieve the layered look with the correct colors. So, particular types of alcohol have to be used so the layers ‘float’ on each other. Looking at the ingredients, you might think that they don’t go together at all, but the creamy middle layer melds the other two opposing flavors together in a way that’s both interesting and tasty.

Getting a perfectly layered shot is easier than you think. If you have a squirt bottle and a small bar spoon, you can whip up these St. Patrick’s Day Irish Flag Shooters in no time. Plus, you can make them up to an hour ahead of time and chill them in the refrigerator.

Ingredients Needed

Creme de Menthe – be sure to buy the green one. It also comes in a clear version, but you need the deep green color for the first layer.
Bailey’s Original Irish Cream – this liqueur creates a chemical reaction when it comes into contact with the green Creme de Menthe that thickens the Irish Cream and helps support the layers.
Grand Marnier – this orange liqueur has a bright orange color and sweet orange flavor. It’s also acidic, which prevents it from blending into the Irish Cream layer. I’ve also seen this layer made with Jameson whisky for a shot that’s stronger in flavor and less sweet. It will also have more of a tan color rather than orange, but it will work.

Steps To Make This Recipe

You’ll need 3 small squirt bottles, a tall shot glass, and a bar spoon.
Place each of the liqueurs into one of the squirt bottles.
Pour the creme de menthe into the shot glass until it’s ⅓ of the way up the glass.
Slowly pour the Irish Cream over the back of the bar spoon into the shot glass so that it fills the glass by another third.
Rinse the spoon.
Gently pour the Grand Marnier over the spoon to float the orange liqueur over the Irish Cream.
Chill or serve immediately.