St Patrick’s Day celebrations rarely come in small measures and this years’ spirited festivities are particularly poignant with the welcome return of parades, festivals, music, dancing and feasting – and a perfect excuse to dabble in some Gaelic fun.

And with Irish whiskey enjoying a boom – it’s the fastest growing brown spirit in the world – as we seek out new and interesting expressions, with innovative distillers and blenders continuing to push the boundaries, there couldn’t be a better time to up your Irish game.

As Dawn Davies, head buyer at The Whisky Exchange puts it: “There are so many new Irish whiskey brands and distilleries coming on to the market at the moment, that Ireland is having something of a renaissance.

“Coupled with the fact we can actually celebrate together, this year it should be a St Patrick’s day to remember.”

Here are 7 spirited reasons to raise a glass to the emerald isle…

1. Drinks by the Dram 12 Dram Irish Whiskey Collection, £45, Master of Malt

A dozen drams for the drinker after some top-of-the- range treats – and much like the welcoming manner of the Irish, each is approachable and big-hearted. Add a little water to open up the aromas and layers – it’s proof Irish whiskey brings just as much to the table as Scotch and bourbon.

2. Bushmills Sour

One of the top brands leading the way for innovation, and the benchmark for single malt Irish whiskey, the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world has put their own spin on a whiskey sour. Toast St Paddy’s day with their Bushmills Original, a triple-distilled blend, friendly and fruity from word go, with hints of blossom and vanilla – it’s perfect for mixing or drinking neat.

Ingredients: 50ml Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey (£21, 70cl, Waitrose), 20ml honey syrup, 20ml lemon juice, egg white, 3 dashes Angostura bitters, honeycomb to garnish.

Method: Add the egg white to a cocktail shaker and dry shake on its own. Then add the rest of the ingredients, ice and shake again. Pour into glass, add the dashes of angostura bitters on the frothy egg white and garnish with honeycomb.

3. Slane’s Power of Three

Fuss-free and made with a generous measure of crémant, Slane’s Power of Three is a collaboration between Slane Irish Whiskey and Sunday Brunch Mixologist Pritesh Moody, to create a deliciously refreshing long drink with three core ingredients: whiskey, apricot and crémant.

A blended Irish whiskey aged in a combination of virgin-oak, seasoned casks (which previously held American whiskey) and Oloroso sherry casks, expect notes of caramel, butterscotch, dried fruits and lingering toasty oak, which works surprisingly well with sparkling wine.

Ingredients: 50ml Slane Irish Whiskey (£30.03, 70cl, Amazon), 10ml elderflower cordial, 1tsp quality apricot jam, 50ml Crémant de Loire, 2 sage leaves.

Method: Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the whiskey, jam, one torn sage leaf and elderflower cordial in a cocktail shaker and shake hard. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice, top with Crémant de Loire. Garnish with a sage leaf.

4. Teeling Whiskey Ginger

The Teeling brothers are part of the new generation of distillers who’ve led the push into innovative whiskeys, and this flagship expression is aged in ex-bourbon barrels and finished in ex-central American rum casks for a period of around 12 months. With a deliciously fruity profile, vanilla, sweet spice and lingering woody undertones, top with ginger to savour those lively, spicy notes.

Pour 50ml Teeling Small Batch Whiskey (£34.95, 70cl, Master of Malt) into a highball glass half filled with ice. Top with ginger ale and garnish with a slice of lime.

5. Shanky’s Whip Irish Whiskey Liqueur, £21.95, 70cl, Master of Malt

For more cocktail inspiration, Shanky’s Whip combines Irish spirits and aged pot still whiskey – unique to Ireland, pot still whiskey is made from malted and unmalted barley for a distinctively spicy character – blended with vanilla and infused with caramel.

The result? A deliciously dark, creamy liqueur, spiked with baking spice and hints of fudge. Incredibly moreish and versatile, enjoy on its own or mixed in a cocktail. Think an Irish Old Fashioned or Short and Stout with a shot of Shanky’s.

6. Waterford The Cuvée, £69.95, (70cl), The Whisky Exchange

A terroir driven whisky, Waterford believe barley is ‘king’ and the flavours are influenced by where it’s grown. Along with being a single malt – a single type of grain from a single distillery – their whiskies are single farm, meaning each crop is harvested and distilled separately.

One for the whisky lover who’s tried everything, their Cuvée is an assemblage of single malts, each expressing its own DNA. The use of mature stocks makes for a complex, slightly spicy whisky, with gingerbread and clove in the driving seat, dried fruit flavours mingling with apples, lemon zest, marmalade, ever-present biscuity notes and finish as long as a runway.

7. JJ Corry The Gael Batch 3, Blended Irish Whiskey, £79.95, (70cl), The Whisky Exchange

One for whisky connoisseurs and newbies alike, JJ Corry is Ireland’s first contemporary Whisky Bonder. Adding some real innovation to the Irish whiskey category, they’ve revived the craft of creating special blends by sourcing spirits from carefully selected distilleries and maturing, blending and bottling them into bespoke flavour profiles.

With a smooth, satiny texture, The Gael’s has a fruity, spicy blend, with floral aromas, hints of bergamot and honeysuckle, bright citrus flavours, orchard fruits, a touch of sweetness and lingering peppery notes. Quite exceptional, and worth seeking out. Slainte!