Drinks

Once Upon a Paris Bar

Honey, pear, and Irish whiskey take the lead in this Dublin take on the classic sidecar cocktail.

  • Serves

    serves 1

  • Cook

    5 minutes

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LINDA XIAO; FOOD STYLING BY CHRISTINE ALBANO; PROP STYLING BY DAYNA SEMAN

By Oisin Kelly


Published on March 11, 2022

This is an Irish take on the classic triple sec-and-cognac sidecar cocktail, first credited to the Ritz Hotel in Paris. The recipe, which is adapted from one served at the Sidecar Bar in Dublin, has a distinctive sweetness from locally sourced Wicklow honey and bee pollen. You can substitute a lightly floral honey with notes of lavender, nettle or heather; bee pollen is available in health food stores and online. Sidecar Bar head bartender Oisin Kelly suggests using Roe & Co. blended whiskey, which is distilled in a former Guinness Brewery powerstation. 

Ingredients

  • ½ cups honey
  • ¾ cups plus 1 Tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. bee pollen
  • 1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. superfine sugar
  • 2½ tsp. citric acid
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1½ oz. Roe & Co. blended whiskey
  • ¾ oz. Grand Marnier
  • ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice
  • ¾ oz. pear juice
  • Wide strip of orange peel, for garnish

Instructions

Step 1

Make the honey syrup: To a small glass, add the honey and a ¼ cup of boiling water. Stir until the honey is dissolved. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Step 2

Make the bee pollen sugar: To a small spice grinder or large mortar and pestle, add the confectioners’ sugar, bee pollen, superfine sugar, citric acid, and baking soda. Pulse or grind until the mixture has a powdery texture, then transfer to a small bowl or saucer. Moisten the rim of a chilled coupe glass on one side, roll the edge in the bee pollen sugar, and set aside. (Reserve the remaining rimming mixture for more cocktails.)

Step 3

To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the whiskey, Grand Marnier, lemon juice, pear juice, and ¼ oz. of the reserved honey syrup. Shake until chilled, then strain into the coup. Garnish with the orange peel, and serve immediately.