Banshee

Category: Creamy Cocktails, Low-Proof Cocktails

A banshee, in Irish folklore, was a female spirit who wailed when someone was about to die (hence the phrase “screaming like a banshee.”) We don’t know how this creamy, gentle cocktail came to be named after an omen of the underworld, but who cares? It’s creamy and sweet and tastes like bananas!

A cheap, clear liqueur like 99 Bananas will be too acrid for a drink with so few ingredients. If your local liquor store laughs in your face when you ask for high-quality banana liqueur (true story!), consider making your own – there are lots of great DIY banana liqueur recipes out there (we like the one from Serious Eats).

1½ parts Banana liqueur
1 part Sweet cream or Milk
½ part Crème de cacao

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass, coupé, or other small, dainty glass. It’s even good over ice in a short glass, but you may want to decrease the cream (or milk), to account for the extra water in the drink.

Beyond Green Beer: Better St. Patrick’s Day Cocktails

Originally a celebration of Saint Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint and famous banisher of snakes, this holiday has become for many an excuse to drink green-dyed lager and throw back cheap shots of whiskey. Far be it from us to denigrate this time-honored tradition – St. Pat himself knows we’ve had our fair share of neon-green cherries and enough Shamrock Shakes to last a lifetime. But if you’re looking to class up your celebration a bit this year, read on for a few our favorite St. Patrick’s Day cocktail recipes. Sláinte!

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