The new staunchly Irish thirty-two cocktail menu puts Bar 1661 into a league of its own. The team have mastered the arts of flavour and crafting great drinks while putting Irish history front and centre.

The new menu, Staunchly Irish and Fiercely Independent, takes inspiration from the historical encounters that have shaped our experience as Irish people and the team’s unique heritage. Every drink on the list centres around a time and place in Irish history. Each is built around Irish booze and lets local produce lead the way.

A triumph from the start, 1661 somehow manages to edge closer to perfection every time it evolves. It is the bar to take someone you want to impress. In its poise, elegance, and leadership of Dave Mulligan and his team’s creativity, it has a distinct Dublin accent. Both are proud of Ireland’s heritage and deeply informed about the problems created by it.

To its apostles, the headline act is the Belfast Coffee, a cold brewed poitin coffee with hand whipped cream. This menu, however, is likely to birth a new star, and my money is on Generation Six. So named for the sixth generation of poitin makers of Micil. The drink is a twist on a spicy marg, and it is hot shit.

Named for the year poitín was banned in Ireland, Bar 1661 opened its doors in April 2019. They created a permanent home for Ireland’s original native spirit. Its nestled among the fruit markets in the heart of Dublin 7. The location was a forgotten corner of the city with a perfect historical backdrop for a destination Irish cocktail bar.

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