“It’s time to explore what Irish whiskey can be”: What to Do, Where to Go This St. Patrick’s Day, by Erin DeGregorio

With hardly any snow this winter and longer days on the horizon, this writer is ready to welcome spring by celebrating both St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) and International Whiskey Day (March 27). Though the two holidays fall on different days, there’s at least one thing in common: celebrating with an Irish spirit in hand. To get a handle on the whiskey scene in particular, we spoke with Mike Vacheresse, co-owner of Travel Bar (520 Court St). The Carroll Gardens establishment was named one of the “Top 101 Whisky Bars in the Nation” by Whiskey Advocate magazine in December 2022, being just one of six bars in New York and the only bar in Brooklyn to be considered for the honor.

“Long gone are the days of just drinking Jameson and green beer [on St. Patrick’s Day] for most of my customers,” said Vacheresse, who has been serving patrons for the past eight-and-a-half years. “We have 35 Irish whiskies, and a lot of them are ones that you’ve never heard of, with different cask finishes and styles. And, so, it’s time to explore what Irish whiskey can be.”

So what does Vacheresse recommend? Trying something new. “In the last few years, so many new whiskies have come out, at every price point,” said Vacheresse, noting that Travel Bar now carries more than 450 whiskies from around the world that are served in one- and two-ounce portions. “Go to a bar, talk to the bartender, look at the list, and order an Irish whiskey that you’ve never had before. Or go to a liquor store and talk about trying something new. In Red Hook, for example, you can go talk to Cory Hill at Wet Whistle Wines, who’s great, and ask his opinion. I want to stress that people should be adventurous and to trust the people who work in the industry, because everyone who works in this industry has the passion for it. ”

While Vacheresse says that Ireland is experiencing a “boom and resurgence” in the whiskey industry—with more than 40 distilleries operating in the country, compared to just eight by the end of 2014—whiskey is growing as a spirits category around the world—from Taiwan and Japan to India and Israel, which each make their own whiskey from malted barley. The fact that countries one may not expect to associate with whiskey are, indeed, producing the spirit is something Vacheresse personally enjoys. “Don’t just think of the big ones: Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Canada, and America. Whiskey is coming from everywhere and almost every country is making it now,” said Vacheresse, who recalled that his bar was the first in America to sell Stauning, a Danish whiskey. Now, Travel Bar sells six different bottles of Danish whiskey.

During the week of St. Patrick’s Day, Travel Bar will be offering a flight special of a 10-, 16-, and 21-year-old Bushmills Single Malt for $30. Normally, the 21-year-old is $26 an ounce on its own. For more information, visit travelbarbrooklyn.com.

But if a shot of whiskey may not be your cup of tea, here are some other things to do for St. Patrick’s Day:

● NIA Community Services Network’s Beacon Program at P.S. 247 presents Disney Channel’s “Luck of the Irish” Movie Night (7000 21st Ave, March 16, 6:30-8:30 pm) (Eventbrite tickets required in advance)
● St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Cruise (Cabana Yacht at the Skyport Marina, 2430 FDR Drive, New York) (March 17, 6-10 pm) ($62 per ticket)
● Shack Daddy: A Stand-up Comedy Show (Cafe Beit, 158 Bedford Ave, March 17, 7-8:30 pm) (Free)
● St. Patrick’s Day Game Night (Prime143, 143 Thames St, March 17, 7-10 pm) (Free with Eventbrite RSVP ahead of time, $10 at door)
● 48th Annual Brooklyn St. Patrick’s Parade in Park Slope, which starts at Bartel-Pritchard Square (March 19, 12:30 pm) (Free)
● St. Patrick’s Day Sunday Roast & Live Music (Coney Island Brewery, 1904 Surf Ave, March 25, 2-5 pm) ($25 per ticket)
● 28th Annual Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which starts on the corner of 3rd and Marine Aves, March 26, 1 pm) (Free)