RAISE a glass to the Emerald Isle and celebrate St Patrick’s Day on March 17 with these top tipples.

To tank up a serving of Guinness, a Bacardi cocktail adds a spicy twist to the beloved black stuff.

The latest addition to the Bacardi rum family, Bacardi OakHeart (£18, 70cl, supermarkets nationwide) has a touch of maple and spice for extra gusto which muscles in on the Guinness barley notes.

Try this recipe for Patrick’s Punch: 50ml Bacardi OakHeart, 75ml Guinness Ginger beer Fill a beer glass halfway with ice. Add the Bacardi OakHeart and Guinness, then top with ginger beer and stir gently.

For beer lovers who like the sound of stout aged in former Irish whiskey barrels, Scottish brewer Innis & Gunn is celebrating its tenth anniversary with the release of Innis & Gunn Irish Whiskey Cask (£2.25, 7.4% abv, 33cl,Tesco).A complex beer with flavours of dark chocolate and treacle, as well as vanilla and oak notes, it’s a perfect match with meat pasties and pies.

For an earthy French wine to pair with beef and dumplings, try Mas Belles Eaux Carignan 2010, France (£13.95, slurp.co.uk). A savoury red made from old-vine carignan, the plush red fruits, violet nose, layered flavours with a hint of caramel and nicely structured tannins all add up to a polished wine.

To drink in St Patrick's day with a traditional pour, The Wild Geese takes its name from the Irish residents who’ve flown the nest since the 1600s. But you don’t need to be of Irish descent to appreciate the silky smooth taste of The Wild Geese Classic Blend (£19.79, 50cl, thedrinkshop. com). Aged in single-use white oak bourbon casks, it's noticeably pale with a pleasant citrusy sweetness, a hint of lemon peel and honeysuckle on the warm finish.

Slainte to the Irish!