Ingredients
- 15 ml Jameson Irish whiskey
- 15 ml Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey
- 15 ml Jim Beam bourbon
Instructions
- Pour equal parts (15ml each) of Jameson, Jack Daniel's and Jim Beam into a shot glass.
- Stir briefly with a bar spoon to combine, or just give it a swirl.
- Down it neat.
Notes
Where it came from
The Three Wise Men is a 1990s American pub joke that escaped the punchline and became a real shot. The names matter: Jameson (Irish), Jack Daniel’s (Tennessee) and Jim Beam (bourbon). Three “Jim/Jamie” guys, three styles of whiskey, one glass. Christmas-week bartenders started serving it with a wink in late December and the name stuck year-round.
A Four Wise Men variant adds Johnnie Walker (Scotch) for the four-corners-of-whiskey flex. A Five Wise Men adds Jose Cuervo (because tequila guy is also named Jose). Once you start adding, you stop having a cocktail and start having a problem.
What it actually tastes like
Three different whiskey profiles smashed together: Jameson’s smooth Irish triple-distilled clean, Jack’s charcoal-mellowed Tennessee sweetness, Jim Beam’s bourbon vanilla and oak. The three blend into a generic pub-whiskey shape, less interesting than any of them alone but more memorable for the trick. The joke is half the appeal.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The whiskeys
- Use
- Jameson Original, Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7, Jim Beam White Label
- Skip
- Premium expressions, the joke is about standard pub-rail whiskey
- Why
- The shot is about the names, not the tasting notes. Stick to the basic bottles.
The pour
- Use
- Equal 15ml shots of each into one glass
- Skip
- Layering the whiskeys, they all have similar density and won’t hold
- Tip
- Pour all three together, don’t worry about precision
The chaser
- Use
- A cold beer, ginger ale, or just a glass of water
- Why
- The shot is 45ml of straight whiskey. A chaser is courteous to your throat.
- Tip
- Some bars serve it with a pickle back (a shot of pickle brine), which actually works well
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Bushmills, Tullamore Dew or any Irish whiskey works.
George Dickel or any Tennessee whiskey. Or just use a second bourbon.
Wild Turkey, Maker’s Mark or any bourbon.
Add 15ml Johnnie Walker red label or any Scotch.
Add a fifth 15ml shot of Jose Cuervo gold tequila. At your own risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Three Wise Men shot?
Equal parts Jameson Irish whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey and Jim Beam bourbon. Standard pour is 15ml of each in a shot glass for a 45ml total shot.
Why is it called Three Wise Men?
The shot is named for the three whiskeys, all of which have founders or brand names starting with J: Jameson (named after John Jameson), Jack Daniel (Jasper “Jack” Daniel) and Jim Beam. The “wise men” are the three Jims. The Christmas joke is implicit.
What is a Four Wise Men or Five Wise Men?
A Four Wise Men adds Johnnie Walker Scotch as the fourth shot, completing the international whiskey circuit. A Five Wise Men adds Jose Cuervo tequila (because Jose). Both are pub jokes that stretch the original concept further than it should go.
Do all three whiskeys need to be these specific brands?
Strictly speaking, yes, the brand names are the joke. In practice, any Irish whiskey, any Tennessee whiskey and any bourbon will work fine. The shot still tastes the same and the punchline survives if you explain it.
How strong is a Three Wise Men?
About 40 percent ABV across 45ml of total spirit. Roughly equivalent to one and a half standard pours of straight whiskey. Strong shot. Drink slowly if you can convince yourself to.
Should the Three Wise Men be layered?
No. The three whiskeys are all roughly the same density and won’t hold layers. Pour all three together and they blend on the way down. The visual is the joke, not the layers.
What’s the best chaser for a Three Wise Men?
A cold beer (Guinness if you want the Irish nod), ginger ale, or just water. Pickle brine (a “pickleback”) also works surprisingly well to cut the whiskey burn.
Is the Three Wise Men a Christmas drink?
It started as a Christmas-season pub joke (three wise men, three whiskeys) but it gets ordered year-round now. It is a regular shot in most American and Irish pubs.
