AuthorBooze MakersCategoryWhisky Drink RecipesDifficultyBeginnerThis is a refreshing summer beverage with a tinge of sweetness. It uses a variation on the traditional syrup made with honey (not sugar) and blended with a choice of steeped herbs.
Bring the honey and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat, add the herbs, and simmer for 15 minutes until the heat is reduced by half. Let sit until cool.
Fill a short glass of ice and add a shot of whisky. Add lemonade, soda, and ½ to one teaspoon of honey or simple syrup to taste. Garnish with the remaining herbs and lemon and serve.
From Hot Toddies and Drambuie to Jack Daniel, Crown Royal, Jim Beam, and Bushmills, whiskey-and-honey is a classic pairing in more ways than one. Drinks that combine whiskey with lemon and honey date back to Prohibition but are still widely popular today.
Nowadays, you will find many modern classics that blend Scotch with lemon and honey-ginger syrup. Paired with whiskey, honey has proven to be an essential ingredient in some of the trendiest craft cocktails around.
If you are looking for unique and interesting ways to combine whisky and honey in a drink–or even new twists on familiar classics–check out these honey and whiskey recipes:
Other Great Whisky-Honey Cocktails To Try
Best Hot Toddy Recipe
The secret to making the ultimate hot toddy is pretty simple: experiment with different amounts of lemon juice and honey until you find the ratio that suits your taste. Check out this recipe as a starting point. You might be surprised to see how much difference a teaspoon of lemon juice or honey makes.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces whiskey
- ¾ cup of water
- 2 to 3 teaspoons of honey
- 2 to 3 teaspoons of lemon juice
- Lemon rind
- Cinnamon stick (optional)
Instructions
Bring the water to a boil in a teapot or saucepan and pour it into a mug. Add bourbon, two teaspoons of honey, and two teaspoons of lemon juice. Stir until well blended.
Taste the mixture and add more honey or lemon juice according to your taste. Garnish with a lemon and a cinnamon stick.
Gold Rush Cocktail Recipe
This is a variation on the traditional sour with a modern twist. It was invented by T. J. Siegal for Milk & Honey in New York in the mid-2000s.
The cocktail combines bourbon, lemon juice, and honey syrup in a whiskey-laced concoction. We find that high-proof bourbon such as Old Grand-Dad Bonded works particularly well with this drink.
Note: To make honey syrup, mix one cup of water with one cup of honey in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir continuously until the honey is dissolved and cool before using. The syrup will keep in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce honey syrup
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in an ice-filled shaker. Shake for about 10 seconds or until well-chilled. Strain into an ice-filled double old-fashioned glass.
Homemade Honey Whiskey
This homemade honey whiskey liqueur is guaranteed to be much more satisfying than anything you could get in a bar. Ideal for sipping on the rocks or as a mixer for hot toddies and other whiskey cocktails.
The recipe uses “runny honey”, which is a syrup that contains honey rather than sugar. You can put together a batch of this syrup in under five minutes.
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup honey
- 1½ cups whiskey
Instructions
Heat the water in a saucepan over medium heat. When it begins to boil, whisk the honey in until it is dispersed. Let sit and cool. Add whiskey to a 16-ounce mason jar. Stir in the honey syrup and seal tightly.
The Penicillin
Sam Ross invented the now-famous Penicillin cocktail while tending bar at the Milk & Honey in New York in the mid-2000s. The drink quickly gained notoriety and is now one of the biggest cocktail success stories of the 21st century.
Ross also invented the Gold Rush, another Milk & Honey classic that includes bourbon, lemon juice, and honey. Instead of whiskey, Ross combined blended Scotch with fresh lemon juice and homemade honey-ginger syrup. Ross added a dash of peaty Islay Scotch to set off the honey’s sweetness and the ginger’s spicy bite.
Ingredients
- 2 oz. blended Scotch whisky
- ¾ oz. lemon juice
- ⅜ oz. ginger syrup
- ⅜ oz. honey syrup (3:1 ratio of honey to water)
- A splash of peated Islay single malt or blended malt Scotch
- Candied ginger for garnishing
Instructions
Place all the ingredients except the peated Scotch in the ice shaker. Shake well for eight to ten seconds. Pour over ice in a rock glass. Float the bourbon to the top, slowly pouring it over the back of the spoon. Garnish with candied ginger.
Ingredients
Directions
Bring the honey and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat, add the herbs, and simmer for 15 minutes until the heat is reduced by half. Let sit until cool.
Fill a short glass of ice and add a shot of whisky. Add lemonade, soda, and ½ to one teaspoon of honey or simple syrup to taste. Garnish with the remaining herbs and lemon and serve.
