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As the weather warms up, so does our bar. Lighter, sweeter spirits and mixers make their way to the front, while dark liquor goes into hibernation until fall. However, each spring we typically look for something new to work into our warm-weather cocktails — a fresh ingredient to make things more interesting. This year, that new addition is Tullamore D.E.W. Honey.
We almost always turn our noses up at flavored spirits, but Tully Honey’s potential as a cocktail ingredient — and its simple, natural flavoring — won us over. If you’re looking to freshen up your cocktail arsenal this summer, pick up a bottle of Tully Honey for around $20-$30 (available on Total Wine here for $19.99.
$19.99 Buy tullamore d.e.w. honey at total wine
Tullamore D.E.W. Honey first launched in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, and Bulgaria in 2021, but this year it finally landed in the U.S. Bottled at 35%, it’s technically a liqueur that starts as Tully’s original blend of pot still, malt, and grain whiskey, which is then infused with Bohemian honey. Tullamore D.E.W. says the difference between its honey product and other similar releases is in honey sourcing. “We combine our whiskey with natural honey sourced from Bohemian hives in the Czech Republic, which is known for having the world’s finest honey,” says US Ambassador Clodagh Mai O’Callaghan. “They tell us they’re the world’s happiest bees making the world’s finest honey.”
The resulting liquid is one of the only great flavored spirits we’ve tasted. The honey is immediately noticeable, adding a warm sweetness to the whiskey. But it’s very subtle, and you still get some spice and vanilla from the base whiskey. In short, it tastes real — probably because, unlike some flavored spirits, this one’s ingredients are real.
Where Tully Honey really shines is in cocktails. Because it’s already essentially two ingredients — whiskey and honey — you can easily make fresh cocktails without bothering with other sweet ingredients. Here are some of our favorite cocktails to make with the whiskey, as suggested by Tullamore D.E.W. Global Ambassador Kevin Pigott:
Gold Rush
2 parts whiskey
3⁄4 parts fresh lemon juice
3⁄4 parts part honey syrup
Add all ingredients to an ice-filled shaker.
Shake and strain into an ice-filled glass.
Garnish with a lemon twist.
Tully Mule
2 parts whiskey
1⁄2 parts fresh lime juice
Top with ginger beer
Lime wheel
Stir whiskey and lemon juice in a mug filled with ice.
Top with ginger beer and garnish with lime wheel.
Auld Fashioned
2 parts whiskey
1 part simple syrup or one sugar cube
3 dash angostura bitters
Add ingredients and stir, garnish with an orange twist.
