Inspiration #6: The Honeys of Whiskey

What can be tastier than pure honey?

Honey-flavored whisk(e)y!

Normally, I don’t like any flavoring added to my whisky (this includes mixed drinks. I know, I’m weird.) However, there is one type of flavored whisky that I will enjoy wholeheartedly, especially in the colder months, and that is: honey-flavored whisky.

When I first came upon this delicious golden liquid, I was young and naive (aka, I downed them in shot-form in order to pre-game). Then, last November, I went with a dear girl friend to Central Park to enjoy the Jazz & Colors Festival. I remembered it was a cold cold day. We were both bundled up with thick scarves, hats, gloves and coats. From the distance, we looked like two round balls of colors walking slowly and aimlessly through the park.

Right before we got there, I had loaded up my flask with some Honey Jack (formally known as: Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey). When we arrived at the first jazz ensemble and realized just how cold it was, I told her: “Have no fear. The flask is here.” I wasn’t joking. I whipped out my flask and took a swig. Almost immediately, I warmed up. It wasn’t just the whiskey that warmed my body; it was the sweet taste of honey mixed with the warm smoothness of the whiskey. I was happy.

I told her to try a sip. (She didn’t like whiskey at all.) She looked at me as if I was crazy, so I promised her, at the very least, she would be warmer. The biting crisp air—and the thought of having to walk through Central Park for the next hour almost freezing to death—convinced her to try it.

Instantly, her lips curled up in the corners and a smile plastered on her face. Her cheeks turned rosy and her eyes gleamed with excitement. She was hooked.

We spent the next 2 hours walking through the park, listening to jazz and swigging (in a classy way, of course) on Honey Jack. It became a perfect winter day.

A year later, I realized that there were more honey-flavored whiskeys than just Honey Jack. Wild Turkey had its version (Wild Turkey American Honey) and Dewar’s had its version (Dewar’s Highlander Honey). Each had its own unique taste. And, even better, honey-flavored whiskeys were the perfect ingredient to experiment in concocting the right “Whiskey’d Tea” at J&J Labs (more to come on this).

So, what have I learned in all this? Two important things:

1. The honeys really like “The Honeys”. As in, the best way* to get your female friends to start drinking whiskey is to entice them with a honey-flavored one. *Based on my sample size of five female friends… but convincing just five women to start exploring the world of whiskey is pretty damn good, in my opinion!
2. Never say “no” to any type of whiskey. You never know what you might find that fits you, so don’t discount something just because you’re not sure what it would taste like or it doesn’t fit your current taste profile. Trust me, your Whiskey Persona ™ will change because of what your taste buds want.

Signing out now.  In the meantime, keep it whisk(e)y!
Scotch Rose

In case you’re curious, below are some interesting articles on the honey-whiskey phenomenon:

• If Jack Daniel Were a Beekeeper (NY Times | Robert Simonson | 6/24/13)
• Scotch whisky Winnie the Pooh would love (Market Watch | Charles Passy | 4/18/13)
• Seinfeld’s Jackie Chiles Stars in Jim Beam Campaign (Mashable | Todd Wasserman | 8/22/13)