Honey is, in my humble opinion, one of the most amazing edible substances on the planet. If left fairly unfiltered, it provides energy and contains a substantial number of nutrients. It can soothe a cough or sore throat, act as an antiseptic for minor wounds and make just about anything taste pretty damn good.
So when I saw the little bee floating across a sample of Evan Williams Honey Reserve Liqueur at my local liquor store, I was immediately intrigued. Containing an aged bourbon infused with honey, my first thought was that it would either be really good or sickeningly sweet. When I brought it home, I tried it straight away, not being the patient sort.
The aroma just hints at honey, the bourbon definitely comes through and brings with it a significant whiff of something orangey. The taste, however, blew me away: the honey is totally dominant but the sweetness is perfectly balanced. I knew right away that I wanted to try this in a cocktail, but what?
Finally, the snow and it’s accompanying sniffles convinced me to break out the honey on Christmas Eve. BW and I both liked this, but we made it on New Year’s Eve and our friend, Jeff, was less than impressed (note that he is not a fan of ginger, and it’s pretty gingery). If you try it, you will want to play around with the syrup and ginger to get it to your liking. Feel free to shoot us an email and let us know what you think.
Bar Fly's Cure for the Common Cold
1 ¼ oz Ginger Infused Vodka*
1 oz Evan Williams Honey Reserve**
1- 1 ½ oz of Half-Honey Ginger Simple Syrup (to taste)
Juice of ½ lemon (also to taste)
Crystallized ginger garnish (optional)
Directions: Shake well with ice. Taste and adjust syrup and lemon as needed. Strain and serve.
* add 3/4 cup peeled, chopped ginger to 1/2 litre vodka. Infuse for 1 week, strain and use in anything you want to add some zing to!
**Bring 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup honey and 1 cup water to a boil. Reduce heat and add 1/2 cup peeled, chopped ginger. Simmer for 20 minutes, cool and strain.
Cheers from the Bar Fly!
