Western Honey Pepper Whiskey

We recently started carrying Western Whiskey's Western Honey Pepper whiskey at the Bleecker Street Bar and I decided to find a way to make a cocktail with it. Don't know the Western Honey Whiskey? Well here is how it is described on the website:

Hot & Sweet

This remarkable Honey Pepper Whiskey starts off caressing your palate with Natural Clove Honey, yet it has a long and teasing chili pepper finish.

Honey Pepper is a hand-crafted artisanal whiskey is skillfully prepared in small batches to highlight the purity of superior natural ingredients.

The initial rich, full bodied Bourbon flavor is softened by smooth natural Honey and followed with a fiery yet subtle Pepper finish, dangerously soliciting your pallet for another shot.

Western Honey Pepper Whiskey has an initial rich, full-bodied bourbon profile with a firm undertone of oak and vanilla. This symphony complimented by the medley of Clover Honey and zesty, savory Chili Pepper make Western Honey Pepper a legend that awaits you.

I find that this whiskey compared favorably to let's say Honey Jack Daniels or Dewars Highland Honey Whisky though I do find it to be a bit sweet and thick for my palate. In putting together my cocktail, I was looking for something to cut the sweetness but not to cover up the flavor. Here's what I came up with after some trial and error:

1.5oz Western Honey Pepper Whiskey
Juice of 1/4 Lemon
Soda Water top

In a highball full of ice, build Western Honey Whiskey, juice from the lemon. Shake and top with soda water

I found the cocktail to be very light. The tartness of the lemon helped to bring out the peppery flavor of the whiskey and the sweetness of the honey on different parts of my tongue while the soda gave if a nice effervescent feel.

So feel free to come on in and have yourself one of these cocktails, some Western Honey Pepper Whiskey on the rocks or even straight up. Tell them I sent you. ;)

Until Then Happy Drinking,
Sisco Vanilla