Honeybird Whisky Essence 20 ml

Honeybird Whisky Essence 20 ml

Honeybird is the whiskey for anyone who finds most whiskeys a little too well behaved. This is the big, bold style – more oak, more spice, more body and a warmth you can feel all the way down. It makes no apologies for itself, and that is precisely what has earned the style it is modelled on a devoted following among bartenders and whiskey lovers. Once you have grown used to this kind of intensity, it is hard to go back.

Do not be fooled by the name: this is no honey liqueur and no sweet whiskey. Honeybird is a dry, straight-talking, uncompromising whiskey in which sweetness exists only as a rounding touch in the background, while oak and spice play the leading roles.

Colour & Appearance

The finished whiskey takes on a deep, reddish-brown amber colour – darker than most in its class, like polished copper or dark maple syrup. It looks dense and full-bodied, and leaves thick, slow legs down the inside of the glass.

Nose

The nose is big and warm. Burnt caramel and vanilla pod arrive first, closely followed by heavily toasted oak with a sooty, almost charred edge. Then come the spices: cinnamon, black pepper, clove and nutmeg. Dried orange peel adds a bitter-fruity gleam, and deep down there are darker notes of pipe tobacco, leather and roasted pecans.

Palate

The palate is rich and oily from the very first second. The opening offers butter toffee, dark brown sugar and vanilla fudge, but the sweetness never gets a foothold before the spice strikes – pepper, cinnamon and ginger in a wave that warms the whole mouth. After that comes the oak: dry, toasted and slightly sooty, with touches of dark chocolate, coffee and tobacco. Orange zest and dried cherries bring freshness in the midst of all that weight. The mouthfeel is dense and almost chewy, with a pronounced alcohol warmth that is part and parcel of the style.

Finish

The finish is very long, dry and spicy. Charred oak, black pepper and burnt caramel linger for several minutes, along with a note of leather and orange peel. The warmth stays in your chest long after the glass is empty.

How to Use

The essence is mixed with vodka or neutral spirit and can be enjoyed straight away, although the flavours benefit from a day or so to settle. 20 ml makes 750 ml of finished spirit. Instructions are on the bottle’s label.

Serving Suggestions

• Neat, with a couple of drops of water to open up the spices.
• Over one single large ice cube in a heavy-bottomed tumbler.
• An Old Fashioned with a sugar cube, bitters and orange zest – the style might have been made for the drink.
• A highball with ginger ale and lime; the whiskey is powerful enough to make itself heard even when lengthened.
• With food from the barbecue: smoky ribs, brisket or a proper burger.

About the Essence

Honeybird is a favourite with customers who want maximum character in the glass. Thanks to its strength it is also unusually rewarding in cocktails – where milder whiskeys vanish behind vermouth, sugar and bitters, this one stands its ground. Also available in 50 ml, 280 ml, 1000 ml and 25 litres.