Thirsty Thursday: Honey Jack

The honey jack cocktail is a refreshing mixture of AppleJack liquor, fresh lemon juice, and sweet honey. It’s the perfect cocktail to enjoy outdoors on a warm spring evening.

Honey Jack Cocktail | A refreshing mixture of AppleJack liquor, fresh lemon juice, and honey

Thursday. Otherwise known as the day I started a boozy blog series… AKA the best day ever!

Welcome to Thirsty Thursday, a blog series dedicated to booze-infused beverages. I figured it was time I finally put my love of cocktails and mixology skills to good use. I’m not the only hooch lover in the house. You guys are quite smitten with the sauce yourself. My cocktail recipes are some of the highest ranked posts on the site. You guys are committed to the cause.

With that being said, grab your rocks glass and let’s get this party started!

Honey Jack Cocktail | A refreshing mixture of AppleJack liquor, fresh lemon juice, and honey

The first cocktail of the series is the Honey Jack. My grandmother introduced me to the slightly sweet, aromatic liquor. She referred to the apple-infused brandy frequently during our conversations about her wild youth. Her drink of choice back in her bar days was the AppleJack Sour Sweet. From what she described, it was very similar to the whiskey sour, only made with AppleJack and an extra side of sweet.

Honey Jack Cocktail

After chatting about her favorite boozy beverage, I set off on a mission to locate a bottle, which was easier than I thought it would be. Apparently, it’s a fairly popular liquor. After visiting the Laird & Company website, I learned that they’re America’s oldest native distillery and one of the first producers of AppleJack. They’ve been cranking out booze since 1780. If you’re not familiar with AppleJack, it’s a blend of brandy and spices. The flavor is rich and aromatic with a hint of tree-ripened apple. It produces a refreshing cocktail with a smooth finish.

When I’m buying booze for cocktails, I like to purchase the best. I’ve learned that quality alcohol yields the best results when shaking up cocktails at home; well, that and fewer headaches the next day. I’m thirty now, and ain’t nobody got time for hangovers, am I right?

Honey Jack Cocktail

I wanted to make a cocktail similar to the AppleJack sours of my grandmother’s youth, only a bit more refined. I also wanted the drink to be simple. This cocktail consists of three ingredients: AppleJack, fresh lemon juice, and honey.

This cocktail comes together with a few vigorous stirs of the bar spoon. Pour the mixture over a large cube of ice and you have yourself a refreshing adult beverage.

Honey Jack Cocktail

This cocktail is the perfect balance of sweet and tart and has quickly become a staple in my evening cocktail rotation… Yes, I have an evening cocktail rotation. No, I’m not an alcoholic. Well, at least I don’t think so (wink).

If there’s a cocktail you would like to see created, please feel free to leave your request in the comments. I love hearing from my readers. As always, I live to please.

Stay tuned for another cocktail recipe next week.

Honey Jack

A refreshing blend of AppleJack liquor, fresh lemon juice, and sweet honey

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces AppleJack
  • 1/2 ounce lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • lemon twist for garnish

Directions:

  1. Add the first three ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Stir to combine.
  2. Pour over a large ice cube. Serve immediately.
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Disclosure: Laird & Company has no clue I even exist. They did not compensate me for the creation of this cocktail. I happen to love their product and decided to pass the love on to you, my loyal readers.