Honey Whiskey Lemonade

I think the heat may be affecting my head.  Is it still April?  My desk calendar says April, but outside it sure feels like August.  It’s only the second week of April and temperatures are hitting the 90s this week.

What the heck happened to spring?

Oh well, I get to start drinking this lovely honey whiskey lemonade much sooner than expected.

Remember that spring thyme lemonade I made two weeks ago?  I made another batch of it for this drink.  However, any lemonade will do.  This whiskey lemonade is pretty similar to whiskey sour.  Whiskey sour is one of the easiest drinks to make, but it is often messed up.  For the most part, many bars and restaurants use those pre-made, store bought sour mixes.  I hate that.  It wasn’t until after college that I was introduced to a proper whiskey sour.  A whiskey sour made using fresh lemon juice.  It rocked my world and probably helped start my fondness for bourbons and whiskeys.

Meet my whiskey lemonade, she’s the sophisticated older sister of the whiskey sour.  

Gather the following ingredients: (recipe serves 2)

• ice cubes, as needed
• 5 Tbsp Jack Daniel’s Honey Whiskey, or any whiskey of choice
• 1/2 cup spring thyme lemonade
• 1 Tbsp simple syrup
• splash of honey
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• lemon peels and lemon wedges
• lemon thyme sprigs, for garnish

STEP 1: Fill cocktail shaker half full of ice cubes. Add 5 tablespoons of whiskey.

STEP 2: Add 1/2 cup of lemonade to shaker.  In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon simple syrup and a splash of honey.  If honey is very thick, microwave it for a couple seconds to thin it out.  Add honey syrup to shaker.

STEP 3: Add 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice to shaker and stir to combine.

STEP 4: Fill 2 serving glasses with ice and garnish with a lemon wedge.  Cover cocktail shaker with a strainer.

STEP 5:  Pour cocktail into prepared serving glasses.  Discard used iced. Garnish finished cocktail with lemon peel and lemon thyme sprigs if desired. And enjoy!  CHEERS!