Honey-flavored whiskey is a unique option for flavored whiskey. Drinkers love this offering because it pairs the richness of whiskey with the slight hint of sweet honey. Distilleries use different methods of adding the honey flavor, so there are plenty of options in terms of the dominant taste you want in each sip.
With so many choices, you might want to know which are worth your money. This list of the 12 best honey flavored whiskey brands gives you plenty of options for hot toddies and other sweetly delicious drinks.
12 Honey Flavored Whiskey Brands You Should Try
If you’re looking for a little something sweet to elevate your whiskey, try one of these brands of honey-flavored whiskey:
- Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey
- Jim Beam Honey Bourbon Whiskey
- Evan Williams Honey
- Wild Turkey American Honey Whiskey
- Seagram’s 7 Crown Dark Honey Whiskey
- Bluebird Honey Whiskey
- Garrison Brothers Honey Dew
- Dewar’s Highlander Honey
- Dubliner Whiskey and Honeycomb
- Bushmills Irish Honey Whiskey
- Bird Dog Jalapeno Honey Whiskey
- Western Honey Pepper Whiskey
1. Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey
You can’t go wrong with anything from Jack Daniel’s, a distillery known for smooth spirits. Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey is a twist on the brand’s famous No. 7 Tennessee whiskey. It has a bit of honey liqueur mixed in to make the high-quality, 35% ABV whiskey even smoother and sweeter.
When you open the bottle, you might think you grabbed the wrong thing because the honey smell isn’t overpowering. You’ll smell pure whiskey, but with your first sip, you’ll taste honey and buttery toffee. It has the perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness, calling to mind espresso with hints of vanilla.
2. Jim Beam Honey Bourbon Whiskey
Jim Beam Honey Bourbon Whiskey is as strong as other whiskey offerings from this brand, coming in at 35% ABV. The sweetness of this Jim Beam option differs slightly from the Jack Daniels whiskey because they use real honey mixed in.
Since you get that natural sugar, you might find it’s too overpowering to drink on the rocks. That sweetness mixes perfectly in cocktails, so Jim Beam is a quality option for mixed drinks. If you want to sip it straight, you’ll miss out on the rich whiskey flavor you get from other Jim Beam spirits.
3. Evan Williams Honey
Evan Williams Honey stands out on the shelf with the stunning bee design on the bottle. There’s no opaque label, meaning you can see the rich, honey-colored whiskey inside. The 35% ABV whiskey is crafted from aged bourbon mixed with natural honey.
Despite the sweetness of the honey, there’s a citrus undertone to the bourbon when you open the bottle. With your first sip, you’ll get a hint of orange followed by a swell of honey. The aftertaste is pure bourbon, making this whiskey ideal to serve on the rocks or even take as a shot.
4. Wild Turkey American Honey Whiskey
Though many drinkers think honey whiskey is a new trend, Wild Turkey first made Wild Turkey American Honey Whiskey back in the 1970s. They also have a newer option that includes ghost pepper, bringing to mind the sweet heat of Fireball and similar spirits.
Whiskey from Wild Turkey has a base of corn and mash, making it smooth and drinkable on the rocks. With the additional sweetness, Wild Turkey American Honey Whiskey is one of the best whiskeys on this list because it’s great alone or mixed in a cocktail. The spirit has 35.5% ABV due to the base of Kentucky Bourbon.
5. Seagram’s 7 Crown Dark Honey Whiskey
Seagram’s 7 Crown Dark Honey Whiskey pairs the classic Seagram’s whiskey with pure honey, giving it a darker taste than many of the honey whiskeys on this list. There are spices to add depth to the flavor. You’ll taste those spices on your tongue, along with the initial hit of whiskey, before getting the smooth honey aftertaste.
It has 35.5% ABV with hints of vanilla and maple flavor, making it a fantastic choice for many winter cocktails. You can also mix it with lemonade and club soda for a refreshing warm-weather beverage.
6. Bluebird Honey Whiskey
The label on bottles of Bluebird Honey Whiskey brings Prohibition to mind, and at 40% ABV, you might feel like you’re breaking the law with this spirit. It has more of a whiskey taste behind the drink than many other options on the list, so keep that in mind if you like drinks that are strong in more ways than one.
Bluebird Distilling mixes their Four Grain Bourbon, Straight Rye, and American Wheat Whiskey together, then adds locally-sourced wildflower honey. The result is unlike any other honey whiskey on the list, ideal for drinking on the rocks.
7. Garrison Brothers Honey Dew
Dan Garrison started making bourbon after he lost his job. His wife wanted him to make flavored liqueur, but Garrison didn’t want to dilute his strong bourbon flavor. However, she wore him down over time, leading to Garrison Brothers Honey Dew.
Instead of adding honey to bourbon, Garrison uses barrels with honey flavor properties, cubes them, and puts them in a drum of local honey so they absorb it. He then makes something like a teabag for the honey cubes and puts them in a still of bourbon for six months. Therefore, the flavor is natural and not overpowering, with a strong bourbon taste and 40% ABV.
8. Dewar’s Highlander Honey
Dewar’s Highlander Honey was the first time Scottish whiskey had flavor infused, which caused a major controversy when it was initially released. The blended scotch has 40% ABV with a hint of citrus hidden beneath the honey flavor. Though it’s not a spicy spirit, there’s some heat at the end of each sip, which makes it perfect to add to winter cocktails that will warm you up.
When you open the bottle, you’ll smell vanilla, cinnamon, and caramel, along with the honey. There are undertones of orange and raisins, giving a nice fruity flavor you can highlight by mixing Dewar’s into a cocktail.
9. Dubliner Whiskey and Honeycomb
You can tell from the name alone that this honey whiskey is different from others on the list. The Dubliner Whiskey and Honeycomb is traditional Irish whiskey blended with honeycomb and a hint of caramel flavor.
Since Irish whiskey is already slightly sweet, the addition of honeycomb and caramel are perfect complements. The only downside to this beverage is that it’s 30% ABV, the lowest on the list. However, if you want to take shots or sip a great whiskey without worrying about a buzz, Dubliner is for you.
10. Bushmills Irish Honey Whiskey
Bushmills Irish Honey Whiskey uses high-quality, authentic honey in this 35% ABV whiskey, making it easy to continue sipping your drink without getting an artificial aftertaste. The whiskey is triple distilled, so it’s smooth going down, even without the added sweetness of honey.
You’ll get plenty of the whiskey’s original flavor with each sip. For Bushmills, that means hints of pears and apples backed by cereal grains. There’s still a smooth honey aftertaste with each sip, but with such fruity flavors, you might want to mix this honey whiskey into a signature cocktail.
11. Bird Dog Jalapeno Honey Whiskey
After learning about ten different honey whiskeys, you might think this one is the same old thing. However, Bird Dog Jalapeno Honey Whiskey doesn’t deliver the same sweetness as the previous whiskeys. It has a jalapeno kick that elevates the flavor profile of this spirit.
The whiskey is 40% ABV, one of the highest on the list, along with Garrison Brothers Honey Dew and Bluebird Honey Whiskey. When you open the bottle, you’ll smell the sweetness of the honey, followed by the signature jalapeno scent. The heat of the jalapeno comes last with each sip, too, making it great to drink on the rocks.
12. Western Honey Pepper Whiskey
If you like the idea of a spicy-sweet whiskey and want another option, try Western Honey Pepper Whiskey. The whiskey is hand-crafted in small batches and has a 35% ABV. Magical Spirits use all-natural ingredients, so you get pure clover honey and chili pepper in every sip.
The whiskey even smells sweet and spicy, giving your nose a hint of the heat to come. With each sip, you’ll taste vanilla and honey, then get a final kick from the chili pepper. It’s a great option to use when you create custom cocktails, but it has so much flavor on its own that you don’t need to add anything.
To Sum Up
Honey whiskey is a great drink to sip on its own since it’s sweet and smooth. However, you’re sure to find a delicious cocktail recipe that calls for honey and whiskey. Use one of the 12 brands from this list and cut out a step from making your mixed drinks.
