Honeysuckle sounds like a delicious cocktail and indeed it is, as it incorporates actual honey into a Daiquiri and this gives it a much more nuanced flavor than simple syrup.
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What is Honeysuckle?
Honeysuckle is a cross between a Bee’s Knees and a Daiquiri, or a Daiquiri with honey syrup instead of simple syrup, or a Bee’s Knees with white rum instead of gin. The common thread here is the honey syrup which adds a whole lot of flavor and works amazingly well with the lemon juice in the drink.
The white rum is plain and subtle enough to not overpower the drink, but if you switch things up and add dark rum, you’d get the funkier Honey Bee.
Regardless of how you call this drink or what you want to view it as (a spin or this or that), honey is key here. There is no real substitute for honey in terms of flavor, unfortunately.
Honeysuckle Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 oz white rum
- 0.75 honey syrup
- 0.75 lime juice
Instructions
- Add everything to an ice-filled shaker, shake very well.
- Strain into chilled coupe.
Notes
When is this drink best ?
I find the Honeysuckle a great option for warm days (but not overly hot), and the mix of honey and lemon gives me a spring/early warm season vibe. It also reminds me of mid-morning when the sun’s shining just a little, maybe due to the pale yellow color.
So I could easily see this served at a summer or spring party, a pool party, a brunch, a wedding, anything celebratory and with a feel-good vibe.
My thoughts on Honeysuckle
I liked it ! I find the white rum the best option here, especially since it lets the honey and lime shine through. But I also have to admit I like the Bee’s Knees a little better since I think the botanical notes in gin just pair better with lemon and honey.
Back to Honeysuckle, there’s lime juice instead of lemon here, which may be influencing the flavor. I think it’s a pretty good rum sour, and the honey not only adds sweetness but also depth of flavor. Overall I’d say it’s better than a classic Daiquiri.
If you like Honeysuckle, you might also like…
Classic Daiquiri – the classic rum sour
Bee’s Knees – gin, lemon, honey go very well together
Tequila Honey Bee – a tequila and honey mix
Notes, substitutes, and tips
White rum is recommended here, both to keep the color light and to let the honey shine through. However in the privacy of you own home you could do 50/50 dark and white rum.
This drink has no sugar rim, but if you were to add a sugar and cinnamon rim it would probably work very well with the lemon and honey there. A deviation from the standard drink, yes, but a very fun one.
