Talisker Skye Recipe

Prepare honey syrup

If you don't have honey syrup ready, combine equal parts honey and very hot water (1:1) and stir until fully combined and cooled to room temperature. Measure 0.5 oz for the cocktail.

Chill glass

Place a rocks glass or old fashioned glass in the freezer for a few minutes or fill with ice water while you mix the cocktail to chill it.

Build and shake

In a cocktail shaker add the Talisker Skye (2 oz), fresh lemon juice (0.5 oz), honey syrup (0.5 oz), apricot liqueur (0.25 oz) and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters. Fill the shaker with ice (enough to nearly fill) and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted.

Prepare serving glass

Discard any ice water from the chilled glass. Add 2–3 large ice cubes to the rocks glass.

Strain

Double-strain the shaken cocktail over the large ice cubes into the chilled rocks glass to remove small shards of ice and any pulp.

Express lemon oil

Take the lemon twist and hold it over the surface of the drink, skin side down. Give it a sharp twist to express the aromatic oils over the cocktail, then rub the rim with the twist and drop it into the drink as garnish.

Serve

Serve immediately. Sip slowly to appreciate Talisker Skye's maritime smoke and peppery finish balanced by honey and citrus.

If you want a pronounced smoked aroma, prepare a smoking set or use a handheld smoker. Place the finished cocktail in a large cloche or inverted mixing glass set over the rocks glass, ignite a small pinch of wood chips or use the smoker to introduce smoke, capture it under the cloche for 20–30 seconds, then remove the cloche and serve. Alternatively, briefly pass the lemon twist through the smoke before expressing it over the drink.