A Welcomed Guest Recipe

Combine water and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until honey fully dissolves and mixture just reaches a gentle simmer (do not boil).

Add thyme sprigs, remove from heat, and let steep for 15–20 minutes to infuse flavor.

Strain out thyme, cool syrup to room temperature, transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate. Syrup will keep up to 2 weeks.

Chill glass

Place a coupe or Nick & Nora glass in the freezer or fill it with ice water while you prepare the cocktail to chill.

Build and stir

In a mixing glass, add the Toki Whiskey (2 oz), Ledaig Scotch (0.5 oz), honey‑thyme syrup (0.75 oz), fresh lemon juice (0.5 oz), 2 dashes Angostura and 2 dashes orange bitters. Add a large block or plenty of ice.

Stir to dilute

Stir the mixture briskly for 20–30 seconds (about 15–20 rotations) until well chilled and slightly diluted — target roughly 20–25% dilution by eye/feel for a spirit‑forward shaken/stirred cocktail.

Prepare glass

Discard the ice water from the chilled glass and dry briefly.

Express orange oil

Hold an orange peel over the glass and give it a firm twist, skin side down, to express oil onto the surface of the glass and the top of the cocktail (1 expression). Run the peel around the rim and set aside for garnish.

Strain and finish

Double‑strain (or fine strain) the stirred cocktail into the chilled glass to remove any small ice shards. Place the orange twist on the rim or float it atop the drink as garnish.

Serve

Serve immediately. Recommend noting the interplay of the lighter Toki whiskey and the smoky Ledaig, balanced by the honey‑thyme sweetness and bright lemon with aromatic bitters.