New Zealand Manuka Honey is world famous for its healing properties, and is an important ingredient for a number of health-giving products.
On the other hand, famous Scotch whisky is a recognized as the standard for genuine high-quality whisky worldwide.
In Western culture Whisky&Honey home remedy is traditional and widely used. This historical tradition has been heavily exploited by cheap whisky/whiskey manufacturers all over the world. One can easily find on the market cheap mixtures of average quality alcohol blended with some honey of some undisclosed origin which shows itself as a muddy cloud floating in a bottle.
Whisky connoisseurs are trying to avoid such dubious blends and just make their own mixes of the favourite Whiskys with the honey they choose. This method certainly provides a better result, but the alcohol strength decreases and usually makes up no more than 35% of alcohol by volume. Thus, this option is not much fun.
The goal I set for myself was: to keep the taste of quality Scotch in the sophisticated combination with the Manuka Honey and healing Botanicals’ tincture. As the result I can present my all-natural Manuka Honey Whisky handcrafted at Puhoi Organic Distillery with the involvement of Dr Iryna Kirichuk (MD).
The Manuka Honey Whisky project was realized in collaboration with The Whisky Library owner Tony McHugh. Tony is a supplier of the wide range of fine Scottish Whisky sourced directly from Scotland and exclusively for his company. It was Tony who supplied me with the carefully selected Scotch which I used as the base for Manuka Honey Whisky.
Dr Kirichuk assisted me with the botanical composition which supports the healing properties of the Manuka honey in my version of this popular traditional home kitchen remedy. During this we have also invented the way to dissolve honey without the “muddy cloud” effect.
I could say that I am indeed happy with the achieved result: the nose still retains all the distinctive notes of fine highland Scotch, but the palate is much softer. Manuka Honey has organically blended into the taste and the botanical composition rounds it all well and provides a very enjoyable aftertaste. The spirit is absolutely clear and the colour is beautiful amber, although we never add caramel (burned sugar).
Still, I am not able to describe it as poetically as Don Kavanagh did during the Auckland Foodshow 2017 presentation (please see the video below).
