The Best Honey Whiskey On The Market Isn't Jack Daniel's Or Jim Beam

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Honey whiskey — which is, quite simply, whiskey that has been infused with natural honey — is popular with both whiskey aficionados keen to try something a little different and whiskey newcomers who may appreciate how the honey's sweetness can soften the harshness of the alcohol. Numerous major brands have produced their own varieties of this spirit, yet when Tasting Table ranked eight honey whiskeys from worst to best, it was not Jack Daniel's or Jim Beam that emerged as the best on the market, but instead Tullamore D.E.W. Honey. 

While the honey element of other, lower-ranking whiskeys sampled verged on being too strong, Tullamore D.E.W. won our praise with its more restrained approach. Describing it as "the most well-rounded honey whiskey on the list," our critic said: "The company also managed to strike quite an impressive balance between honey and whiskey. This tastes like a whiskey that had honey added to it, which is exactly what I was looking for. It doesn't lose anything by incorporating honey." 

Tasting Table's tester noted that the whiskey's nose was similar to the palate, delivering a distinct whiskey flavor with faint but discernible sweet undertones. "Honey mellowed out what could otherwise be a strong, sharp sip," our critic wrote, "and it added a little bit of sweet character without being cloying ... The honey still makes itself known, but it acts as a sort of backup dancer to the whiskey itself." Suitably impressed, our correspondent confirmed that a bottle of Tullamore D.E.W. Honey would be a part of his collection for some time to come.

Clocking in at a reasonably potent but not mind-blowing 35% ABV (if this means nothing to you, read up on what the proof of alcohol means and how it relates to ABV), Tullamore D.E.W. Honey was launched in the United States in 2024, and our critic isn't the only discerning drinker to be won over by its charms. The whiskey liqueur has been the recipient of numerous awards, including being crowned as the world's best flavored whiskey at the 2023 World Whiskies Awards. 

Unlike Tennessee whiskey-based or bourbon-based honey whiskeys, Tullamore D.E.W. Honey utilizes Irish whiskey, which some have argued makes the whiskey liqueur smoother than its competitors. The whiskey itself is a blend of single malt, single pot still, and single grain, which is in turn flavored with natural honey, other natural flavors, and sugar. The honey used comes from hives in the region of Bohemia, in what is today the Czech Republic, and the richness of this forest honey has been attributed to the higher proportion of spruce trees within this region. While it can be enjoyed neat or on the rocks, Tullamore D.E.W. Honey can be a good time-saver in some whiskey cocktail recipes, as it does not necessarily require the addition of further sweetening ingredients. It would also be a great way of upping the honey flavor of a warm and cozy hot toddy.