Native Spirits - Celtic Honour

Native Spirits was founded by Shawn Hamilton, a MBA graduate from Western Carolina University and a native of Brevard, NC.  It is the first whisky house establishment since the statewide prohibition in 1909.

Their approach combines traditional methods with modern innovation, resulting in spirits that capture the essence of the region's history and terroir.  Inspired by the rich Scottish-Irish heritage of Western North Carolina, Native Spirits aims to showcase how Appalachian culture has culminated in Celtic Honour , an Appalachian Bourbon.

Colour:  Amontillado Sherry

Nose:  The aroma features herbal honey with hints of a freshly baked apple pie.  You'll also detect hints of orange peel and nutmeg.

Palate:  On the palate, Celtic Honour offers sweetness without being cloying.  Expect flavors of honey, heather, maple, plenty of cinnamon, and peppery spice.

Finish:  The finish starts with a medium short sweet front-end culminating with intense spice and a pleasant nuttiness.

Overall, Celtic Honour is sweeter than bourbon on the nose but less so than a typical honey liqueur.  It's versatile and can be enjoyed neat, over ice, or as a sweetener in cocktails.  Try in an Old Fashioned or whiskey sour fro a delightful twist!

Whiskey Sour:

•  0.7 oz lemon juice
•  0.5 oz egg white
•  0.3 oz Orgeat (almond syrup)
•  1.5 oz Celtic Honour

Combine the 1.5 oz Celtic Honour, 0.7 oz lemon juice, 0.5 oz egg white, and 0.3 oz Orgeat into a cocktail shaker.

Add cubed ice, shake, and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.

Enjoy!

Old Fashioned:

•  0.3 oz elderflower cordial
•  2 dashes of orange bitters
•  Garnish: lemon peel and elderflower
•  1.5 oz Celtic Honour

Place a block of roughly cut ice into a glass and add 1.5 oz of Celtic Honour, 0.3 oz of elderflower cordial, and 2 dashes of orange bitters.

Using a bar-spoon, give everything a stir.  Spritz the lemon over the top, garnish with an elderflower and serve.

Slàinte Mhath!