2019 Honey Spirits Competition Medal Winner

We’re excited to share that Trade Eights Cocktails medaled at the 2019 Honey Spirits Competition, held by the National Honey Board.

What’s the National Honey Board? It’s an industry group that promotes the many benefits and uses of honey — including in liquor! Their 2019 Honey Spirits Competition highlighted the creative use of honey in many types of distilled spirits ranging from vodkas and whiskeys to liqueurs and bottled cocktails. We’re very honored that our Grapefruit Honey +Vodka cocktail took home a bronze medal!

We, at Trade Eights Cocktails, are big fans of honey as a natural sweetener. Many people are afraid of having a cocktail that is “too sweet.” However, when it comes to creating a well-balanced, great-tasting cocktail, sweeteners like honey, maple syrup and agave are essential. They add necessary depth and texture to a drink. But more importantly, the sweetness is needed to counter the tart, spicy, salty and savory elements of the drink. The key in not creating a “too sweet” cocktail is achieving this fine balance where all the taste elements play nicely with each other. In the end, it’s all about balance.

In our Grapefruit Honey +Vodka cocktail, we use real wildflower honey made by bees from the nectar of many different types of flowers. We love that the honey adds a beautiful depth of flavor without overpowering the juicy grapefruit notes. The honey also brings a light sweetness to our cocktail to balance its tart, citrusy elements. You’ll find this flavor complexity and balance in all Trade Eights cocktails. It comes from the care we take in expertly blending together simple and pure ingredients, like wildflower honey and pink grapefruit juice.

Ok, all this talk is making us thirsty! Is it cocktail time yet?