kentuckian

2 oz Jim Beam Bourbon
3/4 oz Bols Orange Curaçao
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 - 1/2 oz Honey Syrup, 3:2 (*)
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 Egg White

Shake once without ice and once with. Strain into a cocktail glass rimmed with bee pollen.
(*) The recipe was originally written as 1/4 oz honey syrup, but my drink was made with 1/2 oz.

Two Sundays ago, Andrea and I ventured down to Stoddard's Fine Food & Ale. One of the new drinks on the menu that caught my eye was the Kentuckian which seemed like a pleasing egg white Whiskey Daisy. Added to that basic idea were two bee aspects. Honey as a sweetener was something I was more used to; however, the bee pollen-rimmed glass intrigued both Andrea and me. When Andrea asked bartender Eric Cross why the drink had a bee pollen garnish, Eric replied, "Well why not bee pollen?" Eric then explained how the pollen was a superfood that was not only high in protein and nutrients but good for allergies. He also stated that the inclusion of bee-derived ingredients was in support of honey bees that have been dwindling in numbers.
The bee pollen provided a floral note that colored the whiskey aroma. The egg white added a creamy component to the honey-citrus flavored sip, and the lemon carried through into the swallow along with the Bourbon notes. With each sip, the bee pollen got transferred onto my lips which added an interesting textural component. Moreover, the pollen donated a bitter-floral taste that complemented the Angostura Bitters rather well.