To raise awareness about the plight of honey bees, August 15 is the official National Honey Bee Day. It’s a day to raise awareness of the importance to protect bees as a critical species on earth. Beekeepers, beekeeping clubs and associations, and honey bee enthusiasts from across the United States celebrate and recognize honey bees contribution to human lives.

For the month of September it’s National Honey Month, and ABERFELDY Single Malt Scotch Whisky, known around the world as the “Golden” Dram” sent me bottle of their 12 years in oak Scotch Whiskey and a recipe to make a Herbed Honey Smash cocktail. This refreshing end of the day drink provided a sweet moment, while staying #saferathome.

Herbed Honey Smash Cocktail Recipe

Ingredients: 

2 oz Aberfeldy 12 Single Malt Scotch 

1.5 oz Lemon juice (or about half a lemon squeezed)

1 oz honey syrup 

*Honey Syrup: 100g of honey and 64g water, stir and leave to chill. Note: syrup will only last 3 days

4-6 leaves of soft herb (basil, mint, tarragon, etc.) 

Method: Add all ingredients to a shaker tin with ice. Shake vigorously and strain using a fine mesh strainer into a small rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with your fresh herb of choice and enjoy! 

Use any soft herb (basil, mint, thyme, tarragon, dill, marjoram or even cilantro) you’d like for different flavor combinations. For more herb flavor, steep your fresh herbs in your local raw honey before making syrup. 

I learned that ABERFELDY Single Malt Scotch Whisky has collaborated with the national, non-profit Bee Informed Partnership (BIP) organization in launching a Gardening Giveback Project, Together they are dedicated to working with beekeepers across the country to improve honey bee colony health and increase colony survivorship.

ABERFELDY has also committed a $10,000 donation to BIP to help support local beekeepers in their research, education and communication efforts to improve honey bee health and sustainability.

Right now, they are offering a limited-edition cocktail crate ($45) via ReserveBar, which includes everything you need to re-create the Herbed Honey Smash cocktail at home:

• 1 bottle of ABERFELDY 12
• 3 different flavors of honey
• Seeds to plant and grow your own herbs / garnishes at home
• Honey bear cocktail jars
• Exclusive access to a virtual whisky and honey tasting on 9/17 with Holly Seidewand, BACARDI North American Malts Ambassador, and Miami beekeeper Nick Bofill (The Native Guy).

Through the Gardening Giveback Project, ABERFELDY and BIP are empowering beekeepers and bartenders across eight cities in the United States – Austin, Texas; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; Miami, Florida; Los Angeles, California; New York, New York; San Francisco, California to plant and maintain community garden-style bee sanctuaries by growing flowers, herbs and vegetables in dual purpose: to foster a healthy environment for bees while also cultivating ingredients that can be used in cocktails.

“As the single most important pollinator to agriculture, honey bees are a vital component in ensuring we have access to high quality, nutritious fruits, vegetables, and nuts,” Says Geoff Williams, President of Bee Informed Partnership. “We definitely appreciate ABERFELDY supporting our mission and are really excited to help bring the Gardening Giveback Project to life.”