24K GOLD Rush | Whisky Sour with HONEY POLLEN Cordial

Have you ever wondered what a 24K Gold Rush cocktail with real, edible gold would look like? This Cocktail Time bee-inspired version of the Whiskey Sour uses a Honey Pollen Cordial made with local linden honey and bee pollen. Since World Gold Day falls on October 20th, the Gold Rush was the perfect cocktail to celebrate. The classic Gold Rush was created by T.J. Siegal at the now-closed Milk & Honey cocktail bar in New York, and has since become a contemporary classic.

Classic Gold Rush

• 60 ml (2 oz) bourbon

• 22,5 ml (3/4 oz) lemon juice

• 22,5 ml (3/4 oz) honey syrup

• 1 drop 20% saline solution

Add to a shaker with ice, shake vigorously, double strain, and garnish with a lemon peel.

Honey syrup

• 100 g honey

• 64 g filtered cold water

Stir to dissolve completely and store in the fridge. To help you make any syrup I created the syrups calculators here.

To make the Cocktail Time version, we created a Honey Pollen Cordial using local linden honey and bee pollen, which pairs beautifully with bourbon.

Honey Pollen Cordial

• 200 ml (6 2/3 oz) cold chamomile tea (boil 250 ml water with 2,5 g chamomile, steep for 5 minutes, strain, and let cool)

• 200 g linden honey

• 5 g bee pollen

• 2 g lemon zest

• 45 ml (1 1/2 oz) lemon juice

• 15 g citric acid

Blend everything until fully incorporated and refrigerate upright for 24 hours. Remove the foam from the top, filter through a cheesecloth or muslin, and bottle.

24K Gold Rush

• 60 ml (2 oz) bourbon

• 30 ml (1 oz) Honey Pollen Cordial

• 1 drop 20% saline solution

Add to a chilled mixing glass with ice and stir. Strain into a glass with a large clear ice cube and place an edible gold leaf on top. This slow-sipping cocktail highlights the floral notes of the honey, subtle citrus from the cordial, and the smooth depth of bourbon.

Using a chilled glass and careful stirring prevents the gold leaf from tearing, and a large clear ice cube melts slowly to preserve flavor. This version of the Gold Rush is luxurious yet approachable, perfect for celebrating World Gold Day or any special occasion.

This 24K Gold Rush proves that simple ingredients like bourbon, honey, and lemon can be elevated into something extraordinary. As Bob Marley once said:

“Don’t gain the world and lose your soul; wisdom is better than silver and gold.”

Cheers to honey, gold, and cocktails worth celebrating.

#whisky #goldrush #honey