New ‘Whiskito’ Flavored Flavored Whiskey Aims to Keep Bugs Away From Your Cocktail

(Photo: Tamworth Distilling)

On Thursday, Tamworth Distilling unveiled Skeeter’s Nootkatone Flavored Whiskey, a 120-proof flavored whiskey the company describes as a first-of-its-kind “whiskito” designed for outdoor cocktail occasions.

The New Hampshire craft distillery said the release was created to be sprayed onto cocktails to enhance aroma and flavor while helping make outdoor drinking more enjoyable during mosquito-heavy summer months.

Skeeter’s is built around nootkatone, a naturally occurring compound found in grapefruit peel and Alaska yellow cedar. Tamworth Distilling said the compound delivers a citrus-forward aroma while also being less appealing to mosquitoes.

“Anyone from rural New Hampshire knows that bug season, which happens from May to mid-July, is no joke,” founder Steven Grasse said in a news release. “At Tamworth Distilling, we draw inspiration from the land around us — and Skeeter’s is no exception.”

The flavored whiskey uses a blended whiskey base layered with grapefruit, eucalyptus, lemongrass and botanical notes. According to the distillery, the aroma profile also includes coconut, toasted marshmallow and campfire smoke characteristics.

Tamworth Distilling said the release continues its “wilderness-to-bottle” philosophy, which focuses on local ingredients and experimental spirits inspired by the natural environment surrounding the distillery.

The company recommends using Skeeter’s as a cocktail modifier, including in drinks like an Old Fashioned finished with several sprays of the spirit.

Skeeter’s Nootkatone Flavored Whiskey will launch for direct-to-consumer sales in 45 states beginning May 25 through the distillery’s website and at its bottle shop in Tamworth.