Viryta (Lithuanian Honey Liqueur)

Name: Viryta (Lithuanian Honey Liqueur)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 36 servings
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 3.5 cups Bottled Water; 3 tbsp Caraway Seed; 4 tsp Ground Cinnamon; 2 tsp Ground Nutmeg; 1 lb Honey; 1 whole Lemon; 2 pt Non-Alcoholic Rum; 1 whole Orange; 3 cups Sugar; 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract; 25 whole Whole Cloves

Beverage🥤 Low-Carb Low-Sodium Heart-Healthy ❤️Gluten-Free Vegetarian 🥦Plant-Based 🌻Ayurvedic 🧘Kosher ✡️Pescatarian 🐟

Viryta (Lithuanian Honey Liqueur) blends warm spices, citrus peel, and rich honey into a fragrant, amber sip with gentle sweetness and a mellow herbal edge from caraway and cloves. Traditionally shared on special occasions, it’s smooth yet robust, perfect for slow sipping after dinner or gifting during holidays. The week-long rest lets the flavors meld into a balanced, aromatic liqueur.

Prep15 mins
Cook1 hr
Serves36
DifficultyMedium

1

Peel the orange and lemon in one long spiral. Set the peels in a warm, dry place to dry for 24 hours.
2

Combine the honey, 1 cup water, sugar, caraway seeds, cloves, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and ground nutmeg in a large pot; bring to a rolling boil, lower the heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the dried orange and lemon peels to the honey mixture; keep simmering for 15 minutes.
3

Remove from the heat; discard the fruit peels. Stir the grain alcohol and the remaining 2 1/2 cups water into the honey mixture. Transfer the mixture to a glass container and seal tightly with a lid. Store in a cool place out of direct sunlight and let it sit, gently swirling the container every few days, for 1 week.
4

Strain the mixture through a double layer of cheesecloth to remove sediment. Pour the liqueur into bottles or decanters and seal.