A Drink Fit For Golfing Depends Upon The Golfer

Greetings from South Carolina, home of some of the most beautiful golf courses in the country. In the 1960’s, Arnold Palmer, the gentleman golfer, ordered half iced tea, half lemonade at such golf courses and country clubs. The drink caught on and became known as an “Arnold Palmer.” You can even buy it in jugs and cartons at the grocery store nowadays.

When liquor is added to the concoction, such as vodka or bourbon, it is called many things, including a “Drunk Arnold Palmer” and a “Wicked Arnie Palmer.” But the name that has stuck, given this 1990’s golfer’s reputation, is the John Daly. Daly is known for his non-PGA appearance and his rough-and-tumble lifestyle, including strolling  the links shirtless and passing out at Hooters.

A Pilgrimage To Firefly Distillery

Wadmalaw Island is a short drive from downtown Charleston and home to the Firefly Distillery.

Firefly hit my radar years ago when I tasted its sweet tea vodka. Other sweet tea vodkas have popped up since then, including one by Deep Eddy, but the rest pale in comparison to Firefly.

The distillery’s line of spirits has grown copiously since its sweet tea vodka beginnings. There is now mint tea, lemonade, a whole line of moonshine, and flavored liqueurs.

On the same property, Irving House Winery/Deep Water Vineyards is also making wine from native muscadine grapes.

The Firefly lemonade, like the sweet tea, is delicious on the rocks by itself. At the tasting room I figured the two vodkas would make a tasty John Daly.

Distillery co-founder Scott Newitt carried out my purchases for me, warning not to leave the bottles in a hot car. Now that’s customer service!

Back at the rig I poured half a glass of Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka and filled the remainder with Firefly Lemonade Vodka.

Wowee, it tasted pretty darned strong, and sweet. I had some unsweetened iced tea, so I transferred everything to a larger glass and cut the cocktail with the unsweetened tea.

Perfecto! I bet even John Daly would approve.