Bunratty Meade Glass
Bunratty Meade Glass is Ireland's most famous meade in its classic clear-glass bottle: a golden, honey-forward drink at 14.7% ABV in a 750mL bottle, made from white wine blended with honey and herbs. This is the ancient drink of Irish kings and wedding feasts — the very beverage that gave us the word "honeymoon" — produced by Bunratty in County Clare, Ireland. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 14.7%
- Size: 750mL glass bottle (also sold in a ceramic crock)
- Style: Irish honey meade
- Origin: Ireland — Bunratty, County Clare
- Base: white wine, honey, and herbs
The Drink That Named the Honeymoon
Mead may be the oldest fermented drink in the world — monks made it from honey and water centuries ago, and it flowed through the courts of the four Kings of Ireland, where no banquet was complete without it. Legend holds that newlyweds drank mead for one full moon after their wedding, giving the English language "honeymoon"; in Ireland today, the bride and groom are still toasted with a glass of meade as they depart the feast. Bunratty's version follows the old recipe: white wine enriched with honey and herbs, golden and sweetly aromatic, sold in both the signature ceramic crock and this clear glass bottle.
Tasting Notes
Deep amber-gold in the glass. The nose opens like a jar of honey — orange blossom, warm beeswax, and herbal tea. The palate is sweet and rounded, honey and citrus with a mild spiced warmth (cinnamon, clove character from the herbs) and a wine-like body beneath. The finish is smooth and lingering, sweet but not cloying, with a gentle herbal lift.
How to Enjoy
Serve Bunratty Meade chilled or at cellar temperature, neat in a wine glass; it also warms beautifully as a hot toddy-style winter drink. It is a natural for wedding gifts and celebrations, and a fascinating pour for anyone exploring mead beyond the craft-beer aisle. Dessert pairings — blue cheese, apple tart, baklava — are all excellent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is meade?
Meade (mead) is a honey-based fermented drink — among the oldest alcoholic beverages known, made here from white wine, honey, and herbs.
What is the difference between Bunratty Meade Glass and Crock?
The liquid is the same; "Glass" is the clear glass bottle, "Crock" the traditional ceramic bottle. This listing is the glass bottle.
How strong is Bunratty Meade?
14.7% ABV — wine-strength, not a spirit.
Why is it associated with honeymoons?
Ancient Irish custom had newlyweds drink mead for one full moon after marriage — the origin of the word "honeymoon."
Discover more honeyed history in our mead collection and from Bunratty. Order Bunratty Meade Glass online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA — a toast to ancient Ireland.