MERCER ISLAND, Wash. — Every August during the US Open tennis tournament, this cocktail starts showing up on social media posts. It's called the Honey Deuce, it sells for $22. In 2023 there was more 450,000 of these drinks sold at the US Open.
That's nearly $10 million worth of pink drinks with tiny 'tennis balls' on top.
The man who came up with this cocktail? Mercer island's Nick Mautone back in 2005 when he was a brand ambassador for Grey Goose Vodka.
“We were charged with creating the signature drink for the US Open," he said.
Inspiration arrived for Mautone, a former managing partner at New York’s famed Gramercy Tavern, when he was making a fruit salad at home.
"As I'm making these honeydew melon balls, I just looked at them, then I looked at my wife and said, 'Oh, my God, this is the garnish for the US Open drink.'"
Mautone's original cocktail had fresh squeezed lemon juice and rosemary citrus syrup - delicious, but a bit exotic for mass production. He made some modifications to his drink, and this simplified version was a Grand Slam.
A full glass of ice, a measure of Grey Goose Vodka, lemonade and three speared honeydew melon balls. “The most important part,” Mautone said.
Then, a bit of Chambord, raspberry liquor. Mautone likes to splash it right over the melon. And then you have a Honey Deuce, the signature cocktail of the US Open, and consistently the biggest winner at this tennis tournament.
"In my wildest dreams, I never thought it was going to be this successful,” Mautone said.
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