The Honey Deuce was introduced to tennis fans at the 2006 US Open and has since become the official tournament cocktail — almost doubling from its original price of $12 to $23 this summer. The basic recipe is a mix of Grey Goose vodka, lemonade, and raspberry liqueur, garnished with three skewered honeydew balls shaped to look like mini tennis balls.
So how and why is Dunkin’ capitalizing on the Honey Deuce, reimagining the cocktail as a nonalcoholic drink it’s calling the Melon Deuce Energy?
“Whether heading to the courts themselves or spending the day at a match, we’ve seen our guests make Dunkin’ part of their tennis routines,” Chief Marketing Officer Jill Nelson said in a statement. “From refreshing drinks to collectible offerings to exclusive merch and experiences, we wanted to celebrate this special moment in the sport with the tennis fans who already bring Dunkin’ along for the ride.”
Dunkin’s Melon Deuce Energy launches Sunday, a cold beverage featuring watermelon, lime, and raspberry flavors finished with lemonade, similar in color and flavor profile to the cocktail, sans vodka. Joining it is the Matcha Point, a blend of matcha, protein milk, and French vanilla flavor.
Dunkin’s tennis-themed drinks
Munchkin lovers can also score with a limited-edition mini tennis can holding three assorted doughnut holes.
The US Open courts are in New York City’s Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, so other places around town are also celebrating the tournament with their own themed food and drink. At celebrity chef Marcus Samuellson’s Red Rooster Harlem, tennis watch parties are on the calendar and the restaurant is serving the official Grey Goose Honey Deuce in the signature US Open Cup. Also available is another US Open signature, the Maestro Dobel Ace Paloma made with Maestro Dobel Tequila, grapefruit, agave syrup, and lime.
As part of its commitment to the Harlem community, Red Rooster will donate 5% of proceeds from sales of the two featured cocktails to the Harlem Junior Tennis & Education Program, which provides young people access to tennis, education, and mentorship.
Also going straight for replication rather than innovation is NYC’s BowTie Bar, which actually partnered with Grey Goose to offer the iconic Honey Deuce Aug. 23-Sept. 13, the length of the tennis tournament.
But CUT by Wolfgang Puck at the Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown is mixing up a version called The Daisy Cutter. The cocktail combines Grey Goose vodka, honeydew melon, fresh basil, and sparkling lime yuzu soda. And The Wall Street Hotel created the Asian-inspired Match Point, a drink with a base of vodka and lychee, balanced by tart raspberry and a hint of lemon grass.
Further uptown, Clemente Bar is riffing on the Honey Deuce with its Sour Love, which subs watermelon for the traditional raspberry to achieve the signature red color. The ingredients also include Grey Goose vodka, Moletto gin, lime, green tomato acid, and white balsamic with a garnish of pickled watermelon and the classic honeydew ball.
At Elcielo in the Virgin Hotels, the Elcielo New York Honey Deuce combines honeydew soda with makrut lime and vodka that’s been infused with freeze-dried raspberries in a cocktail, while for dessert, the Honeydew Melon Cremeux with Lime Mousse is a spherical white chocolate shell, presented to look like a tennis ball.
Elcielo’s Honey Deuce-inspired dessert and drink
Kickstand Cocktails, a company with a line of canned vodka sodas, is circulating a recipe for the Kickstand Spicy Deuce. The drink is built around its Raspberry Habanero craft vodka soda, lemonade, and raspberry syrup or muddled raspberries, garnished with three honeydew balls on a wooden skewer.
Aside from Dunkin’s version, there are several alcohol-free Honey Deuces being promoted. Among them is the Saint Deuce, which swaps vodka for St. Juniper, Little Saints’ botanical gin alternative made with lion’s mane and reishi mushrooms. It’s combined with lemonade and raspberry blush, topped by the signature honeydew balls.
At 28 Nomad, a contemporary Asian restaurant, the zero-proof Melon Cream Soda is an upscale take on a favorite soft drink. It’s a combo of honeydew melon, jasmine tea, agave nectar, and lime with a burst of CO2 to create a bubbly effect.
In partnership with American Express Gold, Dunkin’ is also sponsoring a two-day tennis pop-up at Grand Central Terminal Sunday and Monday. At “Game, Set, Sip,” fans can step onto the Gold Court to take on a precision challenge, sample the new menu items, snap photos, and take part in other tennis-themed activities.
Plus, there’s lots of themed merch, a result of the HEAD x Dunkin collaboration. The collection includes tennis bags, hats, shirts, mugs, and more.
