Tamworth Distilling created a new whiskey spray intended to keep bugs away while you sip. Here’s what happened when I tested the science on a recent trip.
(Photo: Tamworth Distilling, Canva)
Published September 9, 2026 12:57PM
I’d heard of patchouli oil to ward off mosquitoes, of various plants that prevent mosquitoes from breeding, and even of a battery-powered insect-repellent device. But I’d never heard of using a cocktail to keep the pests away until a new finishing spray came onto my radar.
Skeeter’s Nootkatone Flavored Whiskey, made by New Hampshire’s Tamworth Distilling, is an atomizer spray with citrus flavors that adds a touch of brightness to mixed drinks—and is intended to repel mosquitoes at the same time. “Spray a little, sip a little,” reads the distillery’s website, “because the only buzz you should be dealing with is the one in your cocktail.”
And to a certain extent, science does back up the idea that nootkatone, which is found naturally in cedar and grapefruit peels, deters mosquitoes. A 2024 study published in the journal Current Biology suggested that nootkatone was promising as both a mosquito repellent and an insecticide. At a potency of five percent, the researchers said in the study, nootkatone was as effective as five percent DEET. “Nootkatone possesses several appealing qualities when compared with DEET—the present gold standard among insect repellents,” the study reads. “It is a natural compound, does not degrade plastic, is non-greasy, has a nice smell, and is even safe for consumption.”
Naturally, I wanted to give the new product a try.
Where I live in New Mexico, like in many warmer states, mosquitoes don’t die down immediately after Labor Day. Unfortunately, we still have several weeks of high bite risk ahead, so I was eager to take the Skeeter’s spray on a camping trip north of Albuquerque last weekend. I mixed up some basic Old Fashions for my husband and me—and some non-alcoholic cocktails for my son and daughter sans the 120-proof spray, obviously—to see what all the buzz was about (sorry).
The fresh, bright atomizer offered a level of complexity to our drinks, which we both enjoyed. It was easy enough to add with the simple spray bottle and made us feel fancy, even though we were sipping out of our camp cups.
I didn’t notice a single mosquito as we enjoyed our sunset drinks. Though whether it was the atomizer that kept away the bugs is tough to say, as I’d already doused myself in DEET.
