Evan Williams Cherry Reserve

[bonneamie]

What's with cherry, like so many cough syrups?

[cowdery]

What's with cherry, like so many cough syrups?

That's why it's in so many cough syrups, because the flavor is so popular.

Cherry vodka was popular when I was in high school. That and sloe gin. It had a lot more sugar in it than most flavored vodkas do now. But, of course, all Heaven Hill is doing is knocking off Red Stag.

Except that Evan Williams Cherry Reserve is classified as a liqueur, not a whiskey. The full label description is "Kentucky Liqueur the smoothness of Evan Williams with a sweet cherry taste." It's a fine line between a liqueur, a flavored whiskey, and "Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey infused with natural flavors."

Evan Williams Honey Reserve is also a liqueur. So is Wild Turkey American Honey.

[Josh]

But, of course, all Heaven Hill is doing is knocking off Red Stag.

Except that Evan Williams Cherry Reserve is classified as a liqueur, not a whiskey. The full label description is "Kentucky Liqueur the smoothness of Evan Williams with a sweet cherry taste." It's a fine line between a liqueur, a flavored whiskey, and "Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey infused with natural flavors."

Evan Williams Honey Reserve is also a liqueur. So is Wild Turkey American Honey.

I can't help but think about all the around here about Red Stag and wonder if the decision to call it a "Kentucky Liqueur" has something to do with that, and getting one over on Beam.

[CorvallisCracker]

Is Red Stag sweet? Or dry, but with cherry flavor?

Because, generally speaking, a liqueur is sweet, having sugar/honey/HFCS/essence-of-grandma added.

[callmeox]

It is pretty darn sweet, IMO.

If theres greater than a specific amount of sweetener (5%?), TTB regs say that it is a liqueur. The only explanation that I can think of is that Red Stag calls below that line and the others are above.

[jburlowski]

Anything that causes more bourbon to be made is probably good for bourbon enthusiasts.

This most likely will be a fad that will be gone in a few years, but that doesn't mean there is not money to be made while it's here. We're going to see a lot more of this before we see less.

I'm sure Buffalo Trace will be into it before long, Luxco too, maybe Frank-Lin, McCormick. I expect will see a flavored Early Times sooner rather than later.

Isn't BT already in this segment with the Firefly products?

[craigthom]

Isn't BT already in this segment with the Firefly products?

I don't think Firefly is a Sazerac product, although it contains their whiskey.

At Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati I saw some nasty looking liqueurs, a lemonade and a sweet tea, original price $20, now two for $10. That looks like a closeout to me, since I can't believe $5 a liter is their target price.

I read the label and laughed to the couple next to me, "It's from Temperance, Michigan!". The girl said, "Oh, I know where that is! We're from near there." I said, "It's an odd place to make liqueur." She gave me a blank look. "You know, the temperance movement." Still the blank look.

[cowdery]

I seem to recall that Firefly is in BT's embrace a little more than a buyer-seller relationship. And maybe that's their play, although I was thinking more along the lines of doing something with an existing brand, maybe Ten High?

[callmeox]

What's with cherry, like so many cough syrups?

I find bourbon and cherry to be complementary flavors and my normal after bowling drink is BT on the rocks with a few cherries tossed in. It's really tasty.

If you were making a bourbon based liqueur, what other flavors would you find pleasant?

[Joshua]

If you were making a bourbon based liqueur, what other flavors would you find pleasant?

Wood.




Now I have to make this longer.