AVB Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I tried it with a 3:1 cut of regular bourbon over ice to Red Gag and it had an after-taste that would not go away. I then tried that same ratio for a Manhattan and while it was an improvement it isn't something I would want to try again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p_elliott Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 Just sounds nasty to me but to be fair so do these little bottles of WT Honey that came with my WT 101 that are in my cabinet that will probably go in the trash. Or at best get poured out so I can save the little bottles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted June 23, 2009 Author Share Posted June 23, 2009 They could have called it flavored whiskey. They didn't want to. Nor are they calling it bourbon (why is that so hard to understand?). They're calling it "bourbon with ..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickert Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 They could have called it flavored whiskey. They didn't want to. Nor are they calling it bourbon (why is that so hard to understand?). They're calling it "bourbon with ..."So which TTB class is this falling into? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVB Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Chuck, you are only looking at the label and it is true that they only call it "bourbon infused..." there. However, look at the advertising, the shelf talkers and the website (www.theredstag.com) and you will see they ARE calling it. "A Different Breed of BOURBON" That is my major complaint. They are calling it bourbon and that is plainly not true.They could have called it flavored whiskey. They didn't want to. Nor are they calling it bourbon (why is that so hard to understand?). They're calling it "bourbon with ..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickert Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Chuck, you are only looking at the label and it is true that they only call it "bourbon infused..." there. However, look at the advertising, the shelf talkers and the website (www.theredstag.com) and you will see they ARE calling it. "A Different Breed of BOURBON" That is my major complaint. They are calling it bourbon and that is plainly not true.My thoughts exactly. I understand how they are presenting it, and I have no problem with Beam marketing Red Stag as "bourbon infused with..." BUT I do have a problem with marketing Red Stag as BOURBON without the qualifier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 Where I think many are misunderstanding the regs is that, for the most part, the regs just say "if you want to call your product X you have to do this." However, you are free to call your product something about which the regs are silent and the regs don't care. There is no obligation to pigeonhole every product into an existing classification. In Australia and other places, Jim Beam sells a product called "Jim Beam and Cola." Its ingredients are "Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and cola." Anything wrong with that?As for how they're marketing it, I won't defend that. I've said from the beginning that the downside risk of this is confusing consumers about a category (bourbon) about which they are already confused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVB Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Is that your interpretation? I would think that everything has to have a place if only for taxation purposes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 An illustration."Moonshine" is a term with a general meaning, of a distilled spirit produced in an unlicensed still, and means in its verb form the production of same.The regs, however, are silent about the term "moonshine." Therefore, Junior Johnson's Midnight Moon can call itself "moonshine" without offending the regs, even though legal moonshine is a contradiction. The legal classification for the product is 100% grain neutral spirits, but the term "moonshine" is used on the packaging. The term "moonshine" is prominent while "100% grain neutral spirits" is in mouse type, but it's all legal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasH Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Red Stag must be gaining in popularity. Many of the stores here in Myrtle Beach (I'm here on vacation) have it in the 1L bottles in addition to the 750's.Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVB Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Chuck - I see what you mean. Thanks.Horrid thought. It is (STILL) nasty stuff.Red Stag must be gaining in popularity. Many of the stores here in Myrtle Beach (I'm here on vacation) have it in the 1L bottles in addition to the 750's.Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted June 30, 2009 Author Share Posted June 30, 2009 We're still in the midst of the launch push. Wait six months before you pronounce it a success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILLfarmboy Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 Will we someday see a product called Kentucky Straight Bourbon with natural flavor added or Kentucky Bourbon with natural flavor added? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr8erdane Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 I was drinking a Pepsi last night and it left me wanting something more so I splashed in just a little Red Stag. It reminded me of the Cherry Cokes I used to get after little league baseball games at our Dairy Queen. A little went a long way though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab Walker Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 That's it...cherry coke!!!I think the college kids will like it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVB Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Not selling well at all in my part of York county. The idiots at the PLCB put it right next to the regular Jim Beam too instead of with other the flavored whiskey. One can only hope for abject failure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILLfarmboy Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Not selling well at all in my part of York county. The idiots at the PLCB put it right next to the regular Jim Beam too instead of with other the flavored whiskey. One can only hope for abject failure.In every liquor store around here it is similarly placed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVB Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 I haven't done a survey but of the few Maryland stores I've been in most had it separated. The PLCB is still comprised of idiots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted August 4, 2009 Author Share Posted August 4, 2009 I was in Binny's recently and heard a page, "customer is looking for Red Stag liqueur." It was in the bourbon section, with the other Beams, which I'm sure is what Beam is recommending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StraightBoston Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 I finally tried it last night -- solo on the rocks, and as part of a (not-very-well-made) Manhattan. I liked it (but then I like both cherry and bourbon!) Still has nothing on the cherry "essence" of classic Stitzel-Weller distillate, but I'll probably give the "cherry Beam and coke" variation on a "Beam and cherry coke" a try next time.My only beef is the pricing (see previous post) -- around these parts it lists north of $20/750 ml, the same as Jim Beam Black. More interesting to me at $16.99 in the NH state liquor store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bourbon Geek Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 I was in Binny's recently and heard a page, "customer is looking for Red Stag liqueur." It was in the bourbon section, with the other Beams, which I'm sure is what Beam is recommending.Why not? Brown - Forman puts Southern Comfort in the bourbon section, and WT honey is also there. Phillips Union stuff is also frequently there ...Maye we need a bourbon sub-section for the wannabes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted August 4, 2009 Author Share Posted August 4, 2009 Binny's seems to be going with a North American whiskey section. One peculiarity, perhaps related to the penchant of some to call Canadian whiskey "rye," is that they have put the American straight ryes and the Canadians adjacent to each other. The American blends are at the other end of the section and, naturally, on the lower shelves. They aren't exactly all mixed together, but there are some odd adjacencies.Southern Comfort, which actually is a liqueur (Red Stag is not), has always been in the bourbon section, though at times they have asked for dual placement. That was established long before Brown-Forman bought the brand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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