Evan Williams Cherry Reserve

[TomFischer]

Evan Williams Cherry Reserve will be released this September by Heaven Hill. It is Evan Williams Bourbon with natural cherry flavor to create what they call a "Kentucky Liqueur." It will be similar to their Evan Williams Honey Reserve, with regard to the packaging, marketing and concept.

We just posted the full story and bottle photo for you to learn more here- Evan Williams Cherry Reserve

Heaven Hill did a splendid job ensuring that their Honey Reserve differed from other honey Bourbons out there. I expect the same approach on the Cherry Reserve to give the market a new flavor.

Your thoughts on the Honey or the forthcoming Cherry?

[DeanSheen]

*Paging washed up rock star to the marketing department.

[ThomasH]

I'm waiting for the EW mint julep reserve to hit the market!

Thomas

[p_elliott]

Heaven Hill did a splendid job ensuring that their Honey Reserve differed from other honey Bourbons out there

Tom

Are you asking to be called as a expert witness to the lawsuit between Wild Turkey and Heaven Hill? :grin:

[Josh]

*Paging washed up rock star to the marketing department.

I can see it now, the Evan Williams Cherry Reserve Tour 2010 starring:

Grand Funk Railroad

The Pretty Things

Billy Squire

and headlining the mainstage... Eddie Money!

[SBOmarc]

My thoughts are that these products are not being marketed to me or serious bourbon drinkers. I think that they are neing directed toward a generation that loves rum, spiced rum, vodka, flavored vodka and drinks derived from them.

There must be some market out there...I am just not a part of it.

[BourbonJoe]

Heaven Hill's answer to Red Gag.

Joe :usflag:

[sailor22]

I'm holding out for the rumored soon to be released Cherry Reserve Special Edition Single Barrel finished in 17 yr old barrels that once held Stitzel Weller juice.

[cowdery]

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.

Heaven Hill is really showing us something by putting an enthusiast's darling like EWSB on the same platform as flavored whiskeys.

A tip of the hat also to Philips Union, who got there first like five years ago.

And it's not lost on me that Tom decided to put this in the "Non-Whiskey Alcohol" section.

[Rughi]

I'm holding out for the rumored soon to be released Cherry Reserve Special Edition Single Barrel finished in 17 yr old barrels that once held Stitzel Weller juice.

Mmmmmmm.

Cherry Drank!

Roger

[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 :smiley_acbt: 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.

[Josh]

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?

Bacon.

:deadhorse: :deadhorse: :deadhorse:

[StraightBoston]

I'm not ashamed to state that I like Red Stag (particularly as a manhattan) but I could not choke down the EW Honey Reserve that I got for $3.99 post-rebate. Not sure I want to try again with the cherry.

I think the liqueur vs. whiskey designation is due to proof: 70 vs. Red Stag (and straight-bourbon-labeling-minimum) 80 proof.

[jburlowski]

A tall satck of pancakes, please.

[OscarV]

I saw the new Evan Williams Cherry today sitting on the shelf at an account.

I was so underwhelmed that I didn't even pick it up to look at it.

[smokinjoe]

My BIL and SIL both like this kind of stuff (Southern Comfort, Red Stag, EW Honey etc), so I got them a bottle for their visit over Christmas. To be in the Christmas Spirit, I gave it a try. I really did not like it at all poured neat. But, it was pretty darn good mixed with Coke Zero, which I did to try and salvage the too big a neat pour the BIL gave me. And, I do not particularly care for Bourbon and Coke, in general. It will not, however, be making a place in the bar. Maybe, it was just that "Wannabe" was playing in the background, at the time..."