Flavored Bourbon ?

[ebo]

I've tasted most of them. Red Stag is by far the most unpleasant, IMO. I find them all to be sickening sweet. Probably the reason they are so popular is because a large % of people really don't like bourbon/whiskey to begin with.

[squire]

I think most people don't like the taste of whisky generally which explains the wide popularity of the various flavored spirits.

[kaiserhog]

I think most people don't like the taste of whisky generally which explains the wide popularity of the various flavored spirits.

[jvd99]

JR's retirement is probably a signal that FR flamethrower is right around the corner

[Master Distiller]

If its flavored with anything other than water, grain, yeast, and oak barrels its not bourbon. I am so proud of the ones like Four Roses that refuse to jump on the flavored "bourbon" band wagon and stick with traditional bourbon. Look at Jimmy Russell, for years bourbon wasnt going anywhere and everyone started making vodkas and gins and other clear spirits but Jimmy weathered the storm and continued making bourbon when no one wanted it because he knew what bourbon was when no one else did and now he's considered the father of bourbon. If it werent for Jimmy Russell bourbon wouldnt be what it is today and this site wouldnt exist.

[smokinjoe]

If its flavored with anything other than water, grain, yeast, and oak barrels its not bourbon. I am so proud of the ones like Four Roses that refuse to jump on the flavored "bourbon" band wagon and stick with traditional bourbon. Look at Jimmy Russell, for years bourbon wasnt going anywhere and everyone started making vodkas and gins and other clear spirits but Jimmy weathered the storm and continued making bourbon when no one wanted it because he knew what bourbon was when no one else did and now he's considered the father of bourbon. If it werent for Jimmy Russell bourbon wouldnt be what it is today and this site wouldnt exist.

[squire]

. . . . Look at Jimmy Russell, for years bourbon wasnt going anywhere and everyone started making vodkas and gins and other clear spirits but Jimmy weathered the storm and continued making bourbon when no one wanted it . . . .

Mr. Russell's legacy is secure beyond question yet some perspective is in order. For 30 years prior to the recent sale of Wild Turkey Mr. Russell worked for Pernod Ricard who produces vodka, gin, scotch, rum and a host of other white distilled spirits, not to mention wines, liqueurs and various beverage alcohol products around the Globe. Bourbon would be where it is and this site would be celebrating the fact even if Wild Turkey had never existed or if Mr. Russell had never entered the trade.

If we're handing out the Father of Bourbon title I nominate Basil Hayden.

[baxeaves]

If one wishes to have a cocktail instead of bourbon neat, there is nothing wrong with that but bourbon doesn't contain any flavors so if it is flavored, it is not bourbon...

That being said, whatever floats one's boat.

[flahute]

What is this sudden need to remind us that if it's flavored it isn't bourbon? I think we know the regulations in these parts.

[smokinjoe]

The article is mildly interesting... However, I found the video at the end freakin' hilarious!

http://www.womenwhowhiskey.club/blog/2015/7/9/are-you-a-delicate-lady-flower-who-cant-handle-regular-masculine-whiskey-well-now-theres-a-special-fruity-pink-whiskey-for-you-and-your-vagina

[oke&coke]

Freakin' hilarious Joe.

[squire]

Good God, they oughta stop letting interns write the ad copy.

[T Comp]

The article is mildly interesting... However, I found the video at the end freakin' hilarious!

http://www.womenwhowhiskey.club/blog/2015/7/9/are-you-a-delicate-lady-flower-who-cant-handle-regular-masculine-whiskey-well-now-theres-a-special-fruity-pink-whiskey-for-you-and-your-vagina

Wow...:grin:, I think they get their point (and vagina) across pretty well.

[squire]

I'd buy 'em a round.

[Harry in WashDC]

There are some pretty talented copy writers and video editors on display there, and I don't mean the HH press release.

[EDIT] Also, the HH PR quoted there got me thinking: Just who are they test marketing with? Who says, "Yeah, I'd like strawberry jam mixed in my bourbon." OR, better yet, who says, "Oh, I could just suck down 70 proof JD spiked with cinnamon and sugar." I guess historically (thinking Southern Comfort now back when it was made with bourbon and peach or apricot schnapps which means it's a COCKTAIL for goodness' sake, if it ever was made that way), whiskey got "adulterated" a lot, so how is this different?

I don't expect a real answer. Just sipping on my Wiser's Legacy while I catch up on a little reading.

Edited July 11, 2015 by Harry in WashDC
an additional thought, upon reflection

[squire]

Harry I think the marketing angle is to get people to buy stuff that's even lower in proof than flavored vodka. Cheaper to squeeze strawberrys than to distill grain.

[tanstaafl2]

Almost certainly, in spite of this particular vagina forward response to the ham fisted HH marketing verbage, I expect this is aimed at the much larger segment of the female drinking public out there (and perhaps a significant segment of vaginoid male population as well) who do indeed have vaginas that prefer whiskey flavored with almost anything that will "cover up" the taste of the whiskey in order to bring them to the whiskey market while it is still the trendy hot thing!

After all somebody was drinking all those damned Cosmo's in the past...:puke:

There are some pretty talented copy writers and video editors on display there, and I don't mean the HH press release.

[EDIT] Also, the HH PR quoted there got me thinking: Just who are they test marketing with? Who says, "Yeah, I'd like strawberry jam mixed in my bourbon." OR, better yet, who says, "Oh, I could just suck down 70 proof JD spiked with cinnamon and sugar." I guess historically (thinking Southern Comfort now back when it was made with bourbon and peach or apricot schnapps which means it's a COCKTAIL for goodness' sake, if it ever was made that way), whiskey got "adulterated" a lot, so how is this different?

I don't expect a real answer. Just sipping on my Wiser's Legacy while I catch up on a little reading.

[Harry in WashDC]

t2 - I was gonna use that emoticon then didn't. But it sure fits. And you and Squire are right - they aren't aiming the adverts at us.

[mibourbonguy]

I got some good laugh's reading through this thread . Now I do have a bottle of Crown Royal Maple (ok laugh it up, I sure am) that was gifted to me from an old coworker. At the time I had not had bourbon or whiskey other than in mixed drinks. I took this gift and put it in a flask and brought it with me to a work golf outing. So between shots of this stuff, and what ever the hell "butter shots" were, we had a grand old time. As for the experience it was one of the best things I've pulled off at work. I pulled down CRM from the shelf not even two weeks ago, wiped the dust off of it and tried it again, and lets just say it's going to be collecting some more dust. I give it a 10 for experience factor, but now I can't even drink it.

[Master Distiller]

CR Maple, Apple, and what ever else they want to pull out of their back sides will never be original CR. I hate when they go messing with a good thing. All these distillers are just trying to jump on the flavored whiskey band wagon because they dont want to miss out on all the money. Jim at Four Roses could care less about flavored whiskeys and I so respect him for it!

[scratchline]

Interesting article on the boom of flavored whiskey. Looks like the rising bourbon tide is lifting some pretty leaky boats.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/10/03/the-oversweet-hell-of-flavored-whiskeys.html

Sazerac's exploding Fireball sales are startling.

-Mike

[squire]

I'm actually in favor of these things. Diverts attention away from straight whisky and keeps the distillers flush enough to thrive and keep producing what we like at reasonable prices.