Editor’s Note: This product was provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review.
If you participated, how was Dry January this year? Were you counting down the days to Feb 1st? Or maybe you had the pleasure of imbibing in a non-alcohol cocktail, like Blind Tiger’s line of spirit-free cocktails, to get you through the month?
Overall, the market for non-alcoholic options is expanding dramatically, and is taking its place at the table amongst corporate alcohol brands. Not that they are in hand-to-hand combat, but they are in the beverage market and trying to provide better quality choices for those who are unable. or who choose to not, drink alcohol. What’s exciting is what used to be scarce and hard to find in the first place, is now met with zero proof dedicated shops and large designated spaces at grocery stores and beyond with not just one or two, but several options for your choosing.
Blind Tiger, with their line of bottled spirit-free cocktails, promote their beverages to be consumed solely on their own, or to be treated as a mixer. After watching an interview with Rebecca Styn, PhD., the owner of Blind Tiger, it was fascinating to hear her story and to learn how the pandemic didn’t stop her from sharing her passion for the Prohibition era. Before diving into production, it actually started with opening a speakeasy restaurant, Room 33, in Pennsylvania. Opening in early 2018, the focus was on their brand, and it was reflected with carefully crafted cocktails that were named after gangsters and a bookcase is the entrance to the speakeasy and restaurant.
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It was the pandemic that ignited the chaos of boundaries around food and drinks and how many states, including Pennsylvania, implemented strict rules around alcohol. Basically, bars and restaurants could not package and sell alcohol to-go. Styn took that challenge, and with the help of the Room 33 team, roared on with a modern approach and, in April 2020, Blind Tiger was born.
Out of their line up, today’s review is on Ward 8. Naturally, to be mixed with rye whiskey, the story goes that this drink was created to honor Boston’s Ward 8, a district that historically delivered a winning margin in the election of a powerful democratic boss in 1898. Their line up also includes Bee’s Knees, South Side, and SideCar.
Tasting Notes: Blind Tiger Ward 8 Spirit Free Cocktail
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Details: Blind Tiger Ward 8 Spirit Free Cocktail. 0 Proof. It is available through the Blind Tiger Shop website.
Tasting:: The stubby bottle and peacock feather design on the label invites you in for a waltz. Treating this very much like a mixer, I experimented with Knob Creek Rye Whiskey and Cazadores Blanco Tequila. Ward 8 simply on its own is very apple forward on the nose and palate with a slight touch of smoke that helps cut through the cheek cramping sweetness.
Mixed with the Knob Creek Rye, it truly balances out to a well-rounded, and satisfying, cocktail. The apple notes come through again, but much more crisp and citrus lemon notes that were impossible to pick up on its own, come through when mixed with whiskey. A dry puckering tart is the finish and most likely the cherry juice to thank for that.
As for the tequila, it turned from a warm Prohibition-Era cocktail to a bright beachside Paloma cocktail! Fascinating how all the traces of apple previously are now near impossible to find, and are replaced with sunny citrus notes of grapefruit, orange, and lemon.
Impression: The Ward 8 Spirit Free cocktail was a bit too sweet for my liking on its own, but when used as a mixer, it was a product I easily fell in love with. The flexibility in mixing what your heart desires is a treat in itself. For the price point, the many cocktails you could make with it, and the quality of ingredients that went into it – it’s definitely worth trying.
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