Flavored whiskey and whiskey liqueurs are having quite the moment. This won’t sound like news to some of you, but it can still come as a shock to more traditional drinkers. Flavored whiskies have been around in one form or another for centuries, even predating what we know as whisky today. Why? Because they work.
They make a high-alcohol spirit more approachable, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love the flavors of honey, peach, and cherry?
So, let’s take a look at some of the winners and the flavors they offer as a way into the category, or something for you to enjoy long term.
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READ THE STORYEvan Williams Fire Flavored Whiskey, 32.5%, £20 / $15 – 92 points
Cinnamon-based whiskeys have carved out a huge space in the industry. Whether that’s as a shooter in bars or at house parties, or as the base for a rather tasty cocktail, there is clearly a market for them. Fireball, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, and Evan Williams Fire are some of the biggest names in the space.
Pungent with cinnamon spice and woody bark notes, this is pretty much exactly what it says on the label.
Green River 4 Year Old Honey Flavored Whiskey, 46%, £42 / $35 – 91 points
When you want to make a honey-flavored whiskey but don’t want to cut corners, you may as well add it straight into the barrel. That’s what the folks over at Green River have done with this release.
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The honey comes from a local Kentucky beekeeper called Above the Dirt, keeping things local, too. This whiskey is thick, rich, and wonderfully chewy. I’m a massive fan of Green River’s whiskeys anyway, and adding this excellent natural honey to the casks has supercharged the sweetness while still allowing those slightly boozy notes to fight their way through.
It’s so good that I think you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t like it.
Evan Williams Peach Flavored Whiskey, 32.5%, £20 / $15 – 91 points
If you’re going to allure me with a particular set of flavors, peach is one of them. Peach and bourbon are such an excellent combination that it seems odd more brands haven’t released something like this.
A blend of award-winning Kentucky straight bourbon and peach liqueur, this is simply the thing to have in your hand as the sun starts to climb in the sky. Crisp and drying, with that welcome hit of bourbon spice, this is lovely.
Evan Williams Cherry Flavored Whiskey, 32.5%, £25 / $15 – 91 points
Another classic flavor combination. Bourbon and cherry go hand in hand, whether it’s a flavor you’re getting from the liquid itself or something you’re adding to sweeten it up or make a cocktail.
Heaven Hill has your back when it comes to a quality product. The nose is cherry-driven, but it also has those vanilla and sweet pastry notes. Think cherry tart, vanilla ice cream, and some sort of bourbon-infused toffee.
Again, once the sun gets higher and the temperature follows, give me as many of these as you can pour.
Bardstown Bourbon Company Victoria Pineapple Barrel 11 Year Old Flavored Whiskey, 53%, £120 / $160 – 90 points
Time to turn up the booze a little bit. Let’s look at what Bardstown Bourbon Company has done here.
This is a blend of Kentucky straight bourbon and rye whiskeys, finished in ex-rum casks with fresh pineapple and custom oak staves. GET ME A BOTTLE OF THIS!
The nose is packed with the juiciest tropical fruits and fresh pineapple, as you’d imagine, alongside lots of brown sugar, vanilla, and baking spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg.
There is so much pineapple and rum on the palate, with a huge, zingy hit of fresh citrus. The finish is long, warming, oak-driven, and juicy, and just leaves you wanting more. Personally, I’d probably have scored this even higher.
Do Epic S**t Vanilla Bean Flavored Whiskey, 35%, £30 / $35 – 90 points
A winemaker who decided to create a vanilla bean-infused whiskey. It certainly creates conversation.
Created in Spokane, Washington, the Browne Family has released what is essentially a dessert alternative for whiskey fans. We were unable to source a sample of this one, but from the reviews we’ve been able to read, it does exactly what it says on the label: a big hit of vanilla with some subtle spiciness running through the palate.
King’s Family Chocolate Flavored Whiskey, 30.5%, £28 / $32 – 89 points
A combination of King’s Family whiskey, natural chocolate flavor, and cane sugar, this is a dessert-driven dram that can certainly help keep the night going.
Chocolate-flavored whiskey is a pretty strong category, and chocolate is such a familiar and welcoming flavor that it makes a natural partner for whiskey. For someone who might find traditional whiskey a little intimidating, something like this can also provide an easy route into the category.
Flavored Whiskey Has Come A Long Way
Flavored whiskeys are a great thing to have in the house. They weren’t something I used to buy, but the quality and ingredients in some of them are second to none now.
Whether it’s something lower-proof to drink neat or something to use as the base of an interesting cocktail at home, these can be brilliant. Plus, if regular whiskey has too high an ABV for someone who wants your help getting into the category, flavored whiskey can be an incredibly approachable way to start.
