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Flavored Whiskey. White Whiskey. What’s Going On?

beach

December 18, 2015 – Move over vodka.  Our mixologist friends assure us that whiskey is the next big thing cutting into vodka’s popularity.  Whiskey falls into the category known in the trade as “brown spirits” and more and more brown spirits are being used creatively in cocktails.  Savvy marketers have brought flavored whiskeys to market and they are on fire with aptly named Fireball leading the pack.

Now we’re seeing another trend:  white whiskey.

2All whiskey starts out white! White whiskey is simply a whiskey that hasn’t been aged in charred oak barrels, which impart color and mellow flavors of vanilla, honey and so on. Moonshine was white whiskey but it was unpaid taxes, not the color that made it illegal.  The term Moonshine conjures up stealthy stills and hooch in old bottles sold off the back of a truck.  Marketers love the term because the rest of us think of it with nostalgia and sneaking respect for simple folk evading the taxman.  But if you see a bottle of “Moonshine” on the shelf, it was undoubtedly made in a hygienic facility and the taxes were paid.

Not all distillers are capitalizing on nostalgia.  We just sampled a bold new product called Beach Whiskey that is very much designed for fun in the sun.

3Founded by a couple of dedicated beach lovers, one from Florida and one from Southern California, Beach Whiskey invites you to your place in the sun, whispering, “life’s a beach”.  It’s the perfect drink for the ultimate beach party or for simply relaxing and watching the sun go down.

Beach Whiskey comes in three flavors – Original, Bonfire Cinnamon and Island Coconut.  We had a hard time choosing a favorite.  Each one is different, delicious and special.

If you’ve never tried white whiskey it may come as a bit of a shocker.  It is nothing like regular whiskey, at least to us.  But we’ve figured it is an acquired taste.  At first we thought diluting it with ice was the way to go but we’ve now decided that neat is better, with small, slow sips rolled around the palate a bit to bring out the surprising smoothness.  If you want to do shots, that’s your problem!

Bonfire Cinnamon and Island Coconut are sure to be best sellers.  Both stand-alone for sipping but cocktails beckon.  The flavors evoke lazy days in the tropics and the very cool embossed sea glass bottles practically create the sound of surf crashing on the beach.

34Right now, Beach Whiskey is currently available in Florida and California with a full roll out coming in early 2016.  Something to look forward to as we shiver!  But if you see it in your local market, don’t wait for summer.  Enjoy the romance of summer, great memories and new ones to be made. The suggested retail is $27.99 for a 750 ml bottle.