Flavored Whiskies

I have had the wild turkey american honey, all I could taste was honey and no whisky. most are liqueur and not actually whisky

I agree with Donski. Once whiskies are infused with a flavoring, they cease to be whiskies, and become a liqueur.

I personally have no interest in infusing whiskies with flavors, when the process of fermentation, distillation, and barrel/cask aging can add so many unique flavors and smells to whiskies without the need of flavoring gimmicks!

I see "flavored whiskies" as cocktail fare. For me, these are not sippers, and not whiskey, per se.

IF you already like super sweet cocktail like spirits, you can enjoy some of these. This is not what I am looking for myself, though.

Good points, all. I'm not so sure about flavoured / infused whiskies, as by definition (with the exception of Canadian "Spiced" whisky, which still falls within the Canadian regulations), they cease to be whisky once reduced below 40% ABV and have anything, other than E150a, added to them. They are, as @Donski has pointed out, liqueurs. However, as I am a fan off Compass Box, if they were to sell Orangerie here in Ontario, I'd likely pick up a bottle.

I've made my own whisky liqueurs (bourbon goes very well with strawberries) and drunk a variety of others, both old and new, over the years and see nothing wrong with them. They aren't whiskies and shouldn't judged as such, they are drinks which contain whisky. Dismissing them because they don't taste of whisky is kind of missing the point.

There are some fairly awful tasting ones, I will admit...

I appreciate everyone's responses. I really don't have any interest or intention in sampling these whiskies, but I have noticed that they are becoming more prominent in the market, and just wanted to hear some reactions to them.

@Marcus, if you like something like "cocktail in a bottle" you can like something like Wild Turkey Honey or Jim Beam Red Stagg. I don't own any of these, have never paid for a sample, and have only sampled these from friends' bottles out of curiosity (Wild Turkey Honey) or when they have twisted my arm (Red Stagg). IF YOU LIKE (which I generally don't) sweet sweet cocktails, then these two, anyway, are quite good. I understand why they sell well, though I won't be buying any.

Definitely not a "sweet" whisky fan. Maybe I'll try adding a Splenda or two to my Laphroaig Quarter Cask. NOT!!!!!

@Marcus, YOU asked. I hate to see these products cropping up, because they might conceivably crowd out real whiskeys. On the other hand, these 'related spirits' may give their respective companies profits which could finance more niche market products, like special edition premium whiskeys, ie 'connoisseur' fare.

I am glad that I gave you the opportunity to vent. I would guess this has been your purpose all along in starting this discussion.

I don't see anything wrong with them. They're just another mixer along the vodkas and rums and whatever else people buy. As long as the whisky companies put their worst whisky into these, that should theoretically make the product going into our whisky bottles that much better... As long as these don't get so popular is starts hurting the availability of the real whisky.

Not strictly a whisky, but the Compass Box Orangerie is an amazing tipple, especially in the festive season...

@Victor Actually, venting was not my intent at all. While I appreciate that the flavors may bring new whisky drinkers to the market, I would not want to see them crowding out "real" whiskies. I assume that will never actually happen, though. Having never tried any flavored whisky, I was merely curious as to what all the hype was about, and what others thought of both the trend and the whiskies themselves. All the responses I've received have been greatly appreciated, and I think it's just another topic in the whisky world about which many of us have opinions.

I know a guy at work who fancies himself a whisky man and the other day we got to talking about straight drinking and I was informed that anything sitting near 40%abv was too strong for him to drink, except for Wild Turkey Honey, etc which were very yummy and he could drink all night.

I don't mind these bottles being produced and have no interest whatsoever in ever paying for a sample of one, much less the bottle, but what does bug me is when someone says that they're a big bourbon fan (his preferred whisky as he says he can't stand Scotch) and then I find out it's all whisky liqueur.

However as Victor and Valuewhisky said, if the take all the cheap crappy whisky and stick it into those liqueur bottles and then bring out some really yummy connoisseur fare it would be awesome and I won't nay say those liqueurs ever again.

Until someone says they love whisky and I find out that's all they drink.

"Flavoured" or "Spiced" whiskies, in my opinion, are meant to expand the demographic of most Scotch and whisky to younger, and also female, consumers. This is happening in Canada with Revel Stoke (which I dislike), Spicebox (which is worse) and Canadian Club Dock 57 (which I haven't tried yet), which are technically still Canadian whiskies (but Revel Stoke does taste more like a liqueur, to me).

There is a difference between flavoured whiskies (which can be flavoured with anything, and must retain at least 40% ABV) and liqueurs (which can go below 40% ABV and have to have a certain amount of sugar added). And there are some excellent whisky liqueurs such as Bailey's, Drambuie and Dunkeld Atholl Brose. Jim Beam Red Stag is a flavoured whisky (and is gross) but Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey is a liqueur (and is even worse!)

I know many who like and appreciate Revel Stoke so, although I am not a fan, give it a try.

I didn't mind the sample cinnamon whiskey I had though I don't remember the name, but I got a sample of Even Williams Honey and it was almost sickening sweet to drink, Id say they were more made for doing shots for younger people to mask the poor quality of spirits used. But if that's what you want then I've got no issue with that.

@Jahjehwa I just seen a cinnamon whisky advertised in the newspaper, it call fireball and is a canadian whisky liqueur

@Donski And its great if you love cinnamon candy and want a better kick then Hot Damn (American Cinnamon Schnapps) Great on ice, its one of my weaknesses in the good time category.