Whisk(e)y is an interesting spirit. This is mostly because the umbrella includes so many different types. There’s bourbon whiskey, rye whiskey, Japanese whisky, Canadian whisky, Irish whiskey (only the US and Ireland use the ‘e’ in whiskey), single malt Scotch whisky, and so much more. As if listing the above whiskey variations wasn’t overwhelming enough, there’s also flavored whiskey.
For those unaware, flavored whiskey is exactly as it seems. In the most basic sense, flavored whiskey is a whiskey distilled with natural or artificial flavors or infused afterward. They can be flavored with almost anything palatable you can imagine. Popular flavors include cinnamon, peanut butter, salted caramel, and various fruit flavors.
The additional flavors elevate and add to the overall flavor profile when made well. When made poorly, these flavors are over-the-top or cloyingly sweet and memorable for the worst possible reasons.
That said, while a ton of flavored whiskeys aren’t worth your time, there are also countless that you’d be happy to add to your liquor cabinet or home bar cart. You’ll sip them neat, mix them into cocktails, and pass them around during tailgate season (and all year long).
Wild Turkey American Honey Sting
If you’re going to grab only one bottle of flavored whiskey, make it Wild Turkey American Honey Sting. The brand that gave us gems like Wild Turkey 101 and Wild Turkey Rare Breed brings us this truly memorable flavored whiskey. This expression begins with the brand’s popular Kentucky Straight Bourbon. They add honey and just a hint of ghost peppers. The result is a 71-proof sipping and mixing whiskey loaded with flavors of sweet corn, honey, vanilla, oak, and just a wisp of peppery, fiery heat. This is the kind of flavored whiskey that needs to be tasted to be believed.
Buy: $24.99
Rattlesnake Rosie's Apple Pie Whiskey
What’s more American than apple pie? This delicious, comforting dessert has been completely encapsulated in Rattlesnake Rosie's Apple Pie Whiskey. It all starts with Iron Smoke Distillery’s award-winning corn whiskey. It’s combined with upstate New York-made apple cider as well as cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar. The result is a whiskey that tastes like an apple pie in whiskey form. This 70-proof whiskey is loaded with sweet corn, ripe apple, cinnamon, vanilla bean, brown sugar, and oaky goodness. Sip it neat on an unseasonably cool evening. You’ll be happy you did.
Buy: $36.99
Knob Creek Smoked Maple
Jim Beam’s small batch brand Knob Creek is a big name in the whiskey world. And while you can’t go wrong with one of its straight bourbons or rye whiskeys, if you’re looking for an exceptional flavored whiskey, look no further than Knob Creek Smoked Maple. This 90-proof Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey is blended with smoked maple flavor. This creates a complex, unique, highly sippable, and mixable expression filled with notes of maple candy, vanilla beans, toffee, and gentle hickory smoke. It’s sweet, smoky, and the perfect accompaniment to a cool evening.
Buy: $40.99
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire
If you’ve wanted to drink Fireball, but you would prefer your whiskey to have a little more subtle cinnamon flavor, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire is for you. It all starts with Jack Daniel’s classic Old No.7. They blend this wildly popular whiskey with real cinnamon. The result is a whiskey that begins with the classic, mellow, sweet corn, vanilla, caramel, and oak of Jack Daniel’s and weaves in the sweet, spice of real cinnamon. It’s warming, sweet, and pleasantly spicy any time of year. It’s especially welcoming during a cool afternoon during tailgate season.
Buy: $21.99
Southern Tier S’mores Whiskey
When it comes to classic camping (or simply backyard campfire) treats, it’s difficult to beat the appeal of the iconic s’more. But what if you could sit around a campfire and sip on a s’more—flavored whiskey? It would have all the flavors you love without having to get your hands (and face) covered in melted chocolate, marshmallows, and graham cracker crumbs. Lucky for you, the folks at Southern Tier Distilling have a whiskey for you. It’s called Southern Tier S’mores Whiskey and it was crafted for fans of the popular Blackwater Series of imperial stouts that are brewed at the brand’s Southern Tier Brewing Company. This memorable release is a corn whiskey that’s flavored with natural chocolate, marshmallow, caramel, and graham cracker flavors. The result is a sweet, 70-proof whiskey loaded with notes of toasted marshmallows, milk chocolate, graham crackers, and caramel.
Buy: $27.99
Kings County Chocolate Whiskey
Kings County is well-known for its high-quality, award-winning whiskeys. If you want to try something a little different, you can’t go wrong with the distillery’s Kings County Chocolate Whiskey. This isn’t your usual flavored whiskey. It begins with the distillery’s Moonshine. It’s then infused with ground cacao bean husks sourced from a local chocolatier. The result is a complex, 80-proof whiskey filled with sweet corn, dark chocolate, caramel, and vanilla flavors. Sweet, lightly bitter, and incredibly indulgent, it’s best enjoyed as a dessert or after-dinner drink. It’s also a great choice to add some chocolate goodness to your favorite cocktails like the old fashioned, Manhattan, and more.
Buy: $16.49
Crown Royal Salted Caramel
When it comes to Canadian whiskies, there are none more well-known than Crown Royal. And while the classic Crown Royal that comes in the iconic purple bag is a must-have for your home bar, the distillery also makes a highly memorable, complex, limited-edition Salted Caramel version. This 70-proof limited-release is only available during the colder months. It begins as a blend of the brand’s finest Canadian whiskeys that are picked by Crown Royals’ Master Blenders. It’s then infused with salted caramel flavor. The result is a surprisingly complex, creamy whisky with notes of sweet corn, vanilla, oak, and sublime salted caramel.
Buy: $26.99
Jim Beam Red Stag
Who wouldn’t enjoy a well-made, complex bourbon whiskey flavored with sweet, dark cherries? Well, if that’s you, you’re in luck. The folks at Jim Beam make a popular flavored whiskey called Jim Beam Red Stag that fits that exact criterion. But instead of simply adding cherry flavor to Kentucky straight bourbon, the distillery blended cherry liqueur with its iconic White Label Kentucky straight bourbon. The result is a truly memorable, slow-sipping, easily-mixable whiskey known for its flavors of sweet corn, vanilla beans, toffee, charred oak, and sweet, ripe cherry. It’s well-balanced, flavorful, and deserves a permanent spot on your home bar.
Buy: $16.99
Bird Dog Peach Flavored Whiskey
This award-winning expression isn’t your average flavored whiskey. It’s flavored with sweet, ripe, delicious peaches. But this isn’t a cloyingly sweet peach bomb. Instead, it starts with the sweet corn, vanilla, oak, and caramel flavors of a classic bourbon before moving into a subtle, sweet, juicy peach flavor. It’s a great choice for slow-sipping on cool summer (and the rest of the year) nights. It’s also a perfect choice for a boozy, sweet tea. The peach flavor of this complex 80-proof whiskey really adds to the overall herbal flavor of the sweet tea.
Buy: $17.99
