Ole Smoky Taking Line of Flavored Whiskeys National in Fall 2017
6/08/2017 Tennessee-based Ole Smoky Distillery is taking its line of flavored whiskeys national in Fall 2017.
The flavored whiskey trend is showing no signs of stopping. At one time, drinkers might have preferred their whiskey straight up, but younger whiskey drinkers are showing preference for flavors both spicy and sweet. Looking for a way to appeal to these drinkers, Tennessee-based Ole Smoky Distillery is taking its line of flavored whiskeys national in Fall 2017.
Ole Smoky Whiskey is actually a re-branding of Davy Crockett Whiskey, which the company acquired in 2016. At nearly the same time, the company finished the renovation of its Gatlinburg, Tennessee distillery and launched Ole Smoky into the local Tennessee market.
Based on the promising early results and consumer embrace of the flavored whiskey trend, Ole Smoky is now taking its three top flavors - including Straight Tennessee Bourbon, Mango Habanero and Salty Caramel - to national bar, restaurant and retail locations across the United States. Up until now, the whiskeys were only widely available in Tennessee and with limited availability in Georgia and Colorado.
“The whiskey line is a great addition to Ole Smoky’s collection of moonshine,” says Ole Smoky’s President of Wholesale, Michael Bender. “By capitalizing on our existing brand affinity as well as the whiskey trend amongst millennials, this launch is sure to be successful.”
One place you’ll be able to find the Mango Habanero whiskey is at Buffalo Wild Wings, the national sports bar/restaurant chain known for its spicy buffalo wings. It’s easy to see how the pairing of a spicy whiskey with spicy buffalo wings was a no-brainer. The addition of Ole Smoky Mango Habanero whiskey to the restaurant chain’s menu will be just in time for football season, one of the peak periods of the year, as NFL and college football fans descend on Buffalo Wild Wings locations around the country every weekend.
Another popular flavor - Salty Caramel whiskey - is coming to Twin Peaks locations nationwide. That gives Ole Smoky two different ways to capitalize on the national trend toward sweet and spicy alcoholic beverages. Moreover, the distillery in Tennessee has several other sweet flavors of whiskey that it produces, including Cookies & Cream, Tennessee Mud, Root Beer, Pecan and Cinnamon, so more flavors could be coming soon to a restaurant near you.
“We are confident that this business endeavor will bring the company great success. Having two categories under the very powerful Ole Smoky brand is a huge win, and we know it will be a great opportunity to increase our fan base,” says the CEO of Ole Smoky, Robert Hall.
While older drinkers may still prefer a traditional flavor like Straight Tennessee Bourbon, it’s clear that the newer Millennial generation has very different ideas about what drinking whiskey means. Whiskey has turned into a fun, social drink with a mix of flavors designed to appeal to younger drinkers.
In many ways, the change is remarkable. Consider the type of hero that has traditionally appeared in Hollywood’s Western movies - the grizzled, stoic hero sipping a stiff whiskey before a big shootout. If that same film were being made today, the hero would be a young, baby-faced gunslinger hanging out with buddies at the bar while drinking a smooth Cookies & Cream whiskey.
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