St. Elmo Dark Cherry & Vanilla Bourbon

This holiday season, I plan to explore a new whiskey daily throughout December. My goal is to try something different every day. December 6th: Please note, this is 88 proof, not 88% alcohol by volume. 88% would be incredibly potent. How should one interpret 'Straight Bourbon Whiskey with Dark Cherry and Bourbon Vanilla Beans'? This is the sole description on the bottle, and it seems misleading. I'm hoping these are tasting notes, but I fear it's a pre-mixed drink in a bottle. Nose: Wow, the cherry is intense. It reminds me of cherry wine. Very sugary. This isn't looking promising. Palate: Like Jack and Cherry Coke. That's it. Finish: Coke, sugar, cinnamon. It's genuinely difficult to detect the bourbon. It's a pre-mixed drink in a bottle. It's quite good, and if I were a fan of Jack and Coke, I believe this would be exceptional. There's a peculiar effervescent sensation on the finish. It's not from shaking, but I suspect it's so strongly reminiscent of a mixed drink that my perception is altered. The back of the bottle provides instructions for 'Elmo Cola': 1) Fill a rocks glass with ice. 2) Add 2oz of St. Elmo Bourbon (this isn't bourbon, what a joke). 3) Fill the glass with cola. 4) Garnish with 2 cherries. Honestly, you could probably skip steps 3 and 4 and still be satisfied. It's enjoyable, but it's not bourbon. I'm uncertain if I have 25 more new whiskeys lined up. So, if you're reading this and know of something readily available that you'd like me to experience, whether pleasant or unpleasant, during this holiday season, please share your recommendations in the comments.

My hopes were high for this one... I tried it neat initially, and it made the hair on my arms and legs stand up – not a good sign. It had a strong, medicinal cherry syrup flavor with hardly any bourbon undertones. Adding a couple of ice cubes and swirling to chill barely helped; I still made odd faces. It was tolerable with cola. Something low-quality, like red stag, is much better. I won't share this with friends, and I'm someone who enjoys taking shots of Malört, which is quite distinctive. With enough zero-calorie cola, I'll get through the bottle, but I won't repurchase it or advise anyone else to waste their money. Who approved this inferior product?

I'm a big fan! With the added vanilla and molasses, sipping it neat gives me a distinctive rum character, similar to blackstrap rum. I enjoy rum, so that's fine with me. However, it's not intended for neat consumption. The reason for a 4-star rating is its perfection with cola, just like at the restaurant. Here's why I'll be purchasing more of this spirit: Combine 2.5 ounces in a cocktail shaker with ice, add 4 dashes of bitters, stir for one minute, then strain into a chilled rocks glass and garnish with a cherry. No vermouth is required. This makes an absolutely perfect Manhattan. Well done!

This is not a typical Bourbon; it is better suited for mixing. The label clearly states it contains "Dark Cherry and Bourbon Vanilla Beans," and it is recommended to be served with cola. Mixed with cola, I find it quite enjoyable. It is reminiscent of the drink served at St. Elmo's Steakhouse. Essentially, it's a "partially pre-mixed cocktail" that, with the addition of coke, results in a perfectly mixed St. Elmo's beverage. Therefore, if I were evaluating it as a bourbon, it wouldn't score highly, but as a "partially pre-mixed cocktail," it's not bad.

As others have noted, it's excessively sweet. However, I believe many people would truly appreciate it. It has strong cherry notes alongside some blackberry and a hint of vanilla, with cherry being the most prominent. If you feel this is for you, it likely is.

Smooth, sweet bourbon with a pleasant blend of vanilla and cherry. It's a touch too sweet for my preference, but it drinks easily neat, even smoother on the rocks, and exceptionally smooth with blackberry soda water.