Red Stag by Jim Beam Black Cherry

This year for the holidays I’m going to try a brand new whiskey every day in December. #lifegoals Dec. 28 The time of high dollar Orphan Barrels is over. The time of the mini bottle stocking stuffers is now. It’s pretty nifty how Santa always delivers me a handful of 50mLs that I’ve never had. Every year. This one hits your nose like fruit wine. There’s cherry, grape, raspberry. As with so many of these liqueurs, it’s a syrupy fruit scent, not tart nor natural. Medicinal. Body is a direct delivery of the nose. No surprises here, although over time some of the sweetness comes via vanilla and not just the syrup. Finish: no sir. I mean... there’s a mild heat on the backend, but overall this drink gives you exactly what it promises from first sniff. The artificial sweeteners they must put in these liqueurs... hot damn. In a blind taste test, I’m not sure I could pick this out of a lineup of berry flavored medicines. I think Beam accomplished precisely what they intended to here, which for some ungodly reason was to compete in the bull crap bourbon liqueur space. In that space, this little guy isn’t the worst, but it’s also not a front runner. ‘Tis the season. I DO have 3 more new whiskeys lined up. Thanks St. Nick!

Part of a sample Jim Beam 12 Days of Christmas pack sampler. Eighth of the 12. Quick hit review. Nose is Cherry Twizlers or Cherry Vanilla Coke. Sweet. First and all consecutive sips are of a sweetened Cherry Vicks NyQuil with a dash of white pepper tingle. Finishes of unsweetened Cherry NyQuil with oak wood. The closest I can compare this to is Chambord, but this is not Chambord. Syrupy, artificial and should thusly be mixed. Try in an iced tea or or seltzer spritz. For a cordial, stick with Chambord. [Tasted: 12/17/20]

I have a basic b*tch palate so anything sweet and fruity will likely be up my alley, and so is this. Pretty high ABV for what's classified a liqueur in Europe, reasonably smooth for its ABV however, dominant black cherry flavor of the candy drop variety, very very sweet, some underlying caramel flavor, tiny hints of surviving oaky Jim Beam bourbon flavors. Does what it says on the bottle. Not much of a sipper although you could totally down it neat, probably more of a mixer but absolutely do keep its extreme sweetness in mind.

It’s a good flavored whiskey. Former Beam engineer suggested it and I’m glad I tried it with him but wouldn’t order it again. While sipping it I struggled to imagine what mixed drink it would do well in. Overall, compared to traditional bourbon, its poor - wouldn’t consume again by choice. As a flavored whiskey though, it’s good, just fine.

I bought this a while back as a mixer for some friends and family and that is what it is good for. I have a friend mix this with Sprite and it was nice but so sweet. I like some flavored whiskeys but this is too sweet it is almost syrupy my friends liked it so I will not pour it out but save it for when they visit. It is not for me.

Aromas are fake cherry and Robotussin. Ok. They are basically Cherry Robotussin. Flavors are slightly better u was expecting that familiar flavor from childhood of medicine. But I got a sweet cherry Slurpee on the top of my tongue with a strange alcoholic bitter on the back. The front was pleasant the back not quite so.