Might never be season for pumpkin moonshine
We’re not falling for the new Pumpkin Spice Moonshine. And it has nothing to do with the fact that it launches in summer, and we sipped it while it’s still boiling hot out and bikini weather.
The ubiquitous fall flavor continues its trend of appearing earlier each year, and in every product imaginable. Sugarlands Distilling Company debuts Pumpkin Spice Moonshine on Aug. 15 at its Gatlinburg, Tenn., distillery, and will release it for wider distribution on Sept. 1.
The Daily News got an early taste of the booze a full three months ahead of Halloween — and at just 40 proof, most of us got more of a buzzkill than a buzz. (Moonshine normally is between 70 and 160 proof.)
The sugary sip is described by the company as liquor that “pleases the sweet tooth while providing a spicy kick — offering a unique base for creative mixed drinks.”
The stuff, served in a 25-ounce mason jar for $24.99, tastes like the cinnamon-flavored whiskey, Fireball. It’s nearly impossible to take more than a few sips of the Pumpkin Spice Moonshine on its own, since it’s so sweet and cinnamon-y. It tastes a bit artificial, and the aftertaste is unpleasant. It’s not something you’re able to leisurely sip because the pumpkin spice flavor is too overpowering.
The makers suggest adding a little bit of the product to “bolster your morning coffee,” which could work. Not everyone hated the moonshine. “It’s not bad,” one taste-tester noted. “It tastes like cinnamon Tic Tacs.”
Sugarlands Distilling is known for its moonshine made with Tennessee corn and cane sugar for a smooth and crisp taste, but the addition of the pumpkin spice flavoring is a bit overwhelming.
It’s certainly not the first company to bombard America with the fall flavor before the leaves start changing colors. Pumpkin-flavored Oreos emerged as early as August last year and Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte returned to coffee shops in early September, although the coffee chain’s social media accounts began promoting it in the summer months.
Moonshine isn’t that unusual a base for the flavor compared to other foods that take the pumpkin spice craze too far. Think pumpkin spice hummus, beef jerky and lasagna.
But, turns out, there’s a market for it. Sales of pumpkin flavored items rose 11.6% last year, raking in $361 million, according to Nielsen.