Yellow Rose dives into cool pool
Houston distillery launches new line of flavored whiskeys
There was probably a time when drinkers raised an eyebrow at the thought of flavored vodkas. But today these vodkas with a twist have become so popular that liquor producers may soon run out of flavors to exploit.
It should come as no surprise, then, that whiskey is now being invested with multiple flavor options. The market has seen dramatic growth in brown spirits liquored up with flavor: Crown Royal Regal Apple, Old Forester Mint Julep, Dewar’s Highlander Honey, Knob Creek Smoked Maple, Wild Turkey Spiced Bourbon and Sons of Liberty Spirits Company Pumpkin Spice Flavored Whiskey (the last, it must be said, could be taking things a bit too far).
Now a Houston company is getting in on the flavoredwhiskey action: The founders of Yellow Rose Distilling — Ryan Baird, Troy Smith and Randy Whitaker — have launched Caliber Company Spirits.
The Caliber line, produced at Yellow Rose’s facility near Spring Branch, combines American whiskey with natural flavors aimed at appealing to Fireball-swigging millennials. The flavors include Classic (sweet whiskey with vanilla bean, honey and oak), Honey (honey and maple), Apple Cinnamon (Fuji apple flavor and classic cinnamon) and Dark Cherry (natural cherry and chocolate). Caliber has enlisted Jeff Weed, former master distiller for Deep Eddy Vodka Distillery in Austin, to blend the new products.
“The idea was born last year after we saw an opportunity to create something completely different than what we currently produce,” Caliber president Baird said. “We receive a lot of requests for honey whiskey and with the explosion of flavored whiskey we thought this could be a very interesting brand.”
Meanwhile, Yellow Rose — which bill itself as Houston’s first legal whiskey distillery — has introduced several new products including Single Malt Whiskey, Maple Finished Rye Whiskey and Premium Collection No. 1 Bourbon Whiskey (the first of several planned annual releases of premium whiskey). The new releases are coming to market this month.
Caliber’s flavored whiskeys also are making their debut now; they’re priced at $17.99 each. Yellow Rose also is available widely at retail; it is poured at local restaurants and bars such as Local Foods, Robard’s Steakhouse, State of Grace, Revolver, Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse and Hops Meets Barley.