Excuse me while I get a bit sexist on you for a minute… but I have to say that the marketing is quite clever with this one. The label smacks of masculine pastimes: A pair of red antlers (as if they’ve just be carved of some poor buck’s head), bold lettering, no pretty pictures of animals or fruits. The bottle looks true to the Southern Good Old Boys’ bourbon, made at Jim Beam. However, the luscious black cherry-infused, slightly candy-esque elixir might be strong enough for a man (at 80 proof) but it is oh-so made for a woman. If there are any ladies out there who are still too intimidated to cross over to the “dark” side and try the brown spirits, this is your gateway drug.
Red Stag is a no-brainer option for Manhattans and Muddled Old Fashioneds. (Yes, rye-lovers, I said it. Black cherry bourbon in your drink. Open your minds.) Its flavor profile also opens up a million avenues for new bourbon cocktails, considering its high mixability factor. I, personally, cannot wait to start serving some of my new concoctions to friends. Oh screw the friends, I’m making one for myself, this afternoon. Why wait?
The name is a tribute to the red stag elk who were hunted to extinction in the wilds of Kentucky (and surrounding areas) over the last two centuries. However, in 1997 conservationists (otherwise known in the South as freedom-hating liberals from the North) re-introduced the native mammals to the region. The Jim Beam company pays homage to the majestic animal with their fine, new product.
Fight me to the end, whiskey purists everywhere, but I’m giving Red Stag black cherry-infused bourbon 'thumbs up.'