I read reviews--positive and negative--about this faux whisky. But it seemed worth a try. Still, I wasn't prepared for the horror. As soon as I opened the bottle, the room was filled with a smell that was uncomfortably close to the odor of a countertop cleaner we use in our home. A little taste didn't dispel that initial impression. There was nothing at all reminiscent of any sort of whisky. But that's not the way we're supposed to use it. It's a mixer. So I made a 50/50 mix with 74 and Maker's Mark. This turned a decent bourbon into rotgut. I waited a couple of days and gave it another go. It didn't get better.
One of the things we cherish in a good whisky is the finish. As the taste dies away, there's an evolving bit of oak, cherry, smoke and other hints that might last for a minute or two. 74 doesn't have a finish, but it sure as heck has an aftertaste. That aftertaste is pretty unpleasant and it lasts for a very long time. That was the end of my experiment. As I poured it down the drain, it occurred to me that the drain was cleaner than it had ever been.
It took a long time for NA beer to go from tolerable to good. Much of the current offering is pretty tasty. I fear it will take longer for NA spirits to get to that point. I think that the mistake the makers of 74 made is to go for the "fire". There's really only one way to get that fire and that's with alcohol. The faux fire of 74 is just plain nasty. I think that instead they should have gone for the undertones--the stuff that comes into whisky from the barrel. That's what makes a whisky savory.
I wish the distillers of 74 (I suppose I shouldn't even use that term) better luck on their next efforts. They--or someone else--will eventually crack this nut. But 74 is a miss. A really bad miss.
SPIRITLESS Kentucky 74 Non-Alcoholic Bourbon Whiskey Spirit, Distilled Ingredient for Cocktails, Made in Kentucky with Real A
2.7 | 1,843 ratings
Price: 26.99
Last update: 12-22-2024
About this item
AWARD-WINNING | Named Best Non-Alcoholic Spirit and gold medal winner at the L.A. Spirits Awards, as seen on the Today Show
BORN IN KENTUCKY | Our distilled non alcoholic bourbon whiskey was created in the heart of bourbon country using real American Oak and delivers familiar notes of caramel, vanilla, oak and smoke that will give you all the feels of the real thing.
BETTER FOR YOU | A 2oz pour of Kentucky 74 has 15 calories and 1g of sugar.
CRAFTED BEST FOR MIXING | Our non-alcoholic spirits were designed to let you recreate your favorite classic cocktail without the alcohol. We’re partial to an Old Fashioned but if you fancy a Whiskey Sour, Kentucky Mule, Manhattan, Mint Julep or Hot Toddy, that works too!
PICK YOUR POTENCY | Go Halfsies by pairing 1:1 with your favorite full-strength bourbon or whiskey to cut down on ABV & calories, or go fully Spiritless by replacing the alcohol entirely. #LessIsYes
NEW TO NA SPIRITS | New non-alcoholic spirits drinkers might miss the zing that comes from a full strength bourdon poured neat. Tip: Mix a cocktail and try adding a spicy, complex flavor like Horse’s Kick Ginger Syrup to kick things up!
WOMEN FOUNDED & RUN | Spiritless was created by three moms in the heart of bourbon country who wanted to stay social without sacrificing their spirit.
BORN IN KENTUCKY | Our distilled non alcoholic bourbon whiskey was created in the heart of bourbon country using real American Oak and delivers familiar notes of caramel, vanilla, oak and smoke that will give you all the feels of the real thing.
BETTER FOR YOU | A 2oz pour of Kentucky 74 has 15 calories and 1g of sugar.
CRAFTED BEST FOR MIXING | Our non-alcoholic spirits were designed to let you recreate your favorite classic cocktail without the alcohol. We’re partial to an Old Fashioned but if you fancy a Whiskey Sour, Kentucky Mule, Manhattan, Mint Julep or Hot Toddy, that works too!
PICK YOUR POTENCY | Go Halfsies by pairing 1:1 with your favorite full-strength bourbon or whiskey to cut down on ABV & calories, or go fully Spiritless by replacing the alcohol entirely. #LessIsYes
NEW TO NA SPIRITS | New non-alcoholic spirits drinkers might miss the zing that comes from a full strength bourdon poured neat. Tip: Mix a cocktail and try adding a spicy, complex flavor like Horse’s Kick Ginger Syrup to kick things up!
WOMEN FOUNDED & RUN | Spiritless was created by three moms in the heart of bourbon country who wanted to stay social without sacrificing their spirit.
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SPIRITLESS Kentucky 74 Non-Alcoholic Bourbon Whiskey Spirit, Distilled Ingredient for Cocktails, Made in Kentucky with Real American Oak, 375ml Bottle
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Top reviews from the United States
PersonneNice try, but please go back to the drawing board.
Just4MeGreat customer service, Good Product
Just4Me
Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2022
The cocktail was much better when using the 50/50 method: half Kentucky 74 and half my usual whiskey. I still use minimal sugar to keep the drink from being too sweet. This version is a nice way to keep the alcohol content down. I also made a vanilla Old Fashioned using Bittercube cherry bark vanilla bitters, half Kentucky 74, half whiskey and 1 ounce of Vanilla Crown which was good!
A classic Old Fashioned is my favorite drink for a chilly Fall evening so I am happy to have discovered a way to enjoy it while using less alcohol. I have not tried Kentucky 74 neat or rocks nor would I since it was not intended to be used that way.
Final thoughts: The smoke is strong on the nose but don’t judge it by that. Don’t sip it neat or on the rocks by itself. Try it in your favorite cocktail and go from there. You will receive a nice booklet with recipes along with your bottle. The packaging and presentation are outstanding, as is the customer service! It’s a bit on the pricey side but I will order again and keep it in our bar.
Update 8/15/22: 5 stars for customer service at Spiritless!! I contacted Spiritless directly via the customer service link on their website and, using the contact form, explained the issue. That was on Sat, 8/13. A representative for the company immediately reached out to me first thing today and offered to ship a new bottle to replace the compromised bottle I received from Amazon. Needless to say, I am very impressed with their customer service and will order directly off their website in the future. I am looking forward to trying the product in my one of my favorite Fall cocktails, an Old Fashioned!
I just received my order. Upon opening the box and removing the bottle, I found the seal on the bottle was open. It looks as though it was intentionally cut open. The bottle is not returnable to Amazon and I cannot find a way to report the issue. Since the seal has been compromised I will not be using it and since I cannot return it I’m out the money. Very disappointed. Will not purchase again given the quality control issues. I will revise this review only if I am contacted by someone from Spiritless to resolve this issue.
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Jeremy E Hall