Hiram Walker Whiskey Mystery - Bob's Spiced Banana Boat Cocktail

Hiram Walker Whiskey Mystery

Entry with Recipe

Well, the good folks at Hiram Walker are back at it, this time with their Whiskey Mystery contest.  They're sending writers and reviewers mystery ingredients and asking them to create a cocktail!  When they contacted me, there's no way I could have said no!

I decided to do a twist on a White Russian cocktail.  So, here is mine...

Bob's Spiced Banana Boat Cocktail:

1.5 oz JP Wiser's Spiced Vanilla Whisky
1.5 oz Hiram Walker Creme de Banana
3 oz Heavy Cream or Half and Half
Large, delicious good size 3-5 second drizzle Chocolate Syrup

Mix together in a lowball glass with crushed ice.  Stir very well.
Enjoy! :)



Please drink responsibly.

Mama Walker's Glazed Donut Liqueur

Mama Walker's Glazed Donut

Liqueur

Hiram Walker

35% Alcohol (70 Proof).

Awhile back, we reviewed Mama Walker's Maple Bacon Liqueur, a surprisingly realistic tasting, crazy liqueur from our friends at Hiram Walker.  Well, here again, we have another one.  This time it's Mama Walker's Glazed Donut Liqueur.

Mama Walker's Maple Bacon Liqueur

Mama Walker's Maple Bacon

Liqueur

Hiram Walker

35% Alcohol (70 Proof)

So I've had this bottle for awhile now.  Mama Walker's Maple Bacon Liqueur.  It's a 70 Proof liqueur from Hiram Walker's new breakfast-themed Mama Walker line of drinks.

What's that you say?  Breakfast themed booze?  

Why yes, my friends.  Yes, indeed.  Prepare to have your boozy brains blown!

Now if you've looked around my silly website for any time at all, you probably noticed I've reviewed quite a bit of Hiram Walker liqueurs.  And needless to say, they continue to be an amazing bang-for-the-buck, with cheap prices and impressively balanced flavors.  But now, Hiram Walker has twerked the crazy train and come out with three breakfast themed flavors: Maple Bacon, Blueberry Pancake, and Glazed Donut.  I'm going to review all three in due time, but for now, we're looking at the most obviously ridiculous flavor, the Maple Bacon.

Mama Walker's Maple Bacon Liqueur is following on the trend of the ongoing bacon fetishism.  Bacon has gone from a basic staple food to a cult-like object, to the now prevalent bacon fetishism that seems to have entered into everything.  First there was bacon, then bacon salt, then bacon vodka, then everything from bacon flavored chapstick to bacon scented bodywash.  Now don't get me wrong, I love bacon.  I frequently even make my own dry-cured hardwood smoked bacon, which I cure, smoke, slice, and vacuum seal myself from start to finish.  But seriously, it may have gone a bit over the top now.  I'm surprised Miley Cyrus hasn't twerked on some bacon yet. (Oh, it's coming!)  Perhaps I'm just jealous that my beloved bacon has become so mainstream and exploited, making me a sad little man...  But, I digress...

Mama Walker's Maple Bacon Liqueur pours crystal clear.  Incredibly, it smells like someone has been cooking up pancakes, slathering them with maple syrup, and is now cooking a side of bacon.  The scent is not only impressively strong, but impressively realistic.  I'm not sure how they made it without making it smell artificial, but they did.  Upon tasting straight at room temperature, you immediately get an upfront maple-y sweetness that's a lot like Ms. Buttersworth's, followed by a good dose of hickory smoke flavor.  These two flavors mingle as you swallow, and last for a few seconds in the aftertaste, with no discernible alcohol flavor.  Just maple-y goodness and smoke.  The texture of the liqueur is a bit thicker than something like vodka, which adds an interesting dimension.  

All in all, a lot like eating breakfast... if your breakfast consists of throwing bacon and Ms. Buttersworth's into a blender with some vodka.  But seriously, this stuff is interesting and has impressively realistic flavors.  

As far as cocktails go, over the past few months I have tried mixing this with Coca Cola, Pepsi, Sprite, Sour Mix, Orange Juice, Apple Juice, Lemonade, Limeade, White Whiskey, Scotch, and mixed into a Bloody Mary like the recipe on the back of the bottle suggests.  And guess what?  Far and above, I'd rather have this served straight on the rocks or as a shot rather than anything else, which may actually be the first time I've ever recommended something as a shot here on Bob's Brew and Liquor Reviews.  But hey, it happens.

Stay tuned for reviews of Mama Walker's Blueberry Pancake and Glazed Donut liqueurs.

Go check out other Hiram Walker drinks I've reviewed HERE.

Drink This: if you want to try having your breakfast in booze format.  But seriously, it's cheap and surprisingly realistic.

Don't Drink This: if you don't like sweet drinks.

Cheers, my friends!

Please drink responsibly.              

Hiram Walker Whipped Cream and Recipes

Hiram Walker Whipped Cream

Imitation Liqueur

35% Alcohol (70 Proof)

I'm still trying to find something my wife will drink, which believe me, has been no easy task.

She is just soooooooo picky.  

But, I still love her. 

There have been a couple good contenders that she will actually drink from time to time (see the reviews of Smirnoff Whipped Cream Vodka and Disaronno), but conversely there have also been a ridiculous amount of failed attempts (see Smirnoff Melon), most of which I have never formally reviewed.

Fortunately since my wife enjoyed Smirnoff Whipped Cream Vodka, and to a lesser degree their Marshmallow Vodka, both mixed with root beer, orange juice, or cola, I was excited to have a bottle of Hiram Walker's new Whipped Cream Liqueur show up at my door.  

Hiram Walker always seems to be coming out with new flavors a couple times a year.  The ones which I have previously reviewed have been surprisingly good for only costing around $10 a bottle (Check out all my Hiram Walker reviews here).  Apparently Whipped Cream flavored booze is becoming all the rage.  So if Hiram Walker wants to enter the ring and face off Chuck Norris-style with Smirnoff's Whipped Cream Vodka and Pinnacle's Whipped Vodka, fine by me!

Hiram Walker's new Whipped Cream comes in a spiffy pretty blue bottle, despite the booze being crystal clear.  It's technically an "imitation liqueur," which is a bit confusing and honestly I didn't know what that meant exactly... 

So, being the booze nerd that I am, I looked it up.  

Apparently there is a limit on how much vanillin plus ethyl vanillin (<40 parts per million) and maltol plus ethyl maltol (<250 parts per million) can be used in an alcoholic product designated as a "liqueur."  If the combined levels reach past either of these limits it has to be labeled "imitation liqueur."  This is because by definition liqueur is a distilled alcohol flavored with natural ingredients and bottled with additional sugar (although the US does allow small additions of artificial ingredients and colorings). Maltol has aromas of cotton candy and caramel, and vanillin, obviously, is a synthetic vanilla flavoring.  My guess would be that this Hiram Walker Whipped Cream contains over these limits of both maltol and vanillin, hence its designation as "imitation liqueur." 

Okay, enough nerding out. 
Back to the drinking...

This is Hiram Walker's new baby and I'm excited that unlike some of their other liqueurs and schnapps, it's a respectable 70 Proof.  It smells of straight up buttercream frosting, loads of vanilla, sugar, and cream.  Tasting brings forth a smooth mouthful of sugary vanilla, with a nice creamy finish. 

This is considerably smoother and sweeter than Pinnacle Whipped and less artificial tasting than Smirnoff Whipped Cream Vodka.  These are the only three whipped cream flavored drinks that I've tried thus far, but honestly, Hiram Walker's is easily the best of the bunch.  It's sweet, creamy, smooth, and the cheapest (Retails for only $9.99).  Granted this isn't my usual type of drink, but for my wife and her girly friends, it's a great option.

So, there you go.  Now some RECIPES courtesy of Hiram Walker:

 

“Whipped Russian”
1 part Hiram Walker Whipped Liqueur
1 part Kahlua
½ part half & half
Shake well with ice.  Strain over crushed ice and serve

“Whipped Cream-Sicle”
1 part Hiram Walker Whipped Liqueur
1 ½ parts Absolut Mandrin
Club Soda
Shake with ice Hiram Walker Whipped Liqueur and Absolut Mandrin.  Strain into tall glass with ice.  Top with club soda, garnish with an orange wheel

 

“Hot Chocolate Whipped”
1 part Hiram Walker Whipped Liqueur
4 parts Hot Chocolate
Pour hot chocolate into mug, add Hiram Walker Whipped Liqueur and serve

“CosmoWHIPolitan”
1 part Hiram Walker Whipped Liqueur
1.5 parts Hiram Walker Triple Sec
1.5 parts Cranberry Juice
.5 part fresh lime juice
Shake all ingredients in shaker and strain into chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish with an orange twist

Or you can always mix Hiram Walker Whipped Cream with orange juice (Creamsicle) or root beer (Root Beer Float) or cola (I don't know what that would be called, Whipped Coke?) or with your morning coffee if you want to get the day started with a bang!  Now I just need to see if my wife will adopt another favorite for her mixed drinks!

Drink This: if you want a sweet, smooth whipped cream flavored booze. 

Don't Drink This: if you don't like sweet things.

Cheers!   

          
       


     

Hiram Walker Watermelon Sour Schnapps

Hiram Walker Watermelon

Sour Schnapps

15% Alcohol (30 Proof)

So... I'm back again with more beverage reviewing for you guys!  

This time, we have another bottle from Hiram Walker (that's a link to their Facebook page, go "Like" them, they're good people!).  If you look back through the archives, you'll see that this is the fourth bottle from Hiram Walker I've formally reviewed here.  The other three were their Butterscotch schnapps, Cinnamon schnapps, and the spiffy Caramel Apple Liqueur.  All three of those surprised me with how tasty they were.  Don't let the rather cheap price of those bottles fool ya, they're gooood stuff.

This newest one is Hiram Walker's Watermelon Sour Schnapps.  Like most of their schnapps, it's 15% alcohol, made with all natural flavors, and intended as a mixer in cocktails.  I have no problem with that, but like anything, I always like to try stuff straight to see its true colors... so I did.  

Hiram Walker's Watermelon Sour Schnapps smells like sweet, sweet sugar, candied watermelon, and a touch of dare I say, rose petals.  There's something oddly, yet rather pleasantly floral about the aromas here.  You take a sip and get hit with what I can only describe as liquid Watermelon Jolly Rancher.  No joke.  It tastes exactly the same.  It's like someone melted down some Jolly Ranchers, added booze, and poured it into my mouth.  That being said, it's delicious.  

Is this crazy sugary sweet?  Yes, very much so, but out of the four Hiram Walker schnapps/liqueurs I've reviewed, this one tastes the best on its own.  But then again, I love watermelon Jolly Ranchers...  This would probably be great mixed in some iced lemonade with a splash of vodka.  Or, on the bottle there's a recipe that includes this in a 'Melon Margarita' which actually sounds freaking delicious:

1 part tequila

1 part Hiram Walker Watermelon Schnapps

1 part lime juice

3/4 part Triple Sec

Shake with ice, then strain over fresh ice

I'd drink that.  

Anyway, go check out Hiram Walker's Facebook page, like I said earlier.  They have an upcoming contest called The Quest where you can win some sweet shwag, I'm sure.  Tell 'em Bob sent you!

On a side note concerning the long-running search to find my wife some booze she actually likes (check out the archives, you'll see what I'm talking about), she informed me that watermelon is her favorite "fruit flavor."  Who would have known?!  This one just might just be a winner, after all... 

Drink This: if you want a sweet, candy watermelon-y schnapps for your cocktails.  It's sweet, but I could see this mixing well in many different drinks.

Don't Drink This: if you're looking for something to drink neat or on the rocks.  It's not scotch.  But, that's pretty obvious, don't ya' think?

Cheers!       

Hiram Walker Butterscotch

 

Hiram Walker Butterscotch

Schnapps

15% Alcohol (30 Proof)

Now that we are officially into Fall, it's time to start warming up for the cool months ahead!  Get out your sweaters and scarves, make a pumpkin pie, and make yourselves a nice, toasty drink.

Not too long ago, I reviewed a couple Hiram Walker liqueurs perfect for the Fall season, their Original Cinn and the new Caramel Apple, both surprisingly great and very well-priced!  Now, I'm looking at other of their liqueurs that seems perfect for this time of year, their Butterscotch Schnapps.

Hiram Walker's Butterscotch Schnapps is a golden honey color, fitting for butterscotch.  It smells toasty and buttery, as expected.  You take a sip (if you're trying it neat) and get silky, salted butter and rich authentic butterscotch notes that are only mildly sweet.  To me, this tastes exactly like butterscotch candies.  You know, these ones:

Yum!

It's as if those little candies have been melted down and put into a bottle.  With a bit of alcohol, of course.  I'm actually surprised how much this tastes like the real thing... in liquid form.  Like I said, the sweetness is actually pretty mild, making it easy to mix, which is one of the best parts about Hiram Walker's line of schnapps.

Speaking of cocktails, go check out Hiram Walker's Fall cocktail contest at their Facebook page for a chance to win an iPad.  All you have to do is come up with a Fall-themed cocktail using some of the Fall-type Hiram Walker schnapps, which includes the Butterscotch, Caramel Apple, and Original Cinn!

So, go check it out.  Tell 'em I sent ya.  And good luck!

Drink This: if you want an authentic, Butterscotch schnapps that tastes just as it should.

Don't Drink This: if you are looking for something to drink neat.  This is definitely a mixer, but a tasty one.  

Cheers!

Hiram Walker Original Cinn

 

Hiram Walker Original Cinn

Cinnamon Schnapps

45% Alcohol (90 Proof)

With all the great drinks I've had over the years, I've always had a special place in my heart for cinnamon schnapps.  Perhaps it was all the cinnamon gum I had growing up, or the massive amounts of cinnamon gummy bears I stuffed my face with as a child.  Regardless, I love the stuff with an odd fascination, despite the fact that they tend to be over-the-top sugary, burn like crazy, and are artificially flavored (ie. Firewater, Goldshlager, Dekuyper's Hot Damn, Aftershock, etc.).  During my late high school/early college days (shhh, don't tell anyone!), high proof cinnamon schnapps were my drink of choice, something I was known for and always brought to parties.  

As I got older, I started drinking more craft brews, bourbon, and scotch, but without fail, there was always a bottle of cinnamon schnapps in my liquor cabinet.  On an icy cold winter day, nothing warms the soul like high proof cinnamon schnapps.  It's the perfect drink before or after shoveling snow, building a snow cave, snow skiing, or heck, just walking from your car to the house in the winter.  Ha, okay, maybe that last one is pushing it.

So, when I got a chance to try Hiram Walker's Original Cinn (clever name), a 90 Proof cinnamon schnapps, I got excited.  This bad boy is made with All Natural Flavors, which immediately sets it apart.  It pours an amber brown, unlike the thick cherry red so commonly found among other cinnamon schnapps.  It smells of cinnamon, obviously, but a more well-rounded, natural cinnamon.  You sip and get a deep, rich cinnamon followed by toasty, warm vanilla (Mexican vanilla?) and hints of caramelization in the finish.  It is full of cinnamon for sure, but not near the fiery burn and sugar overload I was expecting.  This is a much more grown-up sophisticated cinnamon schnapps than the usual, which is a very good thing.  Definitely a great buy, especially fitting for the Fall and Winter.

Drink This: if you want a well-above-average cinnamon schnapps at a great price.

Don't Drink This: if you don't like cinnamon... obviously.  But, if YOU DO like cinnamon, try mixing this with hot cider, or vodka, or Hiram Walker's new Caramel Apple liqueur (click the link to see the review), or heck just take it as shots.  I don't care, it's good any way you have it! 

AND, last but not least, go enter Hiram Walker's Fall Cocktail contest on their website or their Facebook page.  Recipes made with Original Cinn count!  Tell 'em Bob sent you!

Cheers!    

Hiram Walker Caramel Apple

Hiram Walker Caramel Apple

Liqueur

15% Alcohol (30 Proof)

So, we went camping last weekend which gets a bit crazy this time of year.  Mostly because during the day the temperature is still in the 70's, but at night, it gets down in the high 30's!  That's such a crazy shift in temperature.  40 degrees!  Thank goodness for a campfire!  But, it was still very beautiful and the leaves are starting to change colors, which means one thing... it's FALL!!!  My favorite time of the year!  And what's better in Fall then some yummy Fall treats?  

Hot cider. 

Caramel apples. 

Pumpkin pie. 

Oooh, yeah, pumpkin pie... I'm drooling right now...

What this all brings me to is Hiram Walker's new Caramel Apple Liqueur.  Unlike many liqueurs, this isn't just a flavored sugar bomb.  This stuff actually has flavor and a surprisingly mellow sweetness.  It smells exactly how you would expect, like smooth caramel and crisp, red apples.  It tastes mostly of caramel but with a good amount of authentic red apple taste, and like I said, without being overly sweet.  This is the kind of stuff you could make some good Fall mixed drinks with and not go into a diabetic coma.  Very, very tasty, indeed.

Speaking of which, Hiram Walker is having a contest so YOU COULD WIN an Apple iPad!  All you have to do is visit the Hiram Walker website or their Facebook page and fill out the entry form with a Fall cocktail you have invented that includes Hiram Walker's Caramel Apple in it (or some of their other Fall-type liqueurs/schnapps).  Go check it out for specifics and all the technical stuff.  Tell 'em I sent ya'!

Anyway, so here are some delicious cocktail ideas for Hiram Walker's Caramel Apple:

Hot Apple Toddy:

1 part Hiram Walker Caramel Apple

1 part Jameson Irish Whiskey

Hot apple cider

 - Build in a warm mug.

Irish Applesauce (Created by Tobin Ellis):

1 1/2 part Jameson Irish Whiskey

1/2 part Hiram Walker Caramel Apple

1/2 part Ginger Liqueur

Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

- Build over ice in a rocks glass.  Squeeze lemon and drop into the drink.

Highland Harvest (Created by Tobin Ellis):

2 parts Glenlivet Scotch Whisky

1/2 part Hiram Walker Caramel Apple

2 dashes orange bitters

- Build in a rocks glass with a large ice cube.

Southern Apple Sweet Tea (Created by Tobin Ellis):

1 1/2 parts Rye Whiskey

3/4 part Hiram Walker Caramel Apple

1 barspoon apricot preserves

Squeeze of fresh lemon

- Build in a tall glass with ice, garnish with lemon slice.

Drink This: if you want a tasty, well-made, and not cloyingly sweet Caramel Apple Liqueur perfect for the Fall season. 

Don't Drink This: if you don't like cocktails.  This stuff isn't really meant for drinking straight, but it could be done on the rocks, perhaps.  It really tastes like a liquified caramel apple.  But hey, that Irish Applesauce cocktail (above) is pretty tasty if you ask me.   Go make yourself one!

Cheers!