Today, we’re reviewing the first Sham Spirit on our blog. What I found most interesting about Kentucky 75 was that it is actually produced in Kentucky. Yes, in the same Louisville, Kentucky that produces world-famous bourbon. Any product coming out of that town already has high expectations, so we are excited to see if it measures up to its alcoholic counterpart. Skip to the review here.
About Spiritless, the makers of Kentucky 74
I love that this company was founded by women! The alcohol industry is dominated by men, so any deviation is definitely worth supporting!
“Prior to founding Spiritless, the team had spent years working with some of the largest spirits conglomerates in the world on their marketing efforts to connect with both the trade and consumers. A consistent theme that kept arising while working with their customers was a need for non-alcoholic options that were more interesting than soda water and lime. All the while, the founder’s who are busy, career-oriented parents were also feeling the strain of weekday drinks at work dinners, added calories, and sluggish mornings after a few glasses. The ah-ha moment quickly became crystal clear, the market was demanding more non-alcoholic options and so were we… Spiritless was born.”
Spiritless.com
“Why would you drink a non-alcoholic cocktail?
We’re three young moms (between the founders, we have eight kids under eight!), driven entrepreneurs, and passionate social drinkers — and let’s face it, we enjoy an evening cocktail to wind down from the day. We craved a product that would allow us to have our nightly drink, but still feel clear-headed and ready to tackle motherhood, business, and whatever life throws at us the next day. Spiritless allows us the flexibility to go fully spirit-free, or to lower the ABV by enjoying our favorite cocktails with half Spiritless and half full-proof spirit. We at Spiritless call that HALFSIES™.”
As a mother myself, I can totally understand the desire to both be able to unwind at the end of the day, and still get up the next morning without regretting the decisions from the night before. We’ve said goodbye to our college drinking days, including the accompanying hangovers! Inventors who intend on using their own product typically produce great results.
However, as someone who comes from the industry, we see companies defer to industry practices and maximization of profits, instead of what they would do for themselves. For example, Spiritless decided to make Kentucky 74 shelf stable. To achieve this, they added 2 different preservatives to give it a 1 year, unrefrigerated shelf life. If this is a daily drink, how many preservatives did I consume for swapping out alcohol?
How is Kentucky 74 dealcoholized?
Kentucky 74 is very transparent about their production process. Where most companies just mention it with a line of text, Kentucky 74 shows their entire production process in an easy to digest graphic.
Here’s a little blurb about their process:
“The reverse distillation process separates ethanol from our Kentucky 74 distillate. The ethanol is then removed and repurposed for the next batch […] The distillate that remains is non- alcoholic.”
Spiritless.com
This looks similar to a vacuum distillation, but with some variations in their process. This could include temperature adjustments or proprietary machinery they use.
I also appreciate how transparent they are about their alcohol production process. For example, they don’t claim to produce “typical” bourbon with the time it would take for the yeast to convert grains into alcohol. Instead they imitate the process through their own curated technology.
How does Kentucky 74 (Distilled Non-Alcoholic Spirit) taste?
The shopping and brand experience from Spiritless was great. The shipping was fast and the package was very secure. The box was custom made, with the packaging constructed to perfectly fit the bottle. It even had enough room to include a recipe book. You can tell a lot of time was invested into the brand.
Kentucky 74 says, it delivers a high-quality, smooth finish, underpinned by familiar notes of caramel, vanilla, and oak.
Directly out of the bottle, I was met with smoky notes and the smell of the oak. The caramel and vanilla notes were, however, very faint. The smells are also similar to the top notes of the fragrance – it hits you initially but there’s no base to note to carry the smell. The lack of this layered complexity really makes me question whether or not it would hold up against a traditional bourbon spirit.
Spiritless Kentucky 74 Whisky Review & Rating
For this review, we will break down Kentucky 74 served over ice. The smoky, oak taste definitely stood out. Unfortunately, you lose the subtle caramel and vanilla flavors when served over the ice. The smokiness in particular lingers at the back of the throat, like an non-alcoholic afterburn of a stiff drink. Ultimately, the drink was unbalanced due to the primary taste profile being overshadowed by the lingering smokiness. Once the other flavors dissipate, we were left with the taste of liquid smoke.
The smoky dry taste could definitely be a good addition in a mixed drink, but I couldn’t enjoy this neat on the rocks. This is probably the reason Spiritless recommends Kentucky 74 being great “For Bourbon Cocktails.” On its own, the smoke was just too strong, with little depth, especially once you add ice.
For that reason, as a standalone this Sham Spirit gets 2 sips. Mixed into a cocktail, the drink may be more balanced. We’ll add more information as we start to mix up some of the suggested cocktails.
Spiritless Kentucky 74 Details
Nutritional Breakdown: Calories 15 per 2fl oz (59ml), Total Fat 0g (0%), Sodium 0mg (0%), Total Carbohydrate 4g (1%), Total Sugars 1g (Include 1g Added Sugars 2%), Protein 0g
Ingredients: Spiritless Non-Alcoholic Oak Distillate, Water, Natural Flavors, Glycerine, Sugar, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Potassium Sorbate (preservative).
Maturation / Shelf Life: 1 year. This can both be a good and bad thing. With alcohol, there is the alcohol to preserve it. For Kentucky 74, Spiritless had to add 2 different preservatives to give it a 1 year shelf life – without refrigeration. For comparison, non-alcoholic wines generally recommend consumption once opened within 7 days.
Awards: Kentucky 74 was named Best Non-Alcoholic Spirit and won a gold medal in the second annual L.A. Spirits Awards
Food Pairings: I would recommend this to be enjoyed before a meal (happy hour) or at the end of the day. The taste is so strong that it really overpowers any delicate meal.
Serve: “Delicious enough to sip on its own, or use Kentucky 74 in a classic Whiskey Sour or Old Fashioned. Pick your potency: go HALFSIES™ by pairing one-to-one with your favorite bourbon whiskey to cut down on ABV and calories, or, go completely Spiritless by replacing the alcohol entirely.”
It’s bold to claim that this drink can stand on its own. Afterall, like the fat on the steak, the alcohol component holds a lot of the depth to a great bourbon. With lower alcohol beverages like wine and beer, it is easier for them to recreate that taste. However, with such a high alcohol percentage – that is then removed – It’s definitely a bold statement to say it will stand on its own.
Price / Bottle: $35.99 / bottle ( $36/13 servings = $2.77 / serving)
Where to buy Kentucky 74 Whisky
I ordered the 750ml Kentucky 74 from the Spiritless website through a promotion with a free Jigger and complimentary shipping.
It was also available at my local Total Wine, in case I needed a bottle on short notice.