Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey 375ml

Fireball was originally developed in the 1980s by Seagram's as part of its Dr. McGillicuddy's line of flavored schnapps, launched in Canada under the name Dr. McGillicuddy's Fireball Whisky. In 1989 the Sazerac Company acquired the brand's rights and formula from Seagram as part of a larger portfolio deal, continuing to sell it under the McGillicuddy's name for nearly two decades before rebranding it as the standalone Fireball Cinnamon Whisky in 2007, complete with its now-familiar red dragon label. Sazerac itself traces its roots to a New Orleans coffee house purchased by Thomas H. Handy in 1869, later famous for popularizing the Sazerac cocktail. Fireball has since grown into one of the best-selling flavored spirits in North America, with annual production reaching into the millions of cases.

Fireball starts with a base of Canadian whisky, which is then blended with natural cinnamon flavoring modeled loosely on the taste of cinnamon red-hot candies, along with added sweeteners. Unlike a straight whisky, Fireball is legally classified as a liqueur because of its lower proof, reflecting the added sugar and flavoring in the final formula. The finished product is bottled at 33% alcohol by volume, or 66 proof.

The nose leads with bold, candy-like cinnamon over a mild whisky backbone. On the palate, that cinnamon intensity continues, sweet and warming, with just enough whisky character underneath to keep it from tasting purely like candy. The finish is hot and lingering, with cinnamon heat that builds rather than fades. It's built almost entirely around shots and simple mixed drinks rather than slow sipping.