Hiram Walker Pumpkin Spice Liqueur – Pernod Ricard

Name:  Hiram Walker Pumpkin Spice Liqueur

Place of Origin / Distiller: New York, USA / Hiram Walker (Pernod Ricard, USA)

ABV%:  15%

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It’s that time of year again. You know, the one where all the ominous holiday schnapps hit the shelves?  Fear not. We are here, and our livers are willing to take a beating in order to take the guesswork out of the multitude of dessert flavored liquids at your disposal.

Today’s order of business is Hiram Walker Pumpkin Spice Liqueur, and if the sheer number of recipes for Pumpkintini’s kicking around online is any indication, you’re going to end up in the same room with it sometime soon.

Now, we’ll be the first to admit that the artificial orange color is a bit off-putting, however, the balance of this is pour is extremely tasty. For those of you looking for something that imparts no alcohol flavor, it provides a bit of pumpkin with a solid spice finish. Taken straight it’s incredibly smooth, if overtly fruity. It does however, succeed in avoiding the sugar saturated liqueur vibe, and acts nicely as a flavoring agent for your preferred cocktail.

We were also impressed with the recipes provided by Hiram Walker, as the liqueur added just enough pumpkin flavor to make our concoctions shine. Straight from the label we tried the Classic Pumpkintini (a straight vodka and liqueur pour), The Jack O’tini (a pumpkin and ginger twist on an Irish whiskey sour), and an Autumn Russian (essentially a pumpkin white Russian, though this is where the product really shined brightest).

All in all, Hiram Walker’s Pumpkin Spice liqueur adds a nice seasonal touch to a bevy of classic cocktails. So if you’re looking for a Fall twist for non-beer drinkers, simple mixology fun, or just really love the hell out of some pumpkin in your drink, you’ll be glad to know that Hiram Walker hits shelves September 15^th.

Pumpkin Spice Cordial Syrup – Fee Brothers

Name:  Pumpkin Spice Cordial Syrup

Place of Origin / Produced by:  New York, USA / Fee Brothers

ABV: Non- Alcoholic

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Family owned and operated since 1864 (now in their fourth generation), Fee Bros. is hardly an unknown quantity in the craft cocktail realm. Thusly, we felt compelled to review this product. Though it may not be technically alcoholic in and of itself, it is certainly designed to bring pumpkin and spice in abundance to your favorite libations. What we found was a very nicely balanced syrup that spices up a bevy of drink concoctions.

We mixed up three of the recommended drinks listed right on the bottle :

The Pumpkin Slide (an Irish whiskey and cream concoction) that brought out the best of both aspects of the drink — Pleasantly sweet and creamy, with a smooth pumpkin finish heavy on cinnamon and nutmeg.

The Ichabod Crane, made with Fee’s, 151, and two scoops of vanilla was an ice cold belly warmer, if a little stiff on the rum side. Taking it down a bit would make this fresh eggnog-esque drink a bit smoother for the novice liver.

The Pumpkin Pie latte with a simple shot of syrup rivaled any $5.00 coffee you can find commercially, for the cost of a pod and a shot of syrup. Ready in mere minutes from home, it is perhaps the best of the pumpkin spice incarnations.

As always, Fee Brothers has produced a top quality syrup that mixes well for any occasion. It has a great fall aroma imparting cinnamon and clove. Make a drink of your own design or follow the simple recipes from the label. Either way you’re getting a great pumpkin flavored cocktail that is sure to impress.