Taking a page from the Bourbon industry, which has struck gold with products like American Honey and Evan Williams Honey Reserve, Christian Brothers has come out with the first American honey-infused brandy. Hell, probably the world's first honey-infused brandy.
It's called CB Honey and was launched in 11 markets—mainly in the so-called "brandy belt" of the upper, northern Midwest—on Sept. 1.
"One way the cocktail community has influenced brandy is the use and introduction of honey as an ingredient," said Josh Hafer of Heaven Hill, which owns Christian Brothers. "You see it in bourbon.
"We're going to focus on the traditional brandy drinker," he added. "We're going to focus on the brandy belt. But we also think there's a lot of potential in the urban market. As well the young consumer, who may not take that step into the brandy category, but may with a sweeter, easier to drink product."
It's called CB Honey and was launched in 11 markets—mainly in the so-called "brandy belt" of the upper, northern Midwest—on Sept. 1.
"One way the cocktail community has influenced brandy is the use and introduction of honey as an ingredient," said Josh Hafer of Heaven Hill, which owns Christian Brothers. "You see it in bourbon.
"We're going to focus on the traditional brandy drinker," he added. "We're going to focus on the brandy belt. But we also think there's a lot of potential in the urban market. As well the young consumer, who may not take that step into the brandy category, but may with a sweeter, easier to drink product."
Hafer did not say it, but undoubtably Christian Brothers hopes to bring more women into the world of brandy, just as the honey-infused bourbons have done for that brown spirit. It can't hurt matters that CB Honey clocks in at a low 70 proof.
