Kentucky 74 Non-Alcoholic Bourbon Whiskey, Award-Winning Alcohol-Free Spirit for Cocktails, 700ml Bottle (2-Pack)

I read reviews--positive and negative--about this faux whisky. But it seemed worth a try. Still, I wasn't prepared for the horror. As soon as I opened the bottle, the room was filled with a smell that was uncomfortably close to the odor of a countertop cleaner we use in our home. A little taste didn't dispel that initial impression. There was nothing at all reminiscent of any sort of whisky. But that's not the way we're supposed to use it. It's a mixer. So I made a 50/50 mix with 74 and Maker's Mark. This turned a decent bourbon into rotgut. I waited a couple of days and gave it another go. It didn't get better. One of the things we cherish in a good whisky is the finish. As the taste dies away, there's an evolving bit of oak, cherry, smoke and other hints that might last for a minute or two. 74 doesn't have a finish, but it sure as heck has an aftertaste. That aftertaste is pretty unpleasant and it lasts for a very long time. That was the end of my experiment. As I poured it down the drain, it occurred to me that the drain was cleaner than it had ever been. It took a long time for NA beer to go from tolerable to good. Much of the current offering is pretty tasty. I fear it will take longer for NA spirits to get to that point. I think that the mistake the makers of 74 made is to go for the "fire". There's really only one way to get that fire and that's with alcohol. The faux fire of 74 is just plain nasty. I think that instead they should have gone for the undertones--the stuff that comes into whisky from the barrel. That's what makes a whisky savory. I wish the distillers of 74 (I suppose I shouldn't even use that term) better luck on their next efforts. They--or someone else--will eventually crack this nut. But 74 is a miss. A really bad miss.

All of the reviews seem to be from people who drink alcohol and compare this to the real thing. I haven't had a drink of alcohol in over 37 years so my level of comparison is a vague memory. This review is for people who don't drink who want to find something fun and social they can add to their beverage choices. I like this stuff. It has a nice odor and a nice flavor. What is that flavor? You taste a smokiness and a fruitiness but not much sweet. When you take your first sip you may think, meh, but then on the backend the flavors open up. What I really like is that an interesting, almost plumb taste remains. There is a bit of a burn if you take a shot rather than sip. This burn is not on the tongue, but on the back and sides of the throat. It tends to come in the middle. The label says this is good for a year once open. That's pretty cool and means you could decant it if you want. I did and the amber liquid looks beautiful in my Lenox crystal decanter. I put 3 stars for value for money because this stuff is not cheap. If the price point were $10 less then I would say it was high value. $5 less would be okay. The price as it is, quite a bit. However, if you are looking to showoff for special occasion but don't drink alcohol then you will splurge and enjoy. Since getting it I've shared it with a few people. On their first drink they were meh but came back for more once it settled in. Some reviews say this is better mixed than neat. I like it both ways but for me I enjoy sipping it. On the rocks is best by far and changing so much about the way the flavor occupies the mouth.

If you like bourbon and want a bourbon alternative then avoid this one. My comparison is based on the Jim Beam I usually use in mixed drinks. This is thin and watery, like weak iced tea with a hint of liquid smoke in it. Wholly unpleasant consumed neat or on the rocks. Equally not good in an Old Fashioned mix. It has an off-putting aroma also. I was not able to doctor this in any way to make it drinkable. It's nice to see someone trying to make a NA alternative to bourbon and I had high hopes for this but it fell short in every aspect and I dumped the rest of the bottle down the drain after my taste tests. Maybe this will get better in the future. For now, it's not there. I can't recommend this. Spend your money on something else...but don't but the Free Spirits stuff either. It's worse.

So it's an alcoholic sprit alternative, understand that first and foremost. It may look a little like bourbon and be labelled as a non-alcoholic bourbon whiskey but that's where the similarities end. It's not horrible, but it tastes like a herbal medicine more than whiskey, with none of the texture, odor, or taste you might anticipate from a real spirit. While you can certainly render it palatable with additives in a mocktail, you would be hard pushed to convince anyone sipping this that they were drinking bourbon. Why it is labelled as such is not certain, other than to catch the attention of drinkers. For me, I don't enjoy it on its own so it is going to be used to dilute my regular drinks, in what they call a 'halfsie' in the enclosed booklet of recipes. So this will probably make it possible to have an evening drink without taking too much alcohol. In this form it seems palatable but you certainly can still taste it in the mix. The trouble is, if you decide this is how you are going to dilute your bourbon, you'd need to factor in $40 for a regular size bottle of this (the $27 one is half-size, check before ordering) so while you may end up drinking less alcohol, you'll not be saving any money doing so. All told, it's an ok additive but under no circumstances should this or could this be confused with a bourbon. It's not just lighter on the tongue, it has its own very different flavor and watery texture, do not be misled by the name. Your consuming this for your health right? So best think of it as a medicine because that's what it tastes like. Set your expectations accordingly.