Jim Beam Red Stag Cough Syrup

On a recent evening UAL flight I asked for a Jack on the rocks, as I sometimes am wont to do. The FA returned sadly with a little square bottle: the shape was familiar but the label wasn’t. “This is all we have,” she said apologetically. I gamely gave it a try.

It turns out it was Jim Beam’s new Red Stag Black Cherry Bourbon. It tasted a lot like cough syrup to me, sickly sweet and alcoholic. I’m not a big fan of Jim Beam to begin with, but it is tolerable straight or on ice. This concoction was not. I returned the unconsumed portion.

I’m not a sweet liqueur person to begin with, and this even less so. UAL very kindly assures me (from the Catering Manager) that Jack is supposed to be on all flights so this was, fortunately, an anomaly.