Why Southern Comfort Isn't Really Considered True Whiskey

The world of whiskey is a wide and diverse one. There's scotch, bourbon, Canadian, Japanese, and so many other distinct styles of this flavorful spirit. At the same time, there are also some familiar bottles often lumped in with whiskey that don't quite meet the true definition of the product. Among them is Southern Comfort, which falls short of "true whiskey" status in a few key ways.

True to its name, Southern Comfort was invented in 1874 in one of the South's most notable cities: New Orleans. Bartender Martin Wilkes Heron came up with the concoction, which he created by blending whiskey, fruits, and spices. The presence of additives like these is one of the key factors that determines a liquor vs. a liqueur , along with the added sweetness that Southern Comfort also includes. This firmly sets it among the latter group, unlike pure, unadulterated whiskey.

Ingredients and production process aside, Southern Comfort also doesn't meet the definition of whiskey in another important way, which is its alcohol-by-volume (ABV). By federal law, alcohol producers can't call a product whiskey if it isn't at least 40% ABV in its bottled form. Southern Comfort sits at a still-strong-but-just-shy 35% ABV.

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Southern Comfort's unusual history and cocktail usage

Although Southern Comfort uses whiskey as its base presently, and when it was first created, this wasn't the case for much of its life. HuffPost reported in 2014 that the base of the drink was actually a neutral grain spirit, and had been for many previous decades. Naturally, this would further push the drink away from the whiskey category, even if it has maintained its unique flavor. However, owner Sazerac restored whiskey to its rightful place in Southern Comfort after purchasing the brand in 2016.

Even if it's whiskey-based, those who've sipped Southern Comfort know it can't always be substituted in many top bourbon cocktails . It may work well when drinks already have an element of sweetness or fruitiness, such as the blackberry bourbon smash, but others that are more spirit-forward (such as the Manhattan) or complex in flavor (such as the boulevardier) may struggle with the added flavor element.

There's no denying Southern Comfort has its place in the world of liquor, providing a unique flavor and even more unique brand identity, such as its hilarious "drinking pants." However, when you consider the ingredients and production, that place isn't among true whiskies.

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Read the original article on Mashed .