Southern Comfort

Last updated

Southern Comfort
Southern comfort logo15.png
Southern Comfort
Type Liqueur
Manufacturer Sazerac Company
Country of origin  United States
Introduced1874
Proof (US) 100, 80, 70, 60, 42
Website southerncomfort.com

Southern Comfort (often abbreviated SoCo) is an American, naturally fruit-flavored, whiskey liqueur [1] with fruit and spice accents. [2] [3] [4] [5] The brand was created by bartender Martin Wilkes Heron in New Orleans in 1874, using whiskey as the base spirit. Whiskey was replaced by a neutral spirit under the ownership of Brown–Forman. On March 1, 2016, the Sazerac Company purchased it, and reintroduced whiskey as its base spirit.

Contents

History

A pre-2010 Southern Comfort bottle with its label showing an illustration of Louisiana's Woodland Plantation. The label was redesigned in 2010. Southern Comfort.jpg
A pre-2010 Southern Comfort bottle with its label showing an illustration of Louisiana's Woodland Plantation. The label was redesigned in 2010.

Southern Comfort was created by bartender Martin Wilkes Heron (1850–1920), the son of a boat-builder, in 1874 at McCauley's Tavern in the Lower Garden District, two miles (3 km) south of the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. [7] According to the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau, McCauley's Tavern was "just off Bourbon Street", and the original form of the drink was called Cuffs and Buttons. [8]

Heron moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1889, patented his creation, and began selling it in sealed bottles with the slogan "None Genuine But Mine" [8] and "Two per customer. No Gentleman would ask for more." Southern Comfort won the gold medal at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri.

In an episode of The Thirsty Traveler entitled "A River of Whiskey", spirits historian Chris Morris describes the original recipe of Southern Comfort. Heron began with good-quality bourbon and would add:

An inch [2.5 cm] of vanilla bean, about a quarter of a lemon, half of a cinnamon stick, four cloves, a few cherries, and an orange bit or two. He would let this soak for days. And right when he was ready to finish, he would add his sweetener: he liked to use honey. [9]

The original brand closed during Prohibition and was reopened afterward by Francis Fowler. [10]

Between the 1930s and 2010, the image on the label of Southern Comfort was A Home on the Mississippi , a rendering by Alfred Waud depicting Woodland Plantation, an antebellum mansion in West Pointe à la Hache, Louisiana, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and now provides bed-and-breakfast accommodation. In 2010 the plantation artwork was dropped from the label. [6]

Brown–Forman purchased the brand in 1979. In 2011, the brand began releasing flavored variations like cherry, lime, gingerbread, and Tabasco. [11] In January 2016 Brown–Forman sold it to Sazerac Company, along with Tuaca, as part of a $543.5 million deal. [12] Since March 1, 2016, the brand has been owned by Sazerac. [13] Sazerac announced that Southern Comfort's formula would be changed in 2017 to restore whiskey spirit as the base spirit, as the original formula used. Sometime before Brown–Forman purchased the brand, it had been reformulated to use neutral spirit, with only a negligible amount of whiskey as a flavorant. [5] To take advantage of the rising popularity of bourbon, Southern Comfort Black was introduced in early 2018 (with a slogan of "Smoky Spiced Smooth"), along with a ready-to-drink (RTD) product of "Comfort and Cola" (4-pack of 375 mL cans, 6% alcohol).

Varieties

In the United States, Southern Comfort is available as 42 US proof (21% ABV), 80 US proof (40% ABV), 100 US proof (50% ABV), and in Australia it is 60 US proof (30% ABV). Varieties including additional flavorings, such as lime and caramel, were introduced by Brown–Forman in the latter years of their ownership, but were discontinued by Sazerac. [5]

Eggnog products

Also seasonally available is Southern Comfort-branded eggnog. These currently include two variations of eggnog flavors, Traditional and Vanilla Spice. The Traditional flavor is usually available in one US qt (0.95 L) and one-half US gallon (1.9 L) sizes. These eggnog products contain no alcohol. [14] [15]

Previously, there were also ground coffees available with both of these eggnog flavorings, but the coffee products have since been discontinued.

In cocktails

Southern Comfort is used in the creation of numerous cocktails, including the Alabama Slammer.

ALABAMA SLAMMER 1 oz. Southern Comfort, ½ oz. sloe gin, 1 oz. amaretto, ½ oz. orange juice. Pour into highball glass over rocks. Stir.

One of the earliest Southern Comfort-based cocktails to be marketed was the Scarlett O'Hara, named after the character and concocted in tribute to the release of the film adaptation of Gone with the Wind in 1939. The mixture includes Southern Comfort, cranberry juice, and fresh lime. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bourbon whiskey</span> Type of American whiskey

Bourbon whiskey is a type of barrel-aged American whiskey made primarily from corn (maize). The name derives from the French House of Bourbon, although the precise source of inspiration is uncertain; contenders include Bourbon County, Kentucky, and Bourbon Street in New Orleans, both of which are named after the House of Bourbon. The name bourbon might not have been used until the 1850s, and the association with Bourbon County was not evident until the 1870s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smirnoff</span> Vodka brand founded in Russia

Smirnoff is a brand of vodka owned and produced by the British company Diageo. The Smirnoff brand began with a vodka distillery founded in Moscow by Pyotr Arsenievich Smirnov (1831–1898). It is distributed in 130 countries, and manufactured locally in some, as in Illinois in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rye whiskey</span> Distilled alcoholic beverage

Rye whiskey can refer to two different, but related, types of whiskey:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Daniel's</span> Whiskey brand

Jack Daniel's is a brand of Tennessee whiskey. It is produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee, by the Jack Daniel Distillery, which has been owned by the Brown–Forman Corporation since 1956.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eggnog</span> Sweetened dairy-based beverage

Eggnog, historically also known as a milk punch or an egg milk punch when alcoholic beverages are added, is a rich, chilled, sweetened, dairy-based beverage. It is traditionally made with milk, cream, sugar, egg yolks, and whipped egg whites. A distilled spirit such as brandy, rum, whiskey or bourbon is often a key ingredient.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Beam</span> Brand of bourbon whiskey

Jim Beam is an American brand of bourbon whiskey produced in Clermont, Kentucky, by Beam Suntory. It is one of the best-selling brands of bourbon in the world. Since 1795, seven generations of the Beam family have been involved in whiskey production for the company that produces the brand. The brand name became "Jim Beam" in 1943 in honor of James B. Beam, who rebuilt the business after Prohibition ended. Previously produced by the Beam family and later owned by the Fortune Brands holding company, the brand was purchased by Suntory Holdings in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuaca</span> Italian brandy liqueur

Tuaca is a Greek/Spanish naturally flavored brandy liqueur. Tuaca is a sweet golden brown blend of brandy, citrus essences, vanilla, and other secret spices. It is bottled at 35% ABV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown–Forman</span> American-owned spirit and wine producer and distributor

Brown–Forman Corporation is an American-based company, one of the largest in the spirits and wine business. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, it manufactures several very well known brands throughout the world, including Jack Daniel's, Old Forester, Woodford Reserve, GlenDronach, BenRiach, Glenglassaugh, Herradura, Korbel, and Chambord. Brown–Forman formerly owned Southern Comfort and Tuaca before selling them off in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knob Creek (bourbon)</span> American brand of bourbon whiskey

Knob Creek is an American brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey produced by Beam Suntory at the Jim Beam distillery in Clermont, Kentucky. It is one of the four Jim Beam small batch bourbon brands targeted for the high-end liquor market. Its siblings in the line are Booker's, Baker's, and Basil Hayden's.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Early Times</span> Kentucky whiskey produced by the Sazerac Company

Early Times is a brand of Kentucky whiskey produced by the Sazerac Company, one of the two largest spirits companies in the United States, which purchased the brand in mid-2020. Before the brand purchase, it was distilled in Shively, Kentucky, by the Brown-Forman Corporation, another of the largest North American-owned companies in the spirits and wine business.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American whiskey</span> Type of distilled liquor produced in the United States

American whiskey is whiskey produced in the United States. American whiskeys made from mashes with at least 51% of their named grains include bourbon whiskey, rye whiskey, rye malt whiskey, malt whiskey, wheat whiskey, Tennessee whiskey, and corn whiskey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1792 Bourbon</span> Kentucky straight Bourbon whiskey produced by the Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown, KY

1792 Bourbon, formerly known as Ridgewood Reserve 1792 and 1792 Ridgemont Reserve, is a Kentucky straight Bourbon whiskey produced since 2002 by the Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. The brand and distillery have been owned by the Sazerac Company since 2009. It is part of a line of small-batch bourbons aimed at the high-end liquor market. It is sold at 93.7 U.S. proof.

Firefly Distillery is a company located near Park Circle North Charleston, South Carolina, that produces a line of alcoholic beverages and licenses its brand name to the Sazerac Company for Firefly branded products produced elsewhere. Some Firefly branded products sold outside of South Carolina are actually produced in Kentucky by Sazerac rather than being produced by Firefly itself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Forester</span> The first bottled bourbon

Old Forester is a brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whisky produced by the Brown–Forman Corporation. It has been on the market continuously for longer than any other bourbon, and was the first bourbon sold exclusively in sealed bottles. It was first bottled and marketed in 1870 by the former pharmaceutical salesman turned bourbon-merchant George Garvin Brown – the founder of the Brown–Forman Corporation. During the Prohibition period from 1920 to 1933, Brown–Forman received one of only six licenses authorizing lawful production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McAfee's Benchmark</span> Brand of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

McAfee's Benchmark is a brand of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey produced by the Sazerac Company at its Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. The full name of the brand that appears on the bottle is "McAfee's Benchmark Old No. 8 Brand". The primary brand expression is an 80 U.S. proof bourbon aged "at least 36 months" according to its label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sazerac Company</span> Alcoholic drinks company based in New Orleans, US

Sazerac Company, Inc. is a privately held American alcoholic beverage company headquartered in Metairie in the metropolitan area of New Orleans, Louisiana, but with its principal office in Louisville, Kentucky. The company is owned by billionaire William Goldring and his family. As of 2017, it operated nine distilleries, had 2,000 employees, and operated in 112 countries. It is one of the two largest spirits companies in the United States, with annual revenue of about $1 billion made from selling about 300 beverage brands.

Straight whiskey, as defined in United States law, is whiskey that is distilled from a fermented cereal grain mash to a concentration not exceeding 80% alcohol by volume (abv) and aged in new charred oak barrels for at least two years at a concentration not exceeding 62.5% at the start of the aging process. Domestic sales of straight whiskey surpassed 27 million 9-liter cases in 2021.

Benjamin Prichard's Tennessee Whiskey is a brand of Tennessee whiskey produced in the small community of Kelso, Tennessee in the United States. Although it is produced by one of only two distilleries operating in Lincoln County – and its unaged variation is named Lincoln County Lightning – Prichard's is not produced using the Lincoln County Process. Due to a special grandfathering exemption under a Tennessee law enacted in 2013, the Prichard's distillery in Kelso is the only producer allowed to label its product as "Tennessee Whiskey" without using this process. Prichard's whiskey is produced entirely using pot stills rather than column stills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fireball Cinnamon Whisky</span> Cinnamon-flavoured whisky-based liqueur

Fireball Cinnamon Whisky is a mixture of Canadian whisky, cinnamon flavoring and sweeteners that is produced by the Sazerac Company. Its foundation is Canadian whisky, and the taste otherwise resembles the candy with a similar name, Ferrara Candy Company's "Atomic Fireball" candy. It is bottled at 33% alcohol by volume.

References

  1. ↑ "WTF Is Southern Comfort, Anyway?". HuffPost. October 10, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  2. ↑ Stephens, Caleb (August 12, 2018). "Here are the top 20 best-selling whiskey brands in America". Orlando Business Journal. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  3. ↑ "The Spirit of New Orleans". Southern Comfort. September 19, 2019.
  4. ↑ Regan, Gary (June 24, 2011). "Cut the fog with a well-balanced cocktail". The San Francisco Chronicle.
  5. 1 2 3 Simonson, Robert (May 8, 2017). "Surprise! Southern Comfort Has No Whiskey. But Soon It Will". The New York Times . Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Before & After: Southern Comfort Rebranding", The Dieline, May 19, 2010.
  7. ↑ "New Orleans Restaurants & Cuisine: Southern Comfort" . Retrieved March 16, 2012.
  8. 1 2 "Our Local Products" . Retrieved March 16, 2012.
  9. ↑ Kevin Brauch. "A River of Whiskey". The Thirsty Traveler. Season 4. Episode 402. Fine Living. Archived from the original on January 16, 2010.
  10. ↑ "When the World Came to Westwood: The Fowler Museum at 50". UCLA Magazine. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  11. ↑ McKirdy, words: Tim (October 19, 2018). "Seven Things You Should Know About Southern Comfort". VinePair. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Southern Comfort brand sold for $543m". Telegraph.co.uk. January 14, 2016.
  13. ↑ "The Sazerac Company Completes Purchase of Southern Comfort". BevNET.com. March 2016.
  14. ↑ Mason, Ashley (December 20, 2016). "The Great Eggnog Taste Test That Almost Killed Us". Bon Appétit .
  15. ↑ Southern Comfort Product Listings 2019 Walmart. Retrieved November 28, 2019, from https://archive.today/20191127191243/https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=southern%20comfort.
  16. ↑ "History of Southern Comfort". CocktailTimes.com. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.