Howler Head Banana Infused Bourbon 750ML

Howler Head Banana Infused Bourbon 750ML is a banana-flavored Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey bottled at 40% ABV (80 proof) in a 750ml bottle. Wine Enthusiast awarded it 95 points and a "Best Buy" designation — the highest rating ever given to a flavored American whiskey — placing it in genuinely rare company for the category.

Quick Facts: ABV: 40%  |  Origin: Owensboro, Kentucky, USA  |  Minimum 2 Years Aged  |  Distillery: Green River Distilling Company

Production & Heritage

The base bourbon is distilled at Green River Distilling Company in Owensboro, Kentucky, one of the state's historic distilling operations. A traditional corn-based mash bill is distilled and aged for a minimum of two years in new American oak barrels toasted with an aggressive #4 "alligator" char — so named for the deep, cracked texture the intense heat leaves on the wood's interior. After aging, the straight bourbon is blended with all-natural banana flavoring and contains no added coloring, resulting in a brilliant golden amber spirit that retains visible bourbon character beneath its fruit-forward profile.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Ripe banana cream dominates the nose immediately, followed by supporting waves of caramel, vanilla custard, and toasted sugar. Underneath, light charred oak and a subtle warmth ground the sweetness and signal the bourbon base.

Taste: The entry is sweet and creamy, leading with banana bread and brown sugar across the front palate. At mid-palate, caramel and toffee notes develop alongside a touch of baking spice from the bourbon's grain character. A thin, slightly oily texture carries the flavors evenly without becoming cloying.

Finish: Surprisingly lengthy for a flavored bourbon, with lingering banana toffee and sugared spices that fade slowly. A gentle oak sweetness closes things out, providing just enough structure to remind you there is real aged whiskey at the core.

How to Drink Howler Head

Neat or over a large ice cube works well for appreciating the interplay between the banana flavoring and the bourbon's oak backbone — the cold tempers the sweetness and lets the spice come forward. Beyond sipping, Howler Head is a natural fit for cocktails: try it in a Banana Old Fashioned, where it replaces standard bourbon and eliminates the need for banana liqueur; in a Banana Foster Sour shaken with lemon juice and brown sugar syrup to balance the fruit sweetness with bright acidity; or in a Monkey Mule, a riff on the classic Moscow Mule using ginger beer and lime to create a refreshing highball with tropical depth.

Best For

• Introducing bourbon-curious drinkers who prefer sweeter, fruit-forward spirits
• Building a home cocktail bar focused on creative, flavor-driven drinks
• Casual gatherings where easy-drinking mixed drinks are the priority
• Gifting fans of novelty whiskeys who appreciate something outside the traditional mold

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Howler Head taste like? Howler Head leads with banana cream and banana bread sweetness, layered over caramel, toffee, and brown sugar, finishing with sugared spices and gentle oak from its Kentucky straight bourbon base.

How does Howler Head compare to Jim Beam Red Stag? Both are fruit-infused bourbons from established Kentucky distilling operations, but Howler Head uses banana flavoring while Red Stag features black cherry. Howler Head's 95-point Wine Enthusiast score and use of a minimum two-year-aged straight bourbon with #4 alligator char barrels give it a more robust whiskey backbone than many flavored competitors.

Is Howler Head good for cocktails? Howler Head excels in cocktails because its pronounced banana character does the flavor work that would otherwise require a separate banana liqueur, simplifying recipes like Old Fashioneds and sours while keeping the bourbon base intact.

Where is Howler Head made? Howler Head is produced using bourbon distilled at Green River Distilling Company in Owensboro, Kentucky, a city with deep roots in American whiskey production situated along the Ohio River.

What foods pair well with Howler Head? Dark chocolate truffles complement the banana and caramel notes naturally. Peanut butter desserts play off the toffee and brown sugar character. Vanilla bean ice cream creates a simple affogato-style pairing. Grilled pineapple echoes the tropical fruit profile, and pecan pie mirrors the toasted oak and sugared spice in the finish.

What sizes does Howler Head come in? The standard offering is a 750ml bottle, which is the most widely available format.

Is Howler Head worth the price? Howler Head positions as an accessible, entry-level flavored bourbon, and its 95-point Wine Enthusiast "Best Buy" designation specifically highlights strong value relative to quality — making it one of the most critically endorsed options in its price tier.

Why Howler Head?

No other flavored bourbon holds a 95-point Wine Enthusiast score, making Howler Head the critical benchmark for the entire category. Its base spirit is genuine Kentucky straight bourbon aged in #4 alligator char barrels — a production detail that delivers real oak complexity beneath the banana flavor. Additional recognition includes a Gold Medal at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and a Double Gold at the 2023 SIP Awards, confirming its standing across multiple respected judging panels. For anyone who has dismissed flavored whiskey as one-dimensional, Howler Head makes a credible argument that fruit infusion and bourbon craftsmanship can coexist.