The Worst Cinnamon Whiskey Brand To Buy At The Liquor Store

Even if you're not a whiskey connoisseur, the odds are good that you've downed a couple of shots of Fireball with your friends before. As the most popular cinnamon "whiskey" brand (it actually isn't a whiskey at all), Fireball Cinnamon Whisky is what most people have in mind when it comes to this class of drinks. But there are actually loads of major distilleries that have cashed in on the hot cinnamon flavor as well. Take Jack Daniel's and Jim Beam as examples — both are in the race with their own Fireball-like offerings. Though if you're on the market for a proper bottle of cinnamon whiskey, there's one brand you shouldn't bother trying at all: Sinfire.

We have good reasons: in an extensive blind taste test of 13 different brands, the Sinfire Cinnamon Whisky from Oregon's Hood River Distillers fell the flattest. Rather than having an inviting cinnamon aroma, Sinfire's nose was sharp and pungent right off the bat. In fact, our tester couldn't find a trace of cinnamon smell at all — the bottling was nearly pure alcohol on the nose — "I'd compare [it] to Everclear", wrote our tester.

Fortunately, the cinnamon flavor does come through when sipped, but it's accompanied by an off-putting bitterness that overstays its welcome. Chilling the spirit helps a bit, but not so much that it overturns our verdict that Sinfire is a tough drink to pick up. There are far better options out there to warm you up at its price point.

If you're looking for a cinnamon whiskey that will truly fire up your taste buds in all the right ways, it's better to splurge a bit and skip the bottom shelves. Our top pick is Hot Cinnamon from Kentucky's Bird Dog Whiskey. This award-winner delivers the perfect balance of red-hot spice and complexity in its bottling. Let the drink air a bit and nose it — you'll find a bouquet of fragrances ranging from brown sugar and vanilla to baking spices, and even a subtle, juicy apple note mingling with the cinnamon heat.

For a spicier kick that doesn't abandon the whiskey, reach for Cinerator Hot Cinnamon Whiskey from Heaven Hill. Other than the spice, this surprisingly cheap bottling from the legendary distiller is 91.1 proof. This equates to an intense (but satisfying) burn that's meant to be enjoyed more slowly than the usual dram. And if you're a straight-arrowed whiskey drinker curious about the spiced side, Breckenridge Spiced Whiskey might be right up your alley. The 82-proof bourbon base is infused with "whole roots and winter spices" for a drink that, while spice-scented and cinnamon-flavored, still keeps one foot firmly planted in its whiskey heritage.

Any one of these sippers will do a far better job at being a spice-laced drink for the money than Sinfire. Even though cinnamon whiskeys aren't usually known for being luxed drinks like single malts or single barrels, you really don't have to settle for less.