The bottle
Elvis Whiskey Midnight Snack, $34.99
Back story
It's time to toast the King on his birthday with a unique whiskey glass created in his honour.
If he were still with us, Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, would have turned 89 next Monday. But although Elvis has long since left the building, he lives on through a range of different institutions — most notably his estate at Graceland, which remains a popular tourist attraction in Tennessee.
And now, there's an Elvis spirit inspired by his favorite late-night snack.
Grain & Barrel Spirits, a spirits company based in Charleston, South Carolina, launched Midnight Snack last year — a flavored whiskey that honors Elvis' love of a good peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwich. Will Woodington, the company's brand ambassador, told MarketWatch that the Presley family approached Grain & Barrel about a whiskey project a few years ago, which led to the launch of both Elvis-themed rye and Tennessee whiskeys. Initially, the idea was to sell them only at Graceland, but they proved so popular that the liquor company took them to the broader retail market.
Knowing that the flavored whiskey category was hot — global sales for the category are expected to rise from $27.9 billion in 2022 to $47.1 billion in 2030 — the next logical step was for Grain & Barrel to go that route with its Elvis Whiskey line. . The idea came up with peanut butter, bananas and bacon.
“We envisioned that if we could implement this combination into a flavored whiskey form, we would have one of the most delicious and unique products on the market,” Woodington said.
Woodington added that there's some chemistry involved in crafting this sandwich-inspired whisky. To create the Midnight Snack, the company starts with a base of Tennessee whiskey and then layers in artificial peanut butter, banana and bacon flavors.
Grain & Spirits said there has been a strong response so far to the whisky. We reached out to those responsible for Presley's estate to see if they had any comment, but did not receive an immediate response.
What we think about
I've eaten the classic Elvis sandwich on occasion and written about it, too. Sure, it has a great vibe, but the sweet, salty, and creamy combination makes for delicious snacks (midnight or otherwise). The whiskey version doesn't quite replicate this flavor, but it's an entertaining sip on its own terms.
You'll get a lot of banana flavor — Woodington likens it to banana pudding, specifically. But there's a hint of peanut butter and even a smaller hint of bacon on the back end.
Serious whiskey drinkers obviously avoid this sort of thing, but Midnight Snack is more likely to suit those who like sweetness with their spirits. Needless to say, there is a lot of new appeal in this for Elvis fans.
How to enjoy it
It's pretty much a cocktail in a bottle, so I would just add ice and drink it like any other mixed drink. But Grain and Barrel also suggests you try it in an Old Fashioned cocktail.
