Calling all chocolate lovers! 8-Ball Whiskey is one of the nation’s newest and fastest-growing whiskey brands, and the first premium American all-natural chocolate-infused bourbon whiskey. The versatility of 8-Ball Whiskey is impressive. It can be enjoyed all year round as a shot, chilled, or a mixed cocktail. The combination of both chocolate and whiskey will enrich this holiday season; whether enjoyed at a holiday party or a movie marathon on the couch, 8-Ball’s chocolate-flavored whiskey will undoubtedly keep consumers cozy all season long.
Heady Times met virtually with Founder and CEO of WolfPack Fine Wine and Craft Spirits, Paul Favale, to discuss 8-Ball Premium Chocolate Whiskey.
Heady Times (HT): What makes 8-Ball stand out amongst its competitors, such as Fireball and Screwball?
Paul Favale (PF): 8-Ball is the first chocolate-infused whiskey in America, and it’s made with 100% all-natural ingredients. Due to the recipe’s delicate organic chemistry, 8-Ball has the right blend of ingredients to create a product that’s very chocolate forward, with subtle hints of spices that do not separate or cloud the liquid. Some say flavored spirits can lead to one note overpowering the rest, but 8-ball has just the right balance.
HT: How has COVID-19 impacted 8-Ball distribution?
PF: The challenge COVID-19 presented is a case of liquid-to-lips, meaning if consumers try the product, they love it. When consumers are walking into their local liquor store, they typically gravitate towards their usual go-to. No one would even consider looking for a chocolate-flavored whiskey. We haven’t been able to execute in-store tastings, and mixologists can’t do their job with on-premise closures. With all these numerous challenges, we had to shift our focus to educating retailers to get the product on the shelf. With the on-premise reopening, we can now turn our attention to getting consumers to taste the product.
HT: With the holiday season quickly approaching, do you think consumers will be driven to try 8-Ball?
PF: Absolutely. Whether it’s Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, or any holiday for that matter, one thing they all have in common; they’re all celebrated with chocolate. We did focus groups on flavor profiles, and chocolate is the most popular flavor globally. I believe the combination of the two will be a big winner this holiday season both on and off-premise.
About Kramer Beverage
Kramer Beverage is South Jersey’s largest beer wholesaler, owned and operated by four generations of the Kramer family since 1924. Kramer Beverage is based out of Hammonton, Atlantic County, and services eight counties in southern New Jersey with top brands from MillerCoors, Constellation, Yuengling, Boston Beer, Heineken USA, Pabst, Diageo, FIFCO, and more. Kramer Beverage also distributes a wide variety of craft beers, from suppliers such as New Belgium and Sierra Nevada, to local favorites including Flying Fish, Double Nickel, Evil Genius, Glasstown, Sly Fox, 2SP, and Dogfish Head. For more information on Kramer Beverage, please visit www.kramerbev.com.