Alright, so I kept seeing this Howler Head stuff popping up. You know, the whiskey with the monkey on the bottle, tied up with Dana White and the UFC. Curiosity got the better of me, plain and simple. Figured I had to see what the fuss was about, so I went out and grabbed a bottle.
Got it home, took a look at the bottle. Pretty standard shape, but that label definitely stands out. Bright yellow, monkey screaming. Can’t miss it on the shelf, that’s for sure. Wasn’t expecting some high-end art piece, just whiskey, right?
Cracking it Open
So, I twisted the cap off. First thing that hit me was the smell. Wow, banana. Like, really strong banana smell. Not like fake candy banana, more like banana bread or maybe those dried banana chips. Underneath that, there was a hint of whiskey smell, you know, that oaky, caramelly thing, but the banana was definitely front and center.
Poured a bit into a regular rocks glass. Nothing fancy, just a glass. Swirled it around a little. Looked like whiskey, golden amber color. Okay, moment of truth.
The Tasting Part
Took a sip. First impression? Sweet. Very sweet. And yup, that banana flavor comes through big time, just like the smell suggested. It’s like banana liqueur mixed with bourbon. It wasn’t harsh, pretty smooth going down, not much burn which I guess is good for some folks.
- Initial taste: Sweet banana, vanilla hints.
- Mid-palate: More banana, some caramel, a little oak maybe?
- Finish: Banana lingers, sweetness stays. Not much traditional whiskey bite.
Drank the first bit neat. It was… okay. A bit too sweet for me to just sip on its own, felt more like a dessert drink. The banana is just overwhelming if you’re expecting a straight bourbon experience. It completely dominates.
So, I thought, maybe it’s better with ice or mixed? Threw a couple of ice cubes in. That helped a bit, toned down the sweetness slightly, made it a bit more refreshing. Still very banana-forward though. Then I tried mixing it with some cola, just a simple whiskey and coke. Honestly? That worked better for me. The cola balanced the sweetness and the banana flavor actually kinda worked with it, like a weird tropical twist on a classic mix.
Final Thoughts
Look, here’s the deal. If you’re a hardcore bourbon drinker looking for complex oak and spice notes, this ain’t it. Not even close. You’ll probably hate it. It’s a flavored whiskey, heavy on the flavor.
But… if you like sweet drinks, or maybe you’re new to whiskey and find the regular stuff too harsh? Or you want something different for a cocktail? Then maybe Howler Head is worth a try. It does exactly what it says on the tin: delivers a big punch of banana flavor with a whiskey base. It’s smooth, easy to drink, especially mixed. I wouldn’t keep it as my go-to sipper, but mixing it with coke wasn’t bad. Probably won’t rush out to buy another bottle immediately, but I can see why some people might dig it, especially for parties or as a mixer. It’s definitely memorable, I’ll give it that.
