Evan Williams Honey Reserve Kentucky Liqueur, a new product that marries extra-aged Evan Williams Bourbon with real, natural honey will be shipping to select markets across the country in September at an average retail price of $14.99 for the 750ml bottle.

Evan Williams Honey Reserve takes advantage of several established trends in the distilled spirits industry in general and the American straight whiskey category in particular.

• First is the ongoing success of flavored spirits, whose growth is more than double that of unflavored spirits;
• second is the continued popularity of Bourbon,  especially Evan Williams which showed a double digit sales percentage increase in 2008;
• third the growth of mid-tier products, with ultra-premium brands down 2.5% and brands perceived as a better value up 5.4% year-to-date.

By combining Evan Williams extra-aged Bourbon, the second largest selling Bourbon brand in the United States and the world and a “Best Buy Whiskey of the Year” winner, with all-natural pure honey, Evan Williams Honey Reserve is the right product at the right time.

Bottled at 70 proof and available in both a 750ml and 50ml size, Evan Williams Honey Reserve is in the highly-recognizable square Evan Williams bottle, with a clear label carrying a striking and stylized rendition of a honey bee and a black and yellow capsule closure.

Evan Williams Honey Reserve draws on the equity of the Evan Williams brand franchise, but with a contemporary flair.  At an approachable 70 proof, and with the addition of pure honey that gives it a sweet, easy-to-drink Bourbon flavor, Evan Williams Honey Reserve lives up to its tagline of “All Flavor.  No Sting.”

“We have seen remarkable success with Evan Williams Black Label and Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage Bourbons,”   “Given the strength of the Evan Williams brand franchise and the on-going success of the flavored spirits sub-category, we believe it is the perfect time in which to launch Evan Williams Honey Reserve.  And with a very approachable price point and a full range of retail and on-premise marketing materials available, we are expecting this to fly off the shelves.”

said Heaven Hill brand manager Susan Wahl.