What Is Bourbon Water? Sometimes a New Idea Takes a Minute.

When we first started talking about Bourbon Water, we knew we were introducing something people hadn’t seen before.

And when you introduce something new, people naturally try to put it into a category they already understand.

Is it a canned cocktail?

Is it a bourbon seltzer?

Is it supposed to replace bourbon?

The answer is simpler than all of that.

It’s Bourbon Water.

Real straight bourbon whiskey. Water. A carefully formulated finished product designed to deliver the character of bourbon with less of the burn in a convenient, ready-to-enjoy format.

The Idea Started With a Glass of Bourbon

Bourbon drinkers have been adding water to whiskey for generations.

A little water can soften the alcohol intensity and allow different aromas and flavors to come forward. That simple experience was the inspiration behind Bourbon Water.

I loved what happened when bourbon met water, and I kept coming back to one question…

Why doesn’t this already exist in a can?

Not another sugary cocktail. Not a malt beverage made to taste like bourbon. Not a seltzer. And not something trying to disguise what it is.

A simple concept built around real bourbon.

That question eventually became Bourbon Water™.

New Ideas Don’t Always Fit Into Old Boxes

One of the most interesting parts of bringing Bourbon Water to market has been watching people’s reactions.

We’ve had tremendous support from people throughout the spirits industry who immediately saw the potential.

We’ve also encountered skepticism… including from some professionals in the industry.

And I’ve learned something from that.

Expertise is incredibly valuable. But expertise can also make it tempting to evaluate every new idea according to the categories, products and consumer behaviors that already exist.

Bourbon Water wasn’t created to perfectly fit one of those existing boxes.

That’s the point.

There have been moments when someone has focused on what they would have done differently, or tried to compare Bourbon Water to a product it was never intended to be.

I listen. I learn. And I respect that this product won’t be for everyone.

But I also believe innovation requires enough curiosity to ask:

What if consumers understand something before the industry has decided where to put it?

So We Let People Taste It

At some point, theories don’t matter nearly as much as what happens when somebody cracks open the can.

That’s been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.

The reviews coming in from people actually trying Bourbon Water have been overwhelmingly positive.

People have talked about how smooth it is.

They’ve picked up on the bourbon character.

They’ve found ways to enjoy it that we hadn’t even imagined… from drinking it cold to using Bourbon Water ice cubes in an Old Fashioned.

And perhaps most importantly, people are beginning to understand the concept once they experience it.

That matters more to me than fitting neatly into somebody else’s definition of what an RTD is supposed to be.

We’re Still Learning, Too

We’re an emerging brand. We’re listening to consumers. We’re learning what resonates and what needs more explanation.

And we’re already exploring where Bourbon Water can go next.

But the original idea hasn’t changed:

Take the experience of bourbon and water and make it more approachable, convenient and sessionable… without losing the bourbon.

Will everyone love it?

Of course not.

No great spirits brand is for everyone.

But something doesn’t have to make sense to everyone on day one to deserve a place on the shelf.

Sometimes a new category starts with somebody asking a very simple question:

Why not?

And then being stubborn enough to find out.

Welcome to Bourbon Water™.

The New Way to Sip a Classic.