FOOD NEWS
The Name Fireball Whisky Used To Have
By Aimee Lamoureux
By the 2000s, Fireball Whisky was so popular that it became the best-selling liqueur in the U.S. While the beverage's name now is synonymous with cinnamon whisky itself, it used to be called something else entirely.
Fireball Whisky was originally released under the rather wordy name: Dr. McGillicuddy's Fireball Cinnamon Whisky. Fireball shortened its name in 2007, a marketing decision that led sales to grow a whopping 3,600 percent from ‘10 to ‘16. However, even using whisky in the name is a bit misleading.
While Fireball is still commonly referred to as a whiskey, it doesn’t officially meet the requirement of containing at least 40 percent alcohol by volume. With an ABV of 33%, Fireball should technically be classified as a liqueur — which is a spirit that has flavor and spices added and has a lower alcohol content than liquor.