BALLOTIN CHOCOLATE WHISKEY and a Chat with Founder and President Paul Tuell

The first of its kind, Ballotin Chocolate Whiskey was founded in 2015 in Louisville, Kentucky with a single focus to create elegant and delicious sipping whiskeys designed for flavor-craving friends. The result is an approachable whiskey that tastes like an expression of your favorite chocolate indulgences. It is available in eight flavors that include Original Chocolate, Bourbon Ball, Caramel Turtle, Chocolate Mint, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Chocolate Mocha, Chocolate Cherry, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream. All of Ballotin's spirits combine the backbone, body, and base flavor of aged American whiskey with all-natural essences of classic and contemporary chocolate favorites.

Ballotin Chocolate Whiskey is the ideal nightcap to enjoy neat, on the rocks, or as a surprising twist in your favorite cocktail. For a delicious take on a whiskey classic, here's a recipe for you to mix a "Ballotin Chocolate Old Fashioned." Simply combine 1½ oz of Ballotin Original Chocolate Whiskey with ¾ oz of bourbon. In a rocks glass, muddle an orange slice and a cherry with a dash of bitters. Pour in the Ballotin Chocolate Whiskey and bourbon then fill with ice. This is a cocktail that is guaranteed to wow!

We had the opportunity to interview Paul Tuell, founder and president of Ballotin Chocolate and gain some interesting insights.

What are the responses that you get from consumers about your whiskeys?

My wife Lisa and I have done hundreds of tastings, events, festivals (pre-Covid!), and the response has been consistent - and overwhelmingly positive. I find that folks are genuinely surprised at the balance and integrity of the flavors. Our Ballotin expressions truly taste like a whiskey version of your favorite chocolate indulgences. The two surprise & delight responses we get virtually every time are, that's "fun", and that's "dangerous" - with a wink. Ballotin's brand messaging platform is built exactly on that "Wow, that is dangerous!" cheeky consumer response to tasting Ballotin for the first time. The "Dangerously Good" campaign is a play on that sorry-not-sorry idea of let's say, adults jumping on a trampoline. It's not really dangerous, but it is fun. And it's good. It's Dangerously Good.

The other thing about consumer response is that when "a bourbon guy" tries Ballotin, they almost always love it. Ballotin may not replace your bourbon on the rocks, but even if you are an avowed whiskey aficionado, there is room in your spirits portfolio for Ballotin. On the other hand, if you are not a whiskey drinker, Ballotin is a fantastic way to begin to explore that category in a way that is approachable, yet credible. Ballotin has the backbone and structure of barrel-aged whiskey, and all the flavors are pulled from the beautiful taste spectrum that bourbons and whiskies present. A lovely combination of whiskey and flavor. We have a mantra that we hold dear, "Drink What You Love." Forget all the trends. Chocolate is a thing. Whiskey is a thing. Enjoy.

We like your cocktail recipes! Do you have a team that has created them?

Nobody goes it alone, we know that, but Lisa and I have, and continue, to run a pretty lean operation. I have done virtually all of the recipe development for Ballotin myself. It's in my blood! My long career history is in the beverage alcohol business...25 years with Brown-Forman, the company that owns Jack Daniels, Woodford Reserve...and at one time, Southern Comfort, which I managed in the US for a number of years (along with Finlandia Vodka). I have been in the mixology space - in the bars and restaurants - for a long time. I love to cook as well, so I am very comfortable with flavors, layers, combinations... and I trust the creative process.

The beautiful thing about Ballotin too, though, is that in addition to cocktailing-up nicely, it is such a delicious open & pour solution. Perfect for today's at-home consumption trends.

Do you have any plans for the future of the company?

We are less a company and more a movement. At the core of it all, we created a brand that we wanted to drink. That's it. That is our origin story. That is our currency. The thing we wanted to drink, and importantly, what did not exist at the time is a beautifully balanced whiskey and chocolate experience. Lovely, honest, convincing flavor delivery coupled with real whiskey bones. Great authors write books they would like to read. Artists paint and sculpt works that move them. Lisa and I created something that we would love; something we do love. We are inviting people to join us in doing what they love. Do what you love. Drink what you love. Ballotin Chocolate Whiskey is an amalgamation of our own character and intent that was projected through the creation of Ballotin. Present in that origin story are inclusion, hospitality, generosity, care & compassion, empowerment, love, access... all important parts of our own desired character and personality that are expressed through Ballotin as well.

Our only plan is to keep bringing Ballotin Chocolate Whiskey to delighted consumers and friends.

For more information on Ballotin Chocolate Whiskey, to learn about their varieties, additional recipes, and where to buy, please visit https://ballotinwhiskey.com/.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ballotin

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