Stella Rosa Whiskey - Italian Peach & Fruit Flavored Bourbon Reviews

An Introduction to Stella Rosa Whiskey

Stella Rosa whiskey is a relatively new brand of whiskey that has been gaining popularity in recent years. Stella Rosa is an Italian whiskey brand that specializes in making whiskeys with distinct fruit flavors. Their most popular whiskey is the Stella Rosa Black, which has rich honey and peach flavors. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Stella Rosa whiskey and provide an overview of their key products.

The History of Stella Rosa

The Stella Rosa distillery was founded in Italy in 2008 by the Riboli family, who have been making wine and spirits for four generations. The founder, Enore Riboli, set out to make a new style of whiskey that was smoother and more approachable than traditional bourbon or rye whiskeys. Riboli wanted to create a whiskey that new drinkers would enjoy, with a focus on fruit-forward flavors.

The first Stella Rosa whiskey introduced was Stella Rosa Black in 2013. It's made using a blend of bourbon and peaches, giving it a distinctive sweet and fruity taste. This was followed by the launch of other fruit-infused Stella Rosa whiskeys including Rosso (Cherry), Limoncello (Lemon), and Peach.

Stella Rosa’s Signature Peach Whiskeys

The most popular Stella Rosa whiskeys are the ones infused with peach flavors. Their peach whiskeys include:

• Stella Rosa Black - A blend of bourbon whiskey and natural flavors of juicy, ripe peaches. It has aromas of vanilla and roasted nuts with a sweet, smooth peach taste.
• Stella Rosa Peach - A lighter, fresher version of the Black. It's infused with peach puree that gives it intense peach aromas and a lighter, fruitier flavor.
• Stella Rosa Honey Peach - Bourbon blended with the flavors of honey and peaches. It has a very sweet, rich taste with pronounced honey and peach notes.

The peach flavors complement the smoothness of the bourbon whiskey, while adding fragrant fruit notes. Stella Rosa’s peach whiskeys have a much softer and approachable flavor profile compared to traditional American bourbon whiskeys.

Other Popular Stella Rosa Flavors

In addition to their peach whiskeys, Stella Rosa has expanded their fruit-flavored whiskey range with these flavors:

• Stella Rosa Rosso - Infused with natural cherry flavor and aromas. It has a bright, tart cherry taste.
• Stella Rosa Limoncello - Made with real lemons. It has fresh lemon zest and sweet citrus flavors.
• Stella Rosa Plum - Blend of bourbon and plum flavors. It has a rich, jammy plum taste.

The fruit flavors in Stella Rosa whiskeys are created using natural juices, purees, and essences. The fruit is incorporated into American bourbon to create the smooth, flavored profile that the brand has become known for.

How Stella Rosa Whiskey is Made

Stella Rosa whiskeys start with a base of 4-year old Kentucky bourbon. The bourbon provides the underlying notes of vanilla, caramel, and oak. To this, natural fruit flavors are added along with additional distillates.

Each fruit flavor is created separately before blending. For example, for the peach flavors, fresh peach puree is fermented and distilled to capture the aromas and tastes. This peach distillate is then blended with the bourbon and other whiskeys in select proportions.

The resulting blend has a much softer finish compared to regular bourbon or rye whiskey. Stella Rosa uses a proprietary cold blending process that preserves the fresh fruit flavors.

Tasting Notes and Reviews

Here are some tasting notes and reviews for Stella Rosa's popular peach whiskey offerings:

Stella Rosa Black

“Rich aromas of vanilla, roasted almond, and juicy peach. The flavor is incredibly smooth and sweet upfront with peachy fruitiness overtaking the spiciness of the bourbon. The finish is mild with lingering stone fruit and honey notes.”

Stella Rosa Peach

“Bright peach aromas that smell just like fresh peach puree. The palate has intense peach flavor but is lighter bodied than the Stella Rosa Black. Nice sweetness balanced with fresh peach tartness and a clean, fruity finish.”

Stella Rosa Honey Peach

“Pronounced aromas of ripe peach, honey, and vanilla. The flavor profile is very sweet and rich with loads of honey and peach jam flavors. It tastes like juicy peach candy with a nice bourbon backbone and a lingering honeyed finish.”

The consensus among reviews is that Stella Rosa's peach whiskeys deliver on bringing forward delicious fruit flavors. They have a very pleasant, smooth drinking experience compared to drier, spicier bourbon whiskeys. The addition of peach makes these approachable even for new whiskey drinkers.

Cocktails and Mixes with Stella Rosa Whiskey

Here are some recommended cocktails and drink ideas using Stella Rosa's fruit-flavored whiskeys:

Peach Old Fashioned

A simple riff on a whiskey classic using Stella Rosa Peach instead of plain bourbon. The peach flavor pairs perfectly with hints of sugar and bitters.

Stella Rosa Spritz

Stella Rosa Black or Peach are delicious mixed with sparkling wine and club soda for a light, fruity spritz.

Plum Madras

Mix Stella Rosa Plum with cranberry juice and orange juice for a fresh twist on a Madras cocktail.

Stella Rosé

Blend Stella Rosa Rosso with dry rosé wine and lemonade for a punchy cherry rosé cocktail.

Peach Cobbler

Shake Stella Rosa Peach with cinnamon, lemon juice, and apple cider for a sweet peach cobbler-inspired drink.

The fruit flavors and smoothness of Stella Rosa whiskeys make them very mixable. They work well in both simple two or three ingredient drinks as well as more complex cocktails.

Where to Buy Stella Rosa Whiskey

Stella Rosa whiskeys are widely distributed in the United States and available at major liquor retailers including:

• Total Wine & More
• BevMo!
• Binny's Beverage Depot
• ABC Fine Wine & Spirits

Stella Rosa whiskeys can also be ordered online through sites like Drizly, ReserveBar, and Flaviar for home delivery in many states.

The Stella Rosa brand has grown quickly and their flavored whiskeys are now sold in over 30 countries globally. Their Italian-inspired, fruit-flavored whiskeys have found universal appeal around the world.

Price Range

Stella Rosa whiskeys are competitively priced with bourbons. Their peach infused bottles generally retail between $20 to $30 USD for a 750ml bottle. This makes them an approachable flavored whiskey option at an affordable price point.

In Conclusion

For whiskey drinkers looking for something smoother and fruitier, Stella Rosa's Italian-made flavored whiskeys offer an appealing option. Their peach infused bourbon whiskeys like Stella Rosa Black, Peach, and Honey Peach are especially popular. The addition of ripe peach flavors helps soften the bite of bourbon, making for a gentle, sweet whiskey experience.

Beyond their signature peaches, Stella Rosa has expanded their fruit-flavored range with cherry, lemon, plum and more. Their use of natural fruit purees and cold-blending process gives these whiskeys authentic fruit taste. So for an easy-drinking, fruit-forward change of pace from your usual whiskey, give Stella Rosa a taste.

FAQs

What types of whiskey does Stella Rosa make?

Stella Rosa specializes in fruit-flavored whiskeys. Their most popular expressions are their peach whiskies including Stella Rosa Black, Stella Rosa Peach, and Stella Rosa Honey Peach. They also make cherry, lemon, plum, and other fruit-infused whiskeys.

Where is Stella Rosa whiskey made?

Stella Rosa is produced by the Riboli Family of Spirits at their distillery in Italy. It is an Italian brand of whiskey even though they use a bourbon whiskey base.

What flavors are in Stella Rosa Black?

Stella Rosa Black features a blend of bourbon whiskey and natural peach and honey flavors. It is known for its rich taste with notes of vanilla, roasted nuts, and juicy peaches.

Does Stella Rosa whiskey have added sugar?

No, Stella Rosa whiskeys do not contain any added sugars or sweeteners. The fruit flavors come from natural fruit purees and essences.

What is the alcohol percentage of Stella Rosa?

Stella Rosa whiskies are typically around 30% alcohol by volume or 60 proof, similar to standard bourbon whiskeys.