I’ve seen a lot of whiskey bottles in my time, but I’ve never seen anything quite like the new offering from Early Times called Early Times Fire Eater. With a red and white striped bottle reminiscent of an old carnival tent, Early Times Fire Eater beckons the brave to taste the whiskey within. The bottle is really a fun and creative way to present this cinnamon-flavored spirit.

“With Early Times Fire Eater, we wanted to deliver a level of curiosity and fun while ensuring the taste that consumers have come to expect from Early Times,” says Therese McGuire, brand manager for Early Times. “One look at a bottle of Early Times Fire Eater, and you’re back to a time when carnivals would travel the country, bringing astonishing acts of entertainment to the community.”

While a number of spirits try to present themselves as fun and lighthearted, Early Times Fire Eater has found a unique niche and an original way to present this new offering. “Building on the theme of curiosity, vivid carnival imagery and language are used on the packaging for the Early Times Fire Eater,” says McGuire. “A silhouette of a carnival barker with an uplifted cane invites on to ‘step right up’ while the side panel warns ‘it is not of the timid’ for a lighthearted approach to this exciting product.”

So just what is Fire Eater? Early Times has taken the taste of Early Times whiskey and added a cinnamon liqueur to create a fun, party spirit. At 66 proof and around $16 a bottle, Early Times Fire Eater is an affordable spirit to have on hand for parties and barbecues. The easiest spirit to compare to Fire Eater to is Fireball Cinnamon whiskey. When I compared the two side-by-side, there was no comparison. Early Times Fire Eater was the hands down winner in flavor and in smoothness.

Early Times Fire Eater has an interesting bouquet with dominant notes of cinnamon and brown sugar, while just a hint of Early Times whiskey can be detected underneath. What is nice about Fire Eater is that it’s a spirit that can be enjoyed by both whiskey drinkers and the non-whiskey crowd because the whiskey isn’t too dominant. On the palate, Fire Eater offers more cinnamon and brown sugar with just a bit of the classic vanilla and caramel notes of Early Times before a hot cinnamon note kicks in on the tongue. As the cinnamon dissipates, a final note of Early Times whiskey appears before gliding off of the palate.

Early Times Fire Eater does what it is meant to do. It doesn’t take itself too seriously. You won’t be putting Fire Eater in your good glassware to savor every nuance of this spirit; instead, Fire Eater will get the party started with your friends, and the whiskey is a tasty, fun, and affordable cinnamon spirit. I really enjoyed Fire Eater for what it is, and it’s a great extension of the Early Times brand.

Disclosure: I received a sample of this product from Brown Forman for review. No other compensation from Brown Forman was received.