Fireball Dragon Reserve Review

Fireball Dragon Reserve
66 Proof
MSRP ~$25 (average price)
Review

Please enjoy our Fireball Dragon Reserve review!

“Cinnamon whisky rested with charred oak for a fiery smoothness”

Fireball Dragon Reserve Was First Released in 2023

This special version of Fireball was first released for Father’s Day 2023. At the time, there was only a very limited amount produced. In fact, the initial release consisted of only 618 bottles. However, that number of bottles was not arrived at by chance; it was in honor of the date of Father’s Day that year, which was June 18 (6/18). At that time, it had an MSRP of $19.99.

Recently, Fireball Dragon Reserve has reappeared in stores. It apparently has greater availability this time around, albeit at a higher price. Surprisingly, there was no announcement about this second release; the bottles just began appearing. So, it is unclear if this is once again a limited release, just for Father’s Day, or if it is now becoming a permanent addition to the Fireball line. I guess we shall see.

So, What Exactly is Fireball Dragon Reserve?

Well, unfortunately, few specifics are given about Fireball products. Indeed, that is modus operandi of Fireball’s parent company, Sazerac, so this comes as no surprise. What we do know, is that the whisky in Fireball is Canadian. That’s why it says on the label “Fireball Whisky” instead of “Fireball Whiskey”. In Canada, Whiskey is generally spelled without the “e”, whereas in the United States, it is spelled with the “e”. But, I digress. Nonetheless, we do not know the exact source of this whisky, or much else about Fireball’s production.

Other than the name, the main difference between Fireball Whisky and Fireball Dragon Reserve is that the latter is aged in used bourbon barrels for “approximately 3 months.” Also, Dragon Reserve sells for about 6-8 dollars more than regular Fireball Whisky, depending on your market.

Even though I had never had any type of Fireball, I was intrigued by this bourbon barrel aged version, and wanted to try it. So, when Dragon Reserve appeared in our area, I bought a bottle.

Tasting Notes – Fireball Dragon Reserve Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

👉🏻Nose: Syrupy sugar sweetness, hot cinnamon, hint of caramel. Light alcohol vapor.
👉🏻Taste: Syrupy sugar sweetness, pronounced hot cinnamon
👉🏻Finish: Hot cinnamon, fading sugar sweetness

To sum it up, Fireball Dragon Reserve is basically like a hot cinnamon toothpick soaked in ultra sweet sugar syrup.

Fireball Dragon Reserve vs Fireball Cinnamon Whisky

At first I thought that the Dragon Reserve was a little less sweet, a little more dry, and had more pronounced hot cinnamon than regular Fireball. However, after further testing, that didn’t hold up. It turned out that whichever one I tasted first seemed sweeter than the other, so the differences in taste are only due to my mouth acclimating to the pronounced sweetness.

Summary

Fireball Dragon Reserve has a very straightforward flavor profile. It is very sweet, syrupy and has quite a bit of spice from hot cinnamon. It is really not particularly pleasant to sip, but since most people use Fireball as a shooter, they won’t notice the overdone flavors quite as much. As there is essentially no difference in taste between it and regular Fireball, I think most people would be fine sticking with the regular version and saving $6-$8. Both are way too sweet for me, so it’s not going to be an issue. However, if you are a fan, you’ll still likely be happy sticking with the regular version.

Have you tried Fireball Dragon Reserve? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

If you would like to learn more about the Buffalo Trace Distillery, also owned by Sazerac, check out our Buffalo Trace Distillery Tour. Or, if you would like to learn about other whiskeys made by Sazerac, check out our Very Old Barton Bourbon Review and our Buffalo Trace Bourbon Review!

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