Ambros Banana Whiskey makes its NYC debut at The Thirsty Koala

Whiskey was the word on Thursday, May 9th, when Ambros Banana Whiskey made its public debut at Astoria staple The Thirsty Koala. Local leaders, industry veterans, and members of the community came together to sample the product, spearheaded by the team of Queens locals Carlo Piccirillo and Sami Omar, alongside Las Vegas-based partner Jeff Tomastik.

The Ambros concept is simple, but bold. During a trip to Las Vegas Piccirillo, Omar & Tomastik noticed the demand for fruit-infused spirits, but that a fruit-infused whiskey had yet to exist. The other catch? The brand’s fruit-flavored competition is not 100% fruit infused, meaning that Ambros whiskey is completely unique: there is no artificial flavoring in any of its products.

Ambros Banana Whiskey, with the featured Gold Coast cocktail

“We hope to share Ambros nationwide, and enjoyed in various ways.  What has been fun is seeing mixologists and chefs with various backgrounds come up with so many unique and amazing Ambros creations.  US trends show that consumers increasingly value quality products using real ingredients and we look forward to Ambros, a 100% real fruit infused whiskey, being a standard in consumers’ hospitality experiences” said Piccirillo.

Guests were able to try four unique Ambros cocktails, created by The Thirsty Koala’s mixologist & local legend in his own right, Matt Stannah. Each cocktail was carefully crafted to showcase just how versatile the whiskey was—and despite the distinct banana flavor in each cocktail, the whiskey never lost its edge.

The Hound-Dog Old-Fashioned highlighted the true integrity of the whiskey with an impactful but not overpowering banana flavor, and garnished with a piece of smoked bacon, proving to be a crowd favorite. The Gold Coast, a twist on the classic mojito, was a perfectly balanced combination of sweetness and tartness. For tropical drink lovers, The Bondi Beach was a solid choice. The final option was the Chocolate Banana Fondue. Banana whiskey, and chocolate liquor, topped with a piece of frozen chocolate covered banana. Creamy and satisfying, this was the perfect ending to a sweet event.

There was truly something for everyone and guests swooned over the creations. Many found it difficult to settle on one choice, rotating the menus options to fully experience the innovative product. All were left impressed and are looking forward to what the future has in store for the Ambros team.

For more information on where you can find Ambros Banana Whiskey, click here.