LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — The makers of Fireball Cinnamon Whisky said they hoped to “set the record straight” after the government in Finland removed its product from stores shelves citing concerns over an ingredient. A report on yle.fi indicated Finland’s state alcohol monopoly Alko (think Virginia ABC) removed Fireball Cinnamon Whisky because the alcohol was made following U.S., not stricter European Union, standards.
At issue, the ingredient propylene glycol. According to the report, Alko found “excessive” levels of propylene glycol, a substance also found in airplane de-icer. Alko noted propylene glycol is not necessarily bad for your health.
The makers of Fireball Cinnamon Whisky fired back via social media Tuesday in an effort to “set the record straight.”
“Fireball Cinnamon Whisky assures its consumers the product is perfectly safe to drink. There is no recall in North America. Fireball fans can enjoy their favorite product as they always have,” the company stated. “Late last week, Sazerac, the makers of Fireball, was contacted by its European bottler regarding a small recipe-related compliance issue in Finland. Regulations for the product formulation are different in Europe, which explains why recipes for products like soft drinks, alcohol/spirits and even candies and confections are slightly different than their North American counterparts. Fireball, therefore, has a slightly different recipe for Europe.”
The company went on to say it shipped cases of its North American formula to Europe and later found an ingredient did not meet European regulations.
“Finland, Sweden and Norway have asked to recall those specific batches, which is what the brand is doing. Fireball anticipates being back on the shelves for fans in these countries within three weeks,” the company said.
The makers of Fireball Cinnamon Whisky said propylene glycol (PG) is “a regularly used and perfectly safe flavoring ingredient” that has been used in “more than 4,000 food, beverage, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products for more than 50 years.”
