Tailgate Shot

Bourbon and cola in a quick outdoor shooter — built for the American tailgating tradition that embedded bourbon in college football culture from the 1970s onward.

The Tailgate Shot is rooted in the distinctly American tradition of tailgating — the practice of gathering in stadium parking lots before and after sporting events to socialize, cook food, and drink. The word tailgate references the hinged rear door of a truck or station wagon that could be lowered to create an informal table or seating surface. The tradition became particularly elaborate in college football culture from the 1970s and 1980s onward, when stadium parking lots transformed into festive pre-game communities with portable grills, elaborate setups, and significant alcohol consumption. Whiskey — particularly bourbon and Tennessee whiskey — became the spirit most associated with tailgating culture, reflecting the tradition's strongest roots in the South and Midwest where bourbon production is centered. The Tailgate Shot is a straightforward whiskey-based shooter designed for quick group consumption in the outdoor, casual atmosphere of the pre-game parking lot gathering.