Howler Head Debuts Banana & Cola RTD, Taps UFC Fighter

Howler Head and Cola, the official bourbon RTD of UFC Australia, is rolling out down under. (Photo: Howler Head/Catalyst Spirits)

On Monday, Catalyst Spirits, the parent company behind Howler Head banana flavored bourbon, announced that the official flavored whiskey brand of the UFC is entering the ready-to-drink space in Australia. The brand is debuting Howler Head & Cola, a combination of the flavored whiskey and “rich cola,” according to the brand.

Howler Head & Cola comes in four-packs of 330-milliliter cans, priced at AU $29 ($19) Each can clocks in at 6% ABV, and Howler Head & Cola is the official flavored whiskey RTD of UFC Australia.

According to Catalyst Spirits, the bourbon in Howler Head is made with “mineral rich water,” aged for two years in charred American white oak barrels and blended with natural banana flavoring.

The banana flavored whiskey brand also announced it was tapping former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker to become one of Howler Head’s brand ambassadors and help promote the spirit in Australia. Whittaker was born in New Zealand and moved to Australia when he was one month old and has lived there ever since.

“I couldn’t be more excited to team up with Howler Head to help introduce this very cool brand to my native Australia and the rest of the world,” Whittaker said in a news release. “I absolutely love the one-two punch of bourbon and banana and can’t wait to share it with my friends and fans.”

The Australian native fighter is nicknamed “The Reaper” and has 1.3 million followers on Instagram. Whittaker will be responsible for live events, social media content, participating in marketing campaigns and more in his new position with Howler Head.

“Outside the Octagon, Robert brings the ideal level of humor and fan-to-fan interactivity that is the perfect reflection of the Howler Head personae; his broad appeal will prove a huge catapult for brand awareness,” Catalyst Spirits CMO Ed Bellow said, according to a news release.

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Cynthia Mersten is an Editor for Bottle Raiders and has worked in the Beverage Industry for eight years. She started her career in wine and spirits distribution and sold brands like Four Roses, High West and Compass Box to a variety of bars and restaurants in the city she calls home: Los Angeles. Cynthia is a lover of all things related to wine, spirits and story and holds a BA from UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film and Television. Besides writing, her favorite pastimes are photography and watching movies with her husband.