Fireball whiskey maker accused of misleading miniature drink bottles

If you’ve ever been troubled by the miniature bottles apparently advertising Fireball, the popular cinnamon-flavored whiskey drink, now found in gas stations and supermarkets, you’re not alone – and a group of plaintiffs are now pursuing the case.

Citing two news articles pointing out that the bottles, though bearing the Fireball label, do not actually contain whiskey, attorneys representing Chicago plaintiff Anna Marquez are seeking unspecified damages against the Fireball maker, Sazerac company.

In the lawsuit, Marquez and his attorneys claim that the mini-bottles, which advertise “Fireball Cinnamon,” falsely give consumers the impression that the drinks are just smaller versions of regular Fireball whiskey. The fine print on the bottles, which says the shots are a “malt drink with natural whiskey and other flavorings and caramel color,” is misleading because it includes the word “whiskey,” they wrote.

“When viewed with the brand name of distilled spirits Fireball, the label misleads consumers into believing that it is or contains distilled spirits,” the lawsuit states.

As a result of the false and misleading statements, according to the lawsuit, the Sazerac company managed to raise the price to a “premium” of $0.99 for 50 milliliter bottles.

A representative for Sazerac said the company does not comment on ongoing litigation and referred a query to the company’s Fireball Cinnamon FAQ page.