5 Spiked Eggnog Brands You Should Leave On The Shelf This Winter, According To Reviews

When the temperature starts dropping, and good spirits start rising, it's not uncommon to start seeing eggnog pop up on shelves. Ever since the late 19th century, eggnog has been inextricably linked with the holiday season. Traditional eggnog is made with some kind of spirit — these days, brandy, rum, and bourbon are among the most popular infusions. While homemade eggnog is always a crowd-pleaser, it's not hard to find a nice spiked store-bought eggnog mix for your holiday festivities.

Like most off-the-shelf products, there is a broad spectrum to consider when stocking up this year — not all nogs are created equal. Even on a good day, eggnog is a polarizing beverage. For those who enjoy the creamy texture, nutmeg undertones, and a bit of booziness on the nose, selecting the right brand can be a challenge. And, while there are many eggnog brands to choose from — and most of them are perfectly serviceable — there are plenty of duds out there, too. Based on a rundown of customer reviews and sporting a depressing lack of holiday cheer, these are some spiked eggnog brands that deserve to be on this year's naughty list.

Eggnogs shelved in the budget section aren't going to be stellar, but sometimes they can get away with being "trashy good," as food writer and influencer J.M. Hirsch would say. That said, Old New England is so bad that it can't even be classified as trashy good. The brand features three varieties — classic eggnog, cinnamon-spiced eggnog, and pumpkin-spiced eggnog — none of which are winners, according to reviews. From thin textures to unbalanced flavors, this eggnog brand hasn't been getting much love from consumers.

The brand's classic eggnog ranked last in a Tasting Table ranking, with the reviewer citing its alcohol-forward flavor profile as the main offender. Coming in second-to-last in the same ranking was the Old New England pumpkin-spiced eggnog, whose pumpkin flavor was overpowered by the afterburn of the alcohol. Hirsch himself also downvoted both Old New England cinnamon-spiced eggnog and pumpkin-spiced eggnog in his Instagram eggnog roundup 2025. Per his review, Hirsch noted that the cinnamon-spiced eggnog was much too cinnamon-forward, and the pumpkin-spiced version was like "chewing on a jack-o-lantern." Every eggnog has its share of fans, but the online consensus on Old New England is that it's universally disliked — feel free to skip this brand this year.

Though wine isn't the most popular mixer for eggnog, there are plenty of variations that make good use of it. Unfortunately, the Petit Eggnog Wine Specialty from Aldi isn't one of these. Made with white wine, this eggnog ranked dead last on Chowhound's ranking of boozy eggnog brands. Called out for its medicinal flavor — "eggnog-flavored Robitussin" are the choice words of the reviewer — this holiday beverage doesn't quite stack up to the other options available. Say what you will about eggnog, it needs to have a specific flavor profile to be properly enjoyed, and overpowering notes of cough-syrup are not welcome at that party.

In another truly tragic review of Aldi eggnog wines conducted by The Takeout, the reviewer noticed chunky bits of egg yolk floating around in the beverage. Eggnog fans are not strangers to unctuous textures, but a goblet full of eggy floaters is enough to turn the stomach of even the most staunch nogaholic. Add to that a medicinal flavor and thin pour, and Aldi's Petit Eggnog Wine Specialty options are going nowhere near the nice list this year.

Perhaps the most divisive eggnog on the list, Skrewball's mix of peanut butter whiskey and eggnog is loved by some and hated by others. It tends to find itself near the middle tier of most online rankings, such as those from Tasting Table and Uproxx. On the flipside, J.M. Hirsch and Chowhound had Skrewball's eggnog at the top of their respective lists. The main reason Skrewball is on this list is that it creates too much of a divide among eggnog fans. Eggnog is supposed to be a party drink after all, and there are simply plenty of folks who don't want peanut butter anywhere near their holiday nog.

Skrewball has also been taken to task because of its texture, which has been described by YouTube channel Liquor Store 352 as glue-like or toothpaste-adjacent. While eggnog fans would argue that a good nog should have a texture that is right on the verge of being eaten instead of drunk, some customers find the Skrewball texture to be a bit too viscous. As Skrewball's eggnog simply lacks the mass appeal needed to be a true crowd pleaser, you're likely better off with one of the classics.

One aspect of a good eggnog comes from its rich yellow color, which in traditional recipes comes from egg yolks. As not all bottled nogs have the budget for fresh eggs, it's fairly common to see a bit of yellow #5 showing up in the mix. It's not a crime to add food coloring to create a more appetizing look, but the Christian Brothers' eggnog seems to have gotten a bit carried away. In a review by YouTuber Zach Zoschke, for example, he points out an unpleasant accumulation of yellow dye that has gathered at the bottom of the bottle. Zoschke also criticizes the eggnog's artificial flavor and thin texture, making a good case for why this brand should be left behind.

Between the watery texture and the engineered flavor, it's the latter that tends to draw the most criticism. Reviewers on Instagram have also compared the flavor of this eggnog to bubblegum of all things — say what you will about peanut butter and pumpkin spice, but they both leave bubblegum in the dust. With its accumulation of dye, phony flavor profile, and weak texture, Christian Brothers Eggnog is best given a pass.

A good spiked eggnog shouldn't be scared to showcase its boozy notes, but the alcohol also shouldn't overpower the beverage's traditional creamy flavors. Occasionally, this balance gets fumbled, and you're left with something a bit too alcohol-forward. It's a pleasant holiday surprise when eggnog tastes like booze, but not so much when booze tastes like eggnog. This is the main issue with Ole Smoky — the brand's signature moonshine just doesn't quite mesh with the traditional eggnog flavors.

Per J.M. Hirsch's eggnog ranking, Ole Smoky is guilty of an overly harsh moonshine flavor on the back end. This, paired with a thin texture, resulted in an eggnog that was overly boozy and lacked the creamy finish that is so important in this classic festive drink. YouTube channel Rated Red also called Ole Smoky out for its overly thin texture, which detracted from the beverage's overall nogginess. While the Ole Smoky brand has plenty of strengths — its moonshine pickles are great — its eggnog should definitely be alone for the holidays.

The rationale for this list was based on brands that didn't quite achieve a classic eggnog experience. A traditional eggnog has its own signature flavor — a rich mix of sugar and eggs with spices like nutmeg and cinnamon, all blended with one spirit or a combination of spirits such as whiskey, rum, and brandy. Eggnog is also known for its pleasant viscosity and a texture that skirts a fine line between liquid and solid. The candidates on this list simply didn't deliver on one or more of these aspects. The brands on this list were also selected based on their out-of-the-bottle presentation, so it doesn't account for what each product could add to a holiday cocktail.

Static Media owns and operates Chowhound, Tasting Table, and The Takeout.