The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced sweeping recalls on several liquor products Wednesday, including several thousand cases of A-10 Aurelian Reserve Bourbon Whiskey.
Distilled in honor of the Atlantic 10’s 50th Anniversary, the A-10 Aurelian Reserve is described by Bespoken Spirits as a bourbon that “honors this legacy [of the conference] and the stories that built it.” However, according to the FDA, the liquor has also presented a litany of side effects within its drinkers.
“We’ve received a long list of complaints from A-10 Aurelian Reserve buyers since the conclusion of the 2026 Atlantic 10 Tournament,” said Fred Jenkins, press secretary for the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). “Side effects reported have included, but are not limited to, hot flashes, nausea, and a belief that the Atlantic 10 can produce 3 NCAA Tournament bids on an annual basis.”
Samples of the recalled liquor are currently being analyzed at the CDER’s headquarters in White Oak, Maryland for potential uses in medicine and/or industrial lubrication.
Following the FDA’s statement, A10Talk got in contact with Connor Frampton, a VCU fan who attended this year’s Tournament and purchased a bottle of the Aurelian Reserve. According to Frampton, who has since ordered 5 more bottles online before the recall, the A10-branded liquor has improved several key areas of his life, including his attention span, circadian rhythm, and libido.
“This right here is the nectar of the gods,” Frampton said between sips during our interview, trembling violently as he spoke. “I’ve tried to get in contact with coach Martelli to pitch this as the official hydration partner of the Rams, but he hasn’t returned my calls or my ransom notes. Does he even WANT to get this team to the Big East?!”
Our interview with Frampton was cut short, as he fell to the floor and began speaking in tongues after his next sip of the Reserve. Reverse playback of Frampton’s ramblings were later revealed to be a list of VCU coaches who have left for high-major programs.
As for Bespoken Liquors, while they have worked in conjunction with the FDA to ensure a safe and swift recall, they emphasize their lack of fault in this recent partnership with the Atlantic 10.
“Look, we distilled this stuff according to their instructions to a T,” said Evan Patchell, chief distiller at Bespoken. “We were told to make something strong enough for Dayton fans to forget the fact that they haven’t clinched an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in over 20 years. If you evaluate our liquor by that margin and that margin only, the Atlantic 10 Aurelian Reserve was a resounding success.”
Despite a significant quantity of the Reserve now in the possession of the FDA, Bespoken hopes to slightly tweak this year’s recipe so they can pitch any unsold inventory in new packaging to the American Athletic Conference.
“We’re hoping to make a signature cocktail called the ‘high-major hot toddy,’” Patchell said. “We figure we can get several barrels sold if we just keep feeding their delusions.”
Patchell’s comments regarding rebranded liquors have sparked further investigations to determine a possible link between this year’s Atlantic 10 Reserve and side effects found in similar branded beverages, such as the “Sour Sankey,” a whiskey-based cocktail which has been rumored to heighten SEC fans’ animosity towards mid-major at-large bids.
If you’ve read this far, the FDA also urges you to look in the mirror and say to yourself….APRIL FOOLS! See you next year!
