When you think of Austin, Texas music is the first thing that comes to mind, at least for me. Bourbon however, is not something that would appear in the Top 20. At least until now. Still Austin Whiskey Co. recently launched its flagship straight bourbon whiskey.
Still Austin is an independent craft whiskey distillery founded in 2015. They embrace the grain-to-glass concept that produces the highest quality whiskey by perfecting every part of the process and using local resources and sustainable practices. This means never sourcing whiskey from another distillery, and instead always hand-making everything from scratch, and managing everything in-house: milling, mashing, fermenting, distilling, barreling and bottling.
“After six years of hard work and perfecting our technique, we’re ready to launch our new flagship straight bourbon whiskey,” said Chris Seals, CEO. “We started Still Austin Whiskey Co. because we saw an opportunity to create our own kind of distillery where we do everything intentionally. This bourbon is an expression of true Texas terroir, but also the distillation of all we are, and of all that has created us. We’ve managed to bottle the inclusive spirit of our home city; a complex bourbon with substance, flair, and finesse.”
The straight bourbon whiskey from Still Austin features work from internationally acclaimed artist and native Texan Marc Burckhardt. He was tasked to paint a series of portraits of “archetypical” Austinites. Each provides a sense of the people who have influenced and inspired the team, while paying homage to the Texas terroir. The figure on the new label dubbed “the Musician,” is the first in the series, which will grace the labels of future spirits. These are visual representations of archetypes, a way of conceiving a “new Austin mythology” by celebrating the innovative people who make the city what it is.
Bourbon Review: Still Austin Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 49.2% (98.4 Proof)
Type: Bourbon
Age: 2 Years
Color: Amber
Mash Bill: 70% White Corn, 25% Rye, 5% Barley
Distillery: Still Austin Whiskey Co.
Location: Austin, TX (USA)
The Nose: A wonderfully sweet bouquet emerges upward from my pour of Still Austin Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Notes of marshmallow, cinnamon and brown sugar engage the olfactory senses alongside oak and a subtle citrus.
Tasting Notes: The sweetness continues on the front end with hints of maple, toasted almonds, brown sugar and caramel. Subsequent sips adds candied apples, cinnamon and oak alongside a spicy oak finish.
The Pairing: We opted to pair the Still Austin Bourbon with cigar from RoMaCraft Tobacco which is also located in Austin, Texas. The cigar is the Intemperance Whiskey Rebellion which is both a reference to prohibition and a whiskey tax. The result is a beautiful symphony. The bourbon sees some banana and mango notes added to the mix. While the strong cigar sees some brown sugar sweetness added. Pairing has zero reflection on the final score, but if it did we would add 2 points to the review.
Conclusion: This velvety smooth bourbon might not win the hearts of traditional bourbon drinkers but it is a delicious bottle to keep on hand. If you enjoy the sweetness of rum, with the heat of a higher proof bourbon then this is for you. Despite having only 2 years of age, it comes across as a much more mature than you would expect. An excellent debut release that makes Still Austin Whiskey Co. a distiller to keep your eye on.
Disclaimer: We were supplied with a bottle from Still Austin. We will always review what is sent to us, and their submission has zero reflection on the final score.
Score: 91
Price: $45 MSRP (750ml)
