Texas has truly become a whiskey state. It may not have as many distilleries making bourbon and rye as Kentucky does, but the Lone Star State has its fair share of producers, both big and small, that are really contributing to the world of American whiskey. One distillery that is on the smaller side but is owned by a big corporation (Pernod Ricard), is Firestone & Robertson Distilling Company, where TX Whiskey is made, and the latest release is an interesting blend of bourbon and rye whiskey.
The Texas whiskey scene is booming, with distilleries like Garrison Brothers, Still Austin, and Milam and Greene releasing great bourbons, ryes, and blends that can stand with the best whiskeys from around the country. TX Whiskey might not be as well known as those other names yet, but that could change as the distillery continues to release expressions in its always interesting Experimental Series. There are two core expressions, a blended whiskey and a straight bourbon, but this series, which is in its eleventh iteration, strays far from those in terms of mashbill and maturation.
The new whiskey is called Lonestar Traditions, and it’s a blend of three different liquids: six-year-old rye whiskey, wheated bourbon, and bourbon with rye in the mashbill, all distilled onsite and bottled at 114 proof. “When we were creating this expression, my goal was to showcase a blend of some of our most matured products, highlighting the unique impact of Texas seasons on each mashbill,” said head blender, Craig Blair, in a statement. “The marrying of these casks was carefully curated over time to ensure the final product spoke to what we were trying to convey. Leading into the holidays, we envisioned a blend with unique characteristics that elicit nostalgic thoughts of this season–fresh baked pies, cozy cups of ciders, and the warmth of an evening fire.”
There have been other bourbon and rye blends before, of course. High West is famous for its Bourye (the latest edition is a blend of rye produced at MGP and High West, and bourbon sourced from MGP and Kentucky that was aged for more than ten years). Knob Creek, part of the Jim Beam Small Batch Collection, released its own bourbon and rye blend a few months ago. And Wild Turkey released Forgiven about a decade ago, a bourbon-rye blend that was part of the distillery’s Master’s Keep series. Lonestar Traditions stands out for its use of different mashbills, however, and while we have not been able to taste the whiskey, surely the character is influenced in part by the fact that it was matured in Texas.
This new whiskey is a pretty limited release, with just 950 smaller 350-ml bottles available at the distillery’s Whiskey Ranch for purchase (SRP $40). You can find find the rest of the TX Whiskey lineup available to buy from ReserveBar, and past Experimental Series whiskeys can be found on the secondary market, albeit for extremely inflated prices.
