Texas is a landmass tough to define. Large enough to contain several small countries, it’s geography morphs from bayous and islands, humidity, and crocodiles along the coast to central plains, hot, dusty desert valleys, and bright red plateaus. The lush, green Hill Country cities are fed by underground springs, and in the northernmost towns, a winter snap might bring a dusting of light snow. Texas is a staggering 266,807 square miles. It has three primary climates, more than a dozen secondary climates, and 50-degree temperature differences from summer to
A decade ago, someone stood andpondered the heat and the river-fed soil, the crashing ocean waves and thatsmell of salt and brine wafting on humid air. They didn’t think of farming, ofrodeos or of cowboys. They thought of whiskey.
If you were to stand in Speyside, on a sunny day in Scotland, you’d find some striking similarities. Texas as a landmass is tough to define, but it sure as Hell can provide the climates needed to make a fine bottle of single malt. More than 15 distillers have discovered that fact over the last decade, and from wheat and rye, mash and fermentation, all the way to bottling, there are plenty of delectable, slow-sipping bottles coming right out of the Lone Star State.
These whiskies are so fine, in fact,you can now visit a brand-new Texas Whiskey Trail.
“The Texas Whiskey Association came first,” explains Whiskey Trail CEO (and Executive Director of the Association), Spencer Whelan. “We formed the Association last year, and the trail followed, as a wholly owned subsidiary. We had a pre-sale for membership in January, but we opened officially on Memorial Day 2019.”
There are 15 distillers currently,but by next year, more are set to join. To become an official member, adistiller must have at least one “certified” Texas whiskey. “You have to startwith the grain, where you mill and mash, you must ferment and distill andbottle … all in Texas,” explains Whelan. “Every member must have at least onewhiskey in their portfolio that meets these requirements, either in productionor already for sale on the shelves. Every other spirit they make must belabeled to the highest TTB compliance. Because Texas is such an iconic place,because the state is in-and-of-itself a wonderous brand, we see a lot ofdistillers bottling outside of the state, bringing a spirit in and slapping a‘Texas’ label on it. We want this trail and our association and our state tohave the same kind of strict laws for quality and for origin that you wouldfind in Kentucky on the Bourbon Trail.”
The Bourbon Trail is certainlyeasier to navigate in a few days. Given the size of Texas, the Associationdecided it was best to sub-group the participating distillers into threeregions along the journey:
The Hill Country Trail features themost concentrated amount of distilleries. “It’s kind of the Speyside of Texas,”laughs Whelan. “You’ve got Garrison Brothers, Andalusia Whiskey Co., CrowdedBarrel, and Ranger Creek, to name a few.” There are eight distilleries in thisregion, as well as the city of Austin, making it an eager choice for thoselooking to pop over for a weekend of whiskey and great music.
The North Texas Trail has anotherfive distillers, including the large, long-running Balcones and Deep Elum.Dallas makes entry and departure a breeze, but you can get off the beaten trackat places like Lone Elm, in Forney, Texas, where they harvest a unique, redwinter wheat for fermentation.
“It’s important to us to show the rest of the world what Texas has to offer in spirits,” says Brandon Choate of Lone Elm Whiskey. “It shows everyone that Texas is the next geographical region for every spirit out there. Being part of an association where you can collaborate with your colleagues is important for us. Being part of an organization that allows the consumer to taste Texas from rain to grain shows the compassion we have towards our craft. We all just want to share Texas with the rest of the world.”
The Gulf Coast is the Trail’ssouthernmost and emerging region and Gulf Coast Distillers is set to be thelargest distillery west of the Mississippi river. “We have a lot of on-comingmembers in that region,” says Whelan, who expects this to be the newdestination for the coming year. Add in the fact that you can sleep off thehangover on a sugar-sand beach, and it’s a pretty appealing choice, too.
Distilling in the state is around 12years old, post-Prohibition. The first to enter the serious, Texas-true whiskeygame were Garrison Brothers and Balcones. Balcones is part of the North TexasTrail, and they came out with a corn whiskey as far back as 2007. Located inWaco, it gives visitors a chance to taste the state’s flagship single malt.It’s a category rife with options now. Garrison Brothers is in the HillCountry, and their BalmorheaBourbon was named the Best Micro Whiskey of the Year by the prestigiousJim Murray’s Whiskey Bible for 2019.
But can you take to the trail in asingle visit, stopping off at every distillery along the way? It’s answered inthe affirmative. “My wife andI did the whole thing in 10 days,” says Whelan, “and it’s about 1,500 miles.There was another whiskey expert from YouTube who did it on a motorcycle. Weare just about to have our first members complete the trail at this point, and oneof our goals––beyond elevating our state’s amazing whiskey selection––is togive visitors completion bonuses.”
When you sign up to visit theWhiskey Trail, you can join certain tiers. The “Free Rider,” is, you guessedit, free. Yet, the Association awards you points for each place you visit, aswell as those “completion bonuses,” and enough points can earn you fun swag,from hats to t-shirts, all the way up to limited-edition bottles. The secondtier is The Maverick. It will set you back $55 annually, but you get twice thepoints and invites to special events. You also get free tours at this level atevery distillery. For those truly in love with whiskey, The Trailblazer is a$110 annual commitment, but the points triple, as do the perks. You’ll receivea welcome pack, invites in your inbox, and distillery exclusives and privateaccess.
“Our central Texas heat could mean a distiller loses most of a barrel to evaporation. That warm, moist, salty air from the Gulf creates unique spirits, just like it does in Scotland on the islands,” Whelan concludes. “This state makes whiskey that is so flavorful. It has high complexity, and it’s intense. When you come here and you taste it, you’ll understand why our favorite way to describe it is simply, ‘unabashedly Texan.’”
1. IRONROOT REPUBLIC
3111 Loy Lake Rd. Denison, TX 75020
Prior to opening the distillery, the founders of IronRoot trained for years learning different styles of distilling before they fell in love with a French tradition. Part of that tradition is called elevage, the process of raising the spirits. After a barrel turns one year old, they begin tasting it every four to six months to analyze each barrel’s unique flavor until they decide it’s ready for bottling. Coincidentally, the city the distillery is located in, Denison, is the sister city to Cognac, France, and was hometown to viticulturist T.V. Munson. Munson famously helped save the French wine industry from being wiped out by phylloxera after supplying a hybrid grapevine with disease resistant Texas roots.
2. TAHWAHKARO DISTILLING CO.
541 Industrial Blvd. Grapevine, TX 76051
Tahwahkaro is a family business. There isn’t a single personwho works at the distillery who isn’t family. All take pride in making thefinest whiskey out there. They mill, mash, ferment, distill, barrel, and bottleall under their roof. Not a single part of that process is farmed out to athird party. Smaller in size, they don’t have a grand tasting room, and theydon’t have tour guides. This is exactly why you want to stop by. They treat theirguests as family. When you visit, the head distiller, Justin Jackson willlikely be tending to the still, but he always has time to step away and makenew friends.
3. DEEP ELLUM DISTILLERY
2880 Clover St. Dallas, Texas 75226
Stillaging whiskey and bottling it, Deep Ellum Distillery is about to debut theirfirst whiskey with notes of chocolate and vanilla. Deep Ellum is dedicated toboth the history of whiskey and Dallas. Deep Ellum is one of Dallas’ oldestneighborhoods and is known for its contributions to jazz and street art. Byusing locally grown Texas grain and traditional processes, they are creatingwhiskey that pays tribute to the history of the neighborhood. Visiting thedistillery puts you right in the middle of one of the most vibrant areas inDallas. Tours currently include vodka tastings, a local history lesson, andeven your very own Glencairn glass.
4. LONE ELM
8575 Union Hill Rd. Forney, TX 75126
When it comes to whiskey, Bill Wofford and Brandon Choateknow a thing or two. Located in Forney, Texas, Lone Elm produces its straightwheat whiskey from rain to grain. They bottle two impressive Texas spirits: a small batch, which is aneveryday whiskey that is a dry-yet-fruity medium to full-bodied whiskey with anearthy finish and the highly sought after single barrel, which is a straight-from-the-barrel,thicker, chewier, higher-proof (cask strength) whiskey with hints of chocolate,dried fruit, black cherry, and black pepper. Stop by their family rundistillery for a true country feel, and enjoy a glass in their copper ladentasting room.
5. BALCONES DISTILLING
225 S. 11th St. Waco, TX 76701
balconesdistilling.com
Balcones' head distiller, Jared Himstedt, has created a one of a kind flavor of honey, sweet cream, candied pecans, sandalwood, and leather with the distillery’s Texas Pot Still Bourbon. Every detail has been thoughtfully considered, from the flavor dense down to the way they filter the whiskey. With a list of ingredients featuring roasted Texas blue corn, Texas wheat, Texas rye, and Golden Promise malted barley, Balcones is delivering unexpected flavor complexity within a familiar bourbon taste profile. Stop by the distillery to see stills unlike any others on the planet. Texas-sized pot stills with other-worldly-looking coils reaching up three floors. It’s a sight to see.
6. TREATY OAK DISTILLING
16604 Fitzhugh Rd. Dripping Springs, Texas 78620
Theidea of Treaty Oak was born in 2005 when there were only three distilleries inTexas and less than 60 in the country. Founder Daniel Barnes saw a hugeopportunity to create grain-to-glass products using ingredients from Texas and usingtechniques that are tried and true and some that are innovative. The distilleryis a sight to see; set up on 28 acres of beautiful hill country terrain. TreatOak Distillery is not only a distillery, but also a brewery, winery, eventcenter, and restaurant. The restaurant features one of the top pit masters inCentral Texas with a modern take on smoked meats and pickled sides. Family andpets are encouraged to visit. Also, enjoy live music on Saturdays.
7. GARRISON BROTHERS DISTILLERY
1827 Hye-Albert Rd. Hye, TX 78635
Garrison Brothers was the first legal whiskey distillery inTexas—breaking the misconception that bourbon is a Kentucky-specific product.Bourbon can be made anywhere in the USA, and why not in Texas? Their Texasroots have always been paramount at the distillery and that’s why everything fromthe rainwater used to proof the bourbon to each grain used in their mash bill isunapologetically Texan. Their distillery tour gives you a behind-the-sceneslook at everything that goes into making bourbon, from selecting the grains tobottling. The best part is you get to meet the team, as well as sample bourbon,at every single step in the process including the ultra-alcoholic white-dog ifyou dare.
8. CROWDED BARREL WHISKEY CO.
16221 Crystal Hills Dr. Austin, TX 78737
Located in Austin, thedistillery sits next to the Wizard Academy. It’s a tiny hamlet with a massivetribe of followers. As a matter of fact, it is the first crowd-sourced whiskeydistillery. In a manner that is true to keepingAustin weird, the distillers respond eloquently when asked to describetheir craft. “This whiskey kicks open the door like a roughneck wearing bootsof black molasses. Sliding up to the bar a coin spins across the wood and buysa bottle. Patiently, a sip. Barrel char bitter and a worn leather satchel tugon memories of better days. “She was the best of me.” Silence falls over theroom as it rises and fills a glass for everyone at the bar. Bottle empty, itglides out the door on a trail of mesquite-black and honey-gold.”
9. STILL AUSTIN WHISKEY CO.
440 East St. Elmo Rd., Building F, Austin, Texas 78745
Still is Austin’s urban whiskey distillery. TourStill, and you will see a grain-to-glass distillery. They do it all in house:milling, mashing, fermenting, distilling, barreling, and bottling—all with theenvironment in mind. They conserve and reuse water, save energy with a speciallydesigned still, and eliminate waste. One hundred percent of their spent grainsgo back to farms to be used as feed. Likewise, with their barrels, they’vefigured out how to use the weather to their advantage. The high heat, humidity,and shifting temperatures encourage spirits to move in and out of the oak,which are kept in a rickhouse in the country where they can benefit from theclean air. The result of all this care? Whiskey as consistent as its makers.
10. ANDALUSIA WHISKEY CO.
6462 N. US Hwy 281 Blanco, TX 78606
CelebratingScottish and Irish distilling traditions, Andalusia distills their whiskey from grain to glassin Texas. Adding a touch of Texas, thedistillers built a walk-in smokehouse where they smoke malted barley with peator hardwoods such as oak, mesquite, peach, and applewood. The distillery sits on theformerly named Andalusia Ranch, a still-working sheep/cattle ranch in thepicturesque Hill Country. Grab a cocktail, a leather chair, and settle in witha book in the onsite library. Or you can bring your furry friend and enjoygames on the outdoor covered patio. This distillery pairs perfectly with abackyard BBQ or a warm campfire and is a “must-stop” on the trail.
11. REAL SPIRITS DISTILLING CO.
231 San Saba Ct. Blanco, TX 78606
Brad Farbstein, owner of RealAle Brewing and Real Spirits Distilling, has always had a passion for whiskeyas well as beer. So after 19 years of brewing some of the best beers found in Texas,he finally felt compelled to take the next step by making some of the bestwhiskey as well. He uses the same mash bills as Real Ale beers to make thewhiskey. “The brewers make the beer the way they normally would minus the hops,and we then distill those beer mashes into whiskey,” says Farbstein. The beerand whiskey enjoy a symbiotic relationship mingling to create notes of vanilla,caramel, toffee, and cinnamon. Also, when you visit the distillery you willhave the opportunity to tour the brewery as well.
12. RANGER CREEK BREWING AND DISTILLING
4834 Whirlwind St., Ste 102, San Antonio, TX 78217
As San Antonio’s award-winning “brewstillery,” Ranger Creek handcrafts beer and whiskey made with lots of attention to detail and loaded with Texas attitude. It offers an award-winning Texas bourbon, single malt and rye whiskey, all grain-to-glass spirits made in small batches using Texas ingredients. The popular brewstillery tour is essentially two tours in one. You’ll learn how they make beer and bourbon. This intimate, immersive experience includes a detailed guided tour, a souvenir pint glass, and three samples. In addition, Ranger Creek offers a Whiskey Club, where the inner circle of Texas Whiskey enthusiasts can enjoy innovative whiskey releases every quarter.
13. BEN MILAM DISTILLERY
208 Carlie Ln., Blanco, TX 78606
Milam & Greene is for whiskey fans as serious about taste as they are about the people who create it. The team openly embraces the lost, yet magnificent, art of blending, batching, finishing, and maturing. While some distillers shy away from blending, Milam & Greene love it. It’s a craft in and of itself. They promise to deliver the very best of the total American whiskey experience: American grains, exquisite limestone filtered water, pristine casks, a passionate team, and a dash of the wild Texas climate. Visitors to the distillery can meet Master Distiller Marlene Holmes, who spent 27 years working in the most powerful Kentucky whiskey houses. She’ll share with you what makes Texas such a special place for making whiskey.
14. MKT DISTILLERY
5373 1st St. Katy, Texas 77493
mktdistillery.com
MKT Distillery embraces thelong history of Katy, Texas, and brings that flavor profile to its whiskeys.The distillery is built in old local rice dryers, preserving the history ofKaty for the future. They use only Texas-grown corn and barley and add locallygrown Katy rice to the mix. Additionally, the use of local Katy filtered waterto proof down their spirits gives their whiskeys a flavor that can only comefrom Katy. Open to enthusiasts and families alike, the distillery hosts localmusicians, sodas for the kids, welcomes pets, and features games for all. Anotherunique addition is their cigar lounge set comfortably under vintage metal ricedryers. Visit MKT, and create a history of your own.
15. GULF COAST
5610 Clinton Dr. Houston, TX 77020
With a mash bill of ingredients carefully developed by DavidPickerell, Gulf Coast guarantees to distill world-class whiskey. Using the hotsouth Texas air to “hot box” their whiskey for six months followed by a coolerand much longer aging process in concrete warehouses, the distillery produces boldwhiskies with strong personalities. Rich in patriotic history, the distillery wasoriginally the first Uncle Ben’s rice mill facility in the mid 1940sand sent rice to feed soldiers fighting during WW2. Gulf Coast is nowfocused on creating the largest distillery in Texas giving their customers anauthentic Texan whiskey, for the right price, that delivers an adventure offlavors.
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