Still Austin Straight Bourbon Review

About – “After years of hard work and dreaming and more hard work and more dreaming, we’re almost ready to send out our baby—our flagship spirit, which we’ve been perfecting for years.  Our new Straight Bourbon, made from 100% Texas-grown corn, rye and malted barley, is the distillation of all we are, and of all that has created us—an expression of true Texas terroir.” Still Austin uses a mashbill of 70% Non-GMO white corn, 25% rye and 5% malted barley. They use a slow-water reduction method adding a small amount of water the barrel each month instead of just cutting the proof down at the bottling time. Still Austin Straight Bourbon is aged at least 2 years, bottled at 98.4 proof, and costs $45.

Nose – The rye comes across in a larger way than I anticipated. Caramel and vanilla go nicely along with the rye spice. This definitely falls in the realm of a traditional bourbon nose.

Palate – The first thing I notice is the nice creamy mouthfeel. Apricot comes across first followed by a wave of nutmeg. A touch of clove passes through on the mid-palate followed by sweet corn. The nutmeg turns into cinnamon heading into a medium length spicy finish.

Score – B

Verdict – Hats off to still Austin. They have managed to put out a two year old bourbon that tastes better and has more balance than a lot of 4-6 year old bourbon in the market today. This is a fantastic release and shows all the promise of a distillery heading in the right direction. This is a strong contender for craft bourbon of the year, and I highly recommend picking up a bottle if it is available in your area.