The state of Texas is rapidly selecting up steam within the whiskey world. Fort Price has been dwelling to Firestone and Robertson Distilling since 2012. The formal distillery title is way much less acquainted to customers than its TX Whiskey branding. A number of Texas distilleries have jumped into public consideration of late, however Firestone and Robertson and TX Whiskey lurks behind public consciousness.
Differentiating its whiskey from others, Firestone and Robertson ferments with yeast propagated from Texas pecans. As properly, the distillery notes that the highest of the bottle encompasses a round cutout from reclaimed cowboy boots.
As Texas has been gaining extra notoriety amongst lovers of whiskey, ought to Firestone and Robertson’s TX Whiskey be included within the dialog of potential greats? Let’s pour a glass or two of its standby releases and discover out.
Firestone & Robertson TX Straight Bourbon – Firestone and Robertson ferments a mashbill consisting of 74% Texas yellow dent corn, 14% Texas tender pink winter wheat, and 12% 6-row distillers malt that was malted quarter-hour south of the distillery at TexMalt. All the grain is grown in Hillsboro, roughly 45 minutes south of Forth Price. The Texas grain mashbill is fermented for 3 to five days in an open-top 16,000 gallon tank. TX Straight Bourbon is distilled on a Vendome 36″ steady column nonetheless with a 500 gallon copper doubler. Distillate comes off the doubler at 145 proof and enters the barrel at both 110, 120, or 125 proof, with 120 proof being most common. Firestone and Robertson makes use of 53 gallon barrels from Unbiased Stave Firm with #3 and #4 barrel chars and a pair of proprietary toasts. The bourbon is aged for at the very least 4 years with some batches sprinkling in barrels matured for five and 6 years. Some batches comprise round 40 barrels, whereas different batches comprise upwards of 100 barrels.
The nostril kicks off with a particular word of Honey Smacks breakfast cereal, providing a heat toasted sweetness. Mild floral hints of jasmine mingle all through. Delicate cinnamon spice hangs within the background. The general aroma is tender and understated. The palate leads with cloves and a punch of black pepper. The spicy begin rapidly transitions to dried apricots and a touch of German roasted pecans that deliver a slight nutty caramelized depth. Regardless of the general very gentle profile, this whiskey drinks properly above its 100 proof, delivering an expertise that may be a bit discombobulating. The mouthfeel is surprisingly very thick and coating, with incredible legs. The end begins with a contact of brown sugar sweetness, balanced by a lingering black pepper spice. Traces of pecan emerges, including a really refined nutty word to wrap issues up. The end stays delicate and approachable, fading away gracefully with out overwhelming the palate.
This bourbon is greatest described as “inoffensive” — a strong however unremarkable pour that stands out primarily for ingesting properly above its said 100 proof. Whereas it lacks the complexity to encourage deep contemplation, it serves its goal as an easygoing, satisfying choice for informal sipping. It’s the form of whiskey that matches seamlessly right into a laid-back setting, like watching sports activities on the sofa, the place you need one thing nice in your glass with out the necessity for intense evaluation. 100 proof. B / $47
Firestone & Robertson TX Blended Whiskey (2025) – There isn’t a lot data obtainable about this bottling. I reached out on to Firestone and Robertson to assemble some, however no data was offered. I used to be kindly supplied with full particulars concerning the manufacturing of TX Straight Bourbon, however questions concerning TX Blended Whiskey went unanswered.
The blended whiskey is a proprietary mix produced within the state of Texas as famous on the bottom of the bottle. No state of distillation is offered. Federal Tobacco Tax and Commerce Bureau (TTB) Ruling 54-416 Part 35(e) of Laws No. 5 offers that labels of whisky and straight whisky shall disclose the State of distillation of such whisky, if such a whisky just isn’t distilled within the State given within the deal with on the label. Based mostly on this language, it’s affordable to imagine that every one elements within the mix could possibly be distilled in Texas. Nevertheless, the label clearly doesn’t point out that any of the elements had been distilled by Firestone & Robertson, though it’s a logical assumption that some or all elements are distilled in-house. If some mixing elements should not distilled by Firestone & Robertson, there is no such thing as a indication as to the supply or what number of sources. Moreover, if it is a mix of a number of states, itemizing the states of distillation just isn’t required. The label signifies that 60% of the mix consists of grain impartial spirits (GNS) distilled from corn, however no different details about the mix is out there.
Drinkhacker final visited TX Blended Whiskey in late 2014 and we’re lastly revisiting it greater than decade later. The aroma is very candy, virtually leaping from the glass earlier than the nostril even will get near it. Waves of sticky-sweet confectionery notes dominate within the type of almond extract and fingernail polish. Sugar cookie notes quickly develop and be a part of a candylike nature of butterscotch candies out of your grandmother’s purse. The nosing package deal is an indulgent swirl of sweetness. Matching the nostril, the primary impression on the palate is an amazing sweetness, akin to the acquainted style of Werther’s Originals. Diving deeper, daring punches of vanilla extract enter the equation. The expertise continues with solutions of white cake lined with white icing and coconut flakes. Whereas there are a number of distinct flavors initially, they quickly mix collectively, making a homogenous sweetness that makes the person notes troublesome to separate, although the end is dominated by a wealthy butterscotch pudding taste. Nevertheless, no 0ther distinct notes develop, leaving the ultimate tasting impression as singular and centered on candy. The feeling deteriorates rapidly, providing little complexity or lingering depth. Evaluating Drinkhacker’s 2014 impressions to 2025, the profile has remained extremely constant.
This blended whiskey struggles largely on account of its overwhelming sweetness. It’s too cloying to be satisfying past a number of sips, and its extreme sugary sweetness makes it a poor option to pair with mixers, particularly those who already comprise sweetness. Crafting a cocktail with such a candy blended whiskey can be a severe problem, making it troublesome to suggest for anybody searching for a extra versatile or nuanced whiskey expertise. 82 proof. C+ / $38
Firestone & Robertson TX Straight Bourbon
$47
