TX Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review

BOTTLE DETAILS

• DISTILLER: F&R Distilling Co.
• MASH BILL: Corn, Wheat and Barley; percentages not disclosed
• AGE: At least 4 years
• YEAR: 2024
• PROOF: 90 (45% ABV)
• MSRP: $46.99
• BUY ONLINE: TX Online Bottle Shop

STEVE’S NOTES

SHARE WITH: American whiskey fans who are curious about Texas whiskey. To the many who swear off Lone Star State whiskies, that’s a faulty position. Some great ones come from Texas. However, those that are great have their signature flavors and aromas. This one is pleasant enough, but nothing says, “Hey, drink this bourbon from Texas. It’s great!”

WORTH THE PRICE: Not really. I know craft distilleries need a little more price per bottle, but $47 is more than I want to pay for a 4-year-old bottle that, while decent, lacks any discernible house style, or Texas style, for that matter. Both bottled-in-bond, J.W. Dant or Evan Williams, are far better options for roughly half the price.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bust. But I don’t want to sound overly negative about a whiskey that’s basically good. But as a Texas whiskey, I was hoping to taste or nose something that would bear the stamp of Texas and assert itself as unique. This tastes like too many other 90-proof American whiskies on the market: ordinary and even cautious. This tastes as if it was made to risk offending no one. It’s inoffensive in every way possible, but that also renders it quite plain.

OVERALL: The nose is light, a little spicy, honeyed and dosed with a bit of pepper and cinnamon. On the palate, it’s light and clean and shows well-managed grain balance. It bears appreciable oak, spice and a whiff of smoke, but the finish is light and short-lived, leaving no lingering memories or convincing “Return hither” invitations. It starts and finishes way too quickly to be a compelling pour.

BRAND NOTES

Bourbon made with Texan ingredients for undeniably Texan flavor.

NOSE: Floral, maple, cinnamon

PALATE: Fig, allspice, brown sugar

FINISH: Balanced, smooth, warm

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.