Initial Thoughts
So I have been seeing this TX Blended Whiskey talked about online for a while, but could never find it on the shelves at any of my local stores in Nashville. So when one of my buddies went down to Texas in September I had them pick up a bottle for me. Now, lo and behold I see it all around Nashville. So that’s kind of strange. Nonetheless I got a bottle and I’m ready to dive into it for a review!
So I started digging in and learned more about the brand and who’s behind it. The company is Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co. they have a great story that they share on their website about their love for whiskey and their desire to leave corporate life behind to follow their dreams and create a truly Texan whiskey, read more about their story here. Currently, they have 2 products the TX Blended whiskey which I’ll get to in a minute and their TX Bourbon which I have yet to find on shelves.
If you poke around their website for a little bit you start to find some really cool stuff. My favorite, is the story about the corks that they use for each bottle. When I was looking at my bottle, it didn’t seem like anything special until I went to the website to read about it. Tucked at the bottom of their site is a line that says ‘Every Bottle has a Story’. When I clicked to learn more I’m taken to a page that talks about their Handmade Caps. You’ll have to read the entire story to truly get the sentiment behind it, but after I read that I was blown away by this company and their true authencity behind creating a great whiskey. They went through all the details down to the caps that they used. Pretty impressive across, and well done fellas!
Looks
Well if the cap story from above didn’t make you excited to see the packaging then I’m not sure what will. Overall, the bottle is fairly simple, not much of a label just a large TX on the front. It’s a clear glass bottle which shows off the rich amber glow from the whiskey that sits inside the bottle. On the neck of the bottle is a cloth almost burlap like material that protects the neck and gives a nice gripping point to take ahold of. At the bottom of this TX Blended Whiskey bottle is a silver metal band that shows the Firestone & Robertson Distilling badge. Overall, a very simple bottle but the bold TX makes it stand out on the shelves that’s for sure.
Flavor
Well enough about how it looks, lets jump into the actual flavor and see if it delivers a big bold Texas flavor. Looking at the front of the bottle this is only sitting at 82 proof, so we know it’s not going to be overly potent in terms of strength. It should make it very palatable and hopefully let some of those more complex flavors shine through.
The first thing that I’m hit when I put the glass up to my nose is a nice dose of caramel, and honey. Some of those signature scents of a nice rich bourbon are definitely present. On the palate I picked up a good amount of honey again, but the most dominant note was that caramel sweetness that lingered around for a good bit. The finish offered a good mouthfeel but it was a little thin in coating. It certainly hung around for while but wasn’t quite as deep as I had expected it to be.
Conclusion
Overall, I think this is a really enjoyable whiskey. It comes out at 82 proof which obviously makes it very easy to sip on. I enjoyed a couple of glasses with some cigars as well and it paired very well. The sweetness from the bottle helps tone down the spice from the cigar. I think if you’re looking for a new whiskey to try this TX Blended Whiskey is certainly something to put on your radar. I’m not sure on the actual price since I didn’t purchase it, but I can’t imagine its more than $40 a bottle. At that price point I definitely think it’s a easy buy.
