Science Denier said:
Texas bourbons. Hmmmmmm
1. I'm not a fan of Rebecca Creek.
2. I do like the Garisons. It has a different taste and aroma, so it compliments my bourbon collection with something that's both good and different.
3. I only drink Balcones as a mixer. Even that blue corn thing they do is not my favorite, but good as a mixer.
4. Never bought anything from Still Austin, though I would MAYBE consider trying it if it were free.
I've never tried any of the other hundred or so Texas whiskies / bourbons. But, I would guess there is at least one that I would like.
I've had a lot of Texas Whiskey's and Bourbons over the years, if it is at Specs of TW and says made in Texas i'll buy a bottle once. A lot of it, especially the single malts, is so bad that i wouldn't drink it if they were paying me. Some of it thou is pretty alright.
Balcones - both the lineage and 1 are decent to even good and have improved immensely over the years. you can find either for about 40 pretty regularly and both are easily worth it at that price. Everything else they make (including the stuff that is phased out) is not my cup of tea. They were smart to transition to the ASM category as that is easily what they do best.
Rebecca Creek - the cheap stuff is as good of a mixer as anything, and the bottle of the BiB i bought was fine. Not great but definitely has potential. Obviously the MGP stuff can be really good. Given their support of the SAA&MC over the years, I am always happy to buy a bottle of their stuff.
Garrisons - Ill agree this is trash but to be fair i haven't had any in a decade and they have made huge changes to their aging process over that time. It could be fine now but given it's price I don't care to find out.
Blanco area distilleries - I posted a bottle i bought recently from Real Spirits and it was a solid effort. I'd put it at a good 6 on a 10 scale. Other have said that the Andalusia stuff is pretty okay as well.
The bottle of Unbendt ASM i have is also in that 6ish range.
As far as Still Austin goes, don't care, i'm not a sip and Nancy's notes are full of so much BS it turns me off entirely on the product.
Given the heat I would love to see more Texas distilleries use used barrels for aging rather than new oak, at least with ASM products, like Balcones did with the cataleja. Work with the heat instead of trying to copy what they do in Kentucky.