![]() What other whiskey types are you seeing work out there? Texans drink a lot of bourbon, and a lot of Canadian whisky too, but Texas distillers have diverse approaches. Mostly it’s just a bunch of trial and error because the industry is so new. ![]() I’ve seen distillers using large wine butts, I’ve seen distillers using second-use barrels, and we also have a lot of elevage happening here. The swings in temperature and humidity are just truly unlike any other whiskey-making regions. Whiskey doesn’t age faster in Texas, but it sure as hell interacts with the barrel more. ![]() How does that affect the whiskey and how are distillers adapting to it? One factor that does come up a lot in your book is the challenge of ageing whiskey in the hot Texas climate. Some of my favorite offerings right now are smoked, which makes sense because we BBQ everything down here. We have distillers working with a dozen heirloom corn varietals, wheat, rice, rye and triticale, and then you have others that are using various techniques to accent the environment and put their own spin on whiskey here. Balcones and Garrison Brothers have been instrumental in the progression of this industry and we’re very lucky they’re both open to conversations and both truly want what’s best for the industry as a whole. Truthfully, we’re blessed with some awesome founders. Nico Martini: You’re a Texan, you know damn well that when we get an idea in our heads, nothing is going to stop us. How did the state’s whiskey come up from nothing so quickly? InsideHook: They say everything is bigger in Texas, yet despite being a native Texan myself, I didn’t realize just how big Texas whiskey has become until reading your book. We caught up with Nico for the inside scoop on what whiskey drinkers should seek out in the Lone Star State. In Texas you’ll find everything from bourbons and blends to Irish-style pot still whiskeys to whiskeys smoked with peach and pecan wood. Texas whiskey production has come up from virtually nothing in 2008 to its current status as an innovative, award-winning and massively diverse distilling scene. If you ask Nico Martini, author of the new book Texas Whiskey and cofounder of Grayson whiskey, the answer is a resounding yes. We think it is the best bourbon to use in your old-fashioned.Is Texas the next great whiskey destination? After blending, it is blind proofed to taste and bottled at their Blanco, Texas distillery. Then, 10-to-11-year-old Tennessee whiskey adds structure and tannins. Two-to-three-year-old pot still Texas bourbon lends rusticity and spice, while three-to-four-year-old Kentucky bourbon provides vanilla and fruity flavors. Milam & Greene Triple Cask is a unique blend of three straight bourbons from Texas, Kentucky, and Tennessee, each aged over various years, creating a character-filled whiskey. When we asked why the distillery opened in Texas versus Kentucky (or another part of the country), Greene said, "I think Texas chose me." Which we take as a smart move, especially seeing as how the distillery tripled its sales year-over-year since it began. She said, "I love the aspect of experimentation that I'm able to do regarding the effects of climate on whiskey and to compare what's happening in Hill Country to Kentucky." Founder, CEO, and master blender Heather Greene spoke with Tasting Table about making whiskey in Texas.
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