The 10 Best Bourbon Whiskeys From Texas

From brisket to big hats to the Alamo, Texas is famous for a lot of different things. However, few would assume that the Lone Star State does bourbon whiskey exceptionally well. Texas bourbon isn’t for everyone and as of right now, there is no legal definition for the category outside of the basic bourbon regulations (although some are passionate about changing that). To help you get started, we’ve put together a guide to help shine a much-needed light on the best bourbons from Texas. For our purposes here, we’ve limited qualifications to those distilleries that make their whiskeys exclusively in the Lone Star State. You can’t get much more American than bourbon whiskey, but you also can’t get much more American than Texas.

No matter what the liquid is, the climate has a big effect on the aging process. Fluctuations in temperature and humidity have an impact on how often and for how long the whiskey moves in and out of the wood of the barrel. In Kentucky, for instance, the temperature can go from around freezing in the wintertime to nearly 90°F in the summer. And so, the corn-based whiskey that’s aged there tends to find its maturation after spending at least four or five years interacting with the wood. However, while Texas summers are definitely hot, the winters can go from hot to cold in a short period of time. This sped-up aging cycle is why many Texas bourbons are only aged for around 3 years.

Ironroot Harbinger 115

Best Overall: For around a decade, Ironroot has been informed by the techniques of French winemaking and its town of Denison’s role in saving the Cognac industry. Using techniques used for brandy, the distillery has been an undeniable hit. Winner of nearly every major gold medal you can receive, Ironroot’s Harbinger 115 is not only the best Texas bourbon you’ll find but simply the best example of what the region has to offer. Using four different types of corn and a bit of rye, this expression is bottled at high proof and gives notes of red fruit and baking spices.

Still Austin Straight Bourbon

Best Runner-Up: Guided by the musical spirit of its namesake town, Still Austin produces some of the finest moonshine in Texas, with this flagship expression inspired by the complexities of music and is thus nicknamed “The Musician.” Like a talented virtuoso, the bourbon is just as versatile. Punching way above its price tag, it can impress your friends who want to sip something neat or can be thrown into a cocktail guilt-free. Pick up this full-bodied bourbon and enjoy a profile thriving with notes of vanilla, cinnamon, and almonds.

Treaty Oak The Day Drinker

Best Budget: It’s difficult to find a good wallet-friendly bourbon in any category, so when you find one as good as Treaty Oak’s The Day Drinker, you tend to remember where it’s found. This wheated bourbon (with 32% wheat mashbill) gets its low price tag, likely, from its low age statement of only 1 year. No matter how old it is, this expression doesn’t disappoint and is made, from grain to glass, in Texas. Because it spends less time in the barrel, it trades in oaky notes for that of kettle corn, wheat, nutmeg, and cinnamon. 

Garrison Brothers Balmorhea

Best Top Shelf: Launched in 2006, Garrison Brothers is the oldest legal distillery in Texas and the brand that most people think of when discussing the region. Its range is quite impressive and has crept up in price in the last few years. Towards the top of the list is its coveted Balmorhea expression, created in small batches and aged for five years total — transferring to a second oak barrel for the final year. Dubbed “bourbon candy in a bottle” by Master Distiller Donnis Todd, it possesses the brand’s signature oakiness but collects a dynamic profile in the process, which includes fudgesicle bars, pecan brittle, sticky buns, and chocolate syrup.

Nine Banded Wheated Bourbon 90 Proof

Best Wheated: There are wheated bourbons and then there is Nine Banded’s Wheated Bourbon. Considered high-wheat for its mashbill, which contains 45% of the grain (on top of 51% corn and 4% malted barley), the award-winning expression is smooth at 90-proof and fairly rich, balancing the earthy tones with honeysuckle sweetness. Rounding out the profile are notes of bananas, cherries, and maple, with a long finish that features flavors of vanilla, black licorice, and cinnamon.

Yellow Rose Outlaw Bourbon

Best 100% Corn: There aren’t a lot of bourbons made entirely from corn, but in Texas, anything’s possible. Yellow Rose’s Outlaw expression comes from a small batch made in traditional pot stills. Bottled at 92-proof, the sweet and rich palate might not be for every drinker but this bourbon is certainly one you won’t forget. Also great in old fashioneds due to its aggressive flavors, Outlaw can be sipped neat as well. It’s been winning awards for over a decade now and soars with a corn-forward profile filled with vanilla and caramel.

TX Barrel Proof Bourbon Whiskey

Best Barrel Proof: You have to be pretty ballsy to stake claim to your state’s name when labeling your brand. You know TX Bourbon is from Texas the moment you glance at the large monogram on the bottle, but tasting this exceptional expression is another story. A product of Firestone & Robertson, the Barrel Proof version of TX’s flagship whiskey allows the drinker to experience the true essence of the distillery’s liquid firsthand. Not everyone will be thrilled about drinking uncut, high-proof bourbon, but for those who prefer a little heat on their tongue, you’ll love tasting the cinnamon apple, toasted vanilla, and dark cherry notes of this exceptional moonshine.

Saints Alley Bourbon The Herald Armagnac Cask

Best Cask Finished: Cask-finished whiskeys are on the rise as of late, opening up the palate range of a spirit that can find itself with relative limitations (for better or worse). That said, the liquid being finished still has to be good to begin with. Blending Texas straight bourbon with MGP, this whiskey from Saints Alley — a project by the Head Distiller at Ironroot and whiskey expert Chris Trevino — was finished in French Armagnac casks, harkening back to the former’s ties with the industry overseas. The palate features notes of orange, tobacco, anise, roasted cashews, Darjeeling tea, and fig pudding.

Milam & Greene The Castle Hill Series 13 Year

Best High Age Statement: Named after the historic Texas Military Institute, the Castle Hill Series from Milam & Greene is among the best the Lone Star State has to offer, combining 26 different barrels of at least 13 years of age (with some as high as 14). At 111-proof, the second batch of this award-winning bourbon comes along with warm flavors of caramel, cinnamon, cherry, vanilla, and tobacco. When it comes to 13-year-old bourbon, the Castle Hill Series is also hard to beat in terms of price as well.

Balcones Blue Corn Bourbon

Best Rarity: Aside from Garrison Brothers, Balcones is the distillery most closely associated with the Lone Star State. The brand does a lot with its corn-based liquid and, truth be told, not all of it works out. However, its Blue Corn Bourbon — not to be confused with its much-more-affordable Baby Blue label — is one of the most enviable whiskeys in Texas, if not the United States. Piling on the awards with each release, this expression is best enjoyed neat, where you can truly experience the flavors of sweet tea, burnt marshmallow, cinnamon candies, marmalade, and cardamom.

The Best Bourbon Whiskeys Not from Kentucky

If you’re into non-Kentucky whiskeys and want to learn more, check out our guide to the best bourbon whiskey NOT from Kentucky.