Still Austin 2025 Tanager Cigar Blend Bourbon Whiskey

A little background

Still Austin 2025 Tanager Cigar Blend Bourbon Whiskey represents the distillery’s most premium offering to date, produced through an adaptation of the historical Petites Eaux technique. This expression is built from a 100% Texan grown mash bill of blue corn bourbon, 25% red corn bourbon, and 22% white corn bourbon, each component aged for a minimum of six years. The final whiskey is bottled at 53.75% ABV (107.5 proof) and priced at $150.

To create this edition, Still Austin’s blending team combined their finest 6-year old high rye bourbon with pure Texas water and aged it to at least 50 proof for at least one year before adding it to the base whiskey for final proofing. This ancient blending technique, known as Petites Eaux (small waters), has been used for centuries in the Cognac and Armagnac regions of France. The 2025 Tanager release continues the brand’s mission to express Texas terroir without relying on finishing barrels, instead deriving character solely from grain, maturation, and technique.

Packaged in a premium red gift box and accompanied by original artwork from Texas artist Marc Burckhardt, the 2025 edition emphasizes Still Austin’s connection to local artistry and its iconic Summer Tanager motif. The bottle features custom glass embossing, a metal stopper symbolizing the Tanager’s nest, and design elements that highlight the three-corn mash bill. This extremely limited release is available at the Still Austin distillery and select retailers while supplies last.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Amber

Nose

Blood orange, milk chocolate, cherry, hazelnut, sugar babies, honey, and sweet cream.

Palate

Cherry, apricot, milk chocolate, caramel, anise, and black pepper.

Finish

Molasses, chocolate, cherry, anise, leather, black pepper, camphor, and ground cinnamon.

In closing

NOTE: The sample used for this review was provided at no cost courtesy of Still Austin Whiskey Co.. We thank them for the sample and for allowing us to review it with no strings attached.