A little background
Still Austin Whiskey Co. is an Austin, Texas-based distillery committed to using 100% Texas-grown grains, aging their spirits in the region’s famously extreme climate. Their straight rye whiskey, known as “The Artist,” serves as the foundation for this cask strength expression, a barrel-proof bottling that takes the same base spirit and amplifies it by selecting and blending only the most exceptional barrels available.
The Still Austin Cask Strength Rye Whiskey is made from a 100% rye mash bill and bottled at cask strength (116 Proof), the same proof at which the spirit was aged, with an MSRP of $60. Master Blender Nancy “The Nose” Fraley handpicked the barrels that make up this release, following the same approach Still Austin used for their Cask Strength Bourbon. The result is an uncut, unfiltered rye whiskey that reflects both the distillery’s grain-to-glass philosophy and the influence of the Texas environment on the aging process.
(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)
Color
Copper
Nose
Candied ginger, cherry cobbler, orange peel, caramel, lemon zest.
Palate
Baking spices (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg), peach, caramel, anilla, rye spice, anise, and mint.
Finish
Rye spice, dried cherry, anise, brown butter, mint, and cinnamon.
In closing
Still Austin Cask Strength Rye Whiskey is one of the more compelling arguments for taking Texas whiskey seriously. At 116 proof and $60 MSRP, this 100% Texas rye delivers a flavor experience that punches well above both its age and its price tag. Opening with an intensely aromatic nose of candied ginger, cherry cobbler, orange peel, caramel, and lemon zest before giving way to a rich, oily palate layered with baking spices, peach, caramel, vanilla, rye spice, anise, and mint. The finish is long and satisfying, closing out with dried cherry, brown butter, cinnamon, and a lingering rye spice that keeps things interesting well after the glass is empty.
Master Blender Nancy “The Nose” Fraley’s barrel selection is clearly doing heavy lifting here. This whiskey drinks with a maturity and complexity that belies its age, which is no small feat. The flavor profile is genuinely unique and won’t taste like any rye you’ve had before, which is either a selling point or a caveat depending on your palate. If you’re anticipating a traditional Kentucky or Indiana-style rye, you’ll need to recalibrate your expectations. Still Austin Cask Strength Rye is a distinctive, high-quality pour at a fair price that showcases what grain-to-glass Texas distilling can achieve at its best.
NOTE: The sample used for this review was provided at no cost courtesy of Still Austin. We thank them for the sample and for allowing us to review it with no strings attached.
Still Austin Cask Strength Rye Whiskey
The Good
- Value
- Flavor profile
- Rich and oily palate
The Bad
- Alcohol not fully integrated
- Flavor might not be for everyone
