Review #198: Still Austin Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey

AGE: 2 yr

MASH BILL: 70% white corn, 25% rye, 5% malted barley

PROOF: 116

COST: $55 for 750mL bottle (Total Wine in SC)

As a Texas native, I always wanted to like Texas whiskey. But alas, it’s usually too overly oaked, tannic, and harsh for my liking. That said, there are some distilleries in Texas that I do like, and Still Austin is one of them. When I first tried their whiskey some time in 2022, I was impressed by it – it tasted more like Kentucky bourbon than it did the other Texas bourbons I had previously. Fast forward to early 2025 when Still Austin became a Total Wine Spirits Direct partner, I was actually pretty excited that I would be able to start getting Still Austin products more frequently and for a good price. However, I saw a lot of others online who think the partnership was going to be the start of the downfall of Still Austin due to past Direct partnerships driving volume over quality. While it may not be enough run time to tell yet, I don’t believe it’s resulted in lower quality so far and still remain excited for what’s to come from Still Austin in coming years.

And now, let’s get to the whiskey! A batch of bourbon barrels picked by Nancy Fraley. With a minimum age statement of 2 years, let’s see how it is!

Reviewed neat in a Glencairn.

APPEARANCE: Deep, rich, mahogany in color (1.6), quite oily and viscous, really wanting to cling to the glass and birthing very slow legs. 

NOSE: Lots of vanilla and caramel right away making me think of Cow Tails candy. Milk chocolate and spices like chili powder, paprika, and cardamom follow close behind. Hints of butter toffee appear lending towards the sweetness but also open a door to the earthier notes of seasoned oak and toasted pecans. While this has an overall pretty dark nose, there are some brighter notes of orange peel and a touch of mint.

PALATE: This has a medium mouthfeel. Notes from the nose transfer to the palate very well, but morphing from dominating notes of sweet, spice, earthy, in that order, on the nose, to spice, earthy, sweet on the palate. The caramel pops at first but then takes a back seat to cardamom, tannic oak, nutmeg, and barrel char. Heavy, dark notes of molasses and dark chocolate enter a little way in and persist well into the finish. Towards the end of the sip, some burnt brown sugar pairs with the oak to go into the finish. The amount of oak in this shouldn’t be understated though (characteristic of the hot, Texas aging).

FINISH: Long, mellow finish adorned with tannic oak and dark, rich sweetness. The oak from the palate really develops into a dark, deep oak note in the finish. The dark chocolate and caramel transfer over from the palate as well but morph into a molasses or burnt brown sugar note. Rye spice combines with the oak to really give you the sense of splintery, seasoned post oak used in Texas BBQ. A very oak forward finish but quite enjoyable.

RATING: 7.1/10

OVERALL: This is quite a pleasant pour! The 25% rye really showed in force with some great spice notes. I always enjoy getting notes of cardamom because it has a refreshing feel as much as it does a tingling spice. The rich, dark sweetness really helped cut the tannic oak that comes with aging in the harsh Texas climate. For a 2 year age stated bourbon, it’s very enjoyable, and if you were skeptical of it because of the age statement, it tastes like it’s every bit of a 6+ year high rye bourbon. Proceed with confidence!

 

1 | Disgusting | Watershed Apple Brandy Finished Bourbon

2 | Poor | Balcones Lineage

3 | Bad | High West Double Rye, Jefferson's Ocean 28

4 | Sub-par | Weller's SR, Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select, Hillrock Estate Sauternes CS

5 | Good | Buffalo Trace, Sazerac Rye, Green River Wheated

6 | Very Good | Blanton's, Holladay Bourbons, Eagle Rare

7 | Great | Baker's 7yr SiB, BBCo Origin High Wheat, 1792 BiB

8 | Excellent | Most ECBP batches, Maker's Mark Wood Finishing releases, High West MWND Act 11

9 | Incredible | Woodford Reserve Batch Proof 121.2, BBCo Disco #7 and #13, Four Roses OESQ

10 | Perfect | Found North Batch 08, RR15