u/Remarkable-Stranger8

Hey y’all! Here are the recent filings for the Texas Whiskey side of the TTB. We had a week-long drought, then the floodgates opened. Compound that with my grad school rotation trying to kill me, and here we are. While it is great to talk about fan-favorite brands, we also have some lesser-known ones to mention today...

TX is planning the next release in its Experimental Series, this one being a rum cask finish. Interestingly, Experimental Series #17 included rum cask finishing in the blend as well. Seems that TX might have had a few extra barrels of some finished whiskey lying around. Maybe we see this join the core TX finishing line up in the next year or two.

Acre Distilling of Fort Worth is giving us a bit of a tribute for the 251st birthday of the United States Marine Corps. Meanwhile, Blue Bolt has a similar release with Shire Distilling. An Indiana rye that was bottled in Texas. While we don’t know how long (if any) this was aged in Texas, an 8-year Indiana distilled rye is typically a solid release to bet on if the price is right.

Blackland has 2 releases on the horizon. First, Prairie Gold, an in-house distilled bourbon with a mashbill of corn and triticale grains. Second, Texpresso, which has the addition of coffee, brown sugar, and pecans. Texpresso certainly sounds like it could be at home in an Old Fashioned or Revolver riff.

War Trail Spirits has a new release for the Broken Halo line. This one is 100% Texas grain, with an undisclosed bourbon mashbill. I am interested to see if this “I’m Complicated” release lives up to its name through its mashbill, and to my knowledge, this is the first extension of the Broken Halo line. My fingers are crossed for a triticale or malted rye addition in the mash. I will be keeping an eye on this brand.

Porchlight has 2 upcoming releases as well. A cask strength bourbon and a French oak single barrel bourbon. The wording on the French oak finish is a bit confusing: “made and bottled by” instead of “distilled and bottled by”. Suggesting to me that these are both sourced products.

This was a bit of a longer report/rambling; thank y’all for reading this far! Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable 4th!

Background: Welcome to my second marathon review! You’d be right to assume I am a fan of the Ironroot brand, and I have visited the distillery in Denison, Texas.  While I always intend to be unbiased in my thoughts, I am only human. These bottles were all purchased by me. 

Ironroot's use of French brandy-making techniques in its whiskey production makes it unique from most distillers. Training under Hubert Germain-Robert, a 9th-generation Cognac distiller, the Likarish Brothers learned how to distill and blend. Opting for a pot still, Ironroot further embraced those French influences. They chose to utilize heirloom corn varieties as a flavoring grain, similar to other distillers' use of rye and wheat. These factors, combined with practicing “élevage” in the Texas climate, led to a unique resulting whiskey. 

Hubris and Icarus are not bourbon; rather, both are 100% corn whiskey with primary maturation in second-fill European oak casks. Initially, Hubris was a single barrel of the aforementioned whiskey spec that stood out. Robert Likarish, upon tasting this barrel, wanted to send it to a spirits competition. His brother, Johnathan, was adamant that it was too soon to send a whiskey to competition. Telling Robert that you'd better name this whiskey Hubris, as that is what you're being. Icarus is a continuation of Hubris, using the addition of port and peated Scotch casks for secondary finishing. 

Meanwhile, this single-barrel release is a bourbon that was initially selected for Total Wine in 2023; however, it somehow ended up at Denison’s Fossil Creek Liquor. Per the Likarish family, they really don’t do a ton of single barrels, as the barrel needs to have as much balance and layers as their batched products. Well, that was a lot; this is going to be a long one!

Review #16: Ironroot Hubris (2025 Edition)

Distilled from a mashbill of heirloom purple corn, red flint corn, and non-GMO yellow dent corn

Aged 3 Years 9 Months

117.8 Proof (58.9% Alcohol/Volume)

I paid ~$70 (after tax) for 750mL

Appearance: Noticeably lighter than other Ironroot releases, chesnut-esque color. The viscosity and legs remain high.

Nose: The used cooperage is apparent on the nose, as the whiskey is heavily fruit-forward. I get a combination of fragrant sweet white grapes paired with this heavy blueberry and blackberry compote. The rest of the nose is “afternoon tea in a cigar lounge.” Layers of fresh milk chocolate scones, black tea, dusty leather, and dry tobacco are all wrapped up by a nutty rancio. While not grain-forward, a bit lingers in the back.

Palate: Pure stewing fruit, with plentiful ripe blackberries, blueberries, apples, and pears. After the fruit fades, baking chocolate and light cinnamon sugar. Despite used casks, the mouthfeel remains viscous.

Finish: A long and enjoyable finish, with noticeable tannin structure and an enjoyable drying quality. Scorched baking spices in the form of clove and nutmeg, scorched caramel, antique leather, and fragrant tobacco. A bit of sweet blackberry and apple bring everything together. 

Review #17: Ironroot Icarus (2024 Edition) 

Distilled from a mashbill of heirloom purple corn, red flint corn, and non-GMO yellow dent corn

Aged 4 Years 2 Months

117.2 Proof (58.6% Alcohol/Volume)

I paid ~$80 (after tax) for 750mL

Appearance: A similar chestnut color to Hubris, now with a slight red hue. A heavy oil ring with dispersed legs.

Nose: Raspberry jam and sweet graham crackers combined with faint notes of allspice and bitter chocolate. Powerful notes of briney peat, iodine, tobacco ash, and a medicinal band-aid note; comparatively to Hubris, a very dry nose. 

Palate: More raspberry jam, now with the addition of some dark plum and maybe even fig. All are quickly overtaken by peat smoke. Accents of some roasting chocolate and old leather. A promising palate that feels rushed by smoke.

Finish: The Islay Scotch cask is pushing itself to the front again. Immediate smoke and tobacco ash that remain. More subtle flecks of black pepper, allspice, and minerality. The smoke lingers and just remains to the next sip. 

Review #18: Ironroot Harbinger Single Barrel Selected by Total Wine & More

Mashbill: Unknown 

Aged 3 Years

121.8 Proof (60.9% Alcohol/Volume)

I paid ~$45 (after tax) for 750mL

Appearance: Oloroso sherry with a red hue. Very plentiful legs with above-average thickness. 

Nose: Prominent dark brown sugar, peach black tea, chocolate graham crackers, oily pecans, and vanilla extract. There is a dense, enjoyably sweet oak. Faint notes of sweet cornbread and tangerine. There is this aromatic type of smoke that is present; it doesn’t make the nose inherently smoky, but it does remind me of a backyard BBQ in some way.

Palate: Immediately, getting some heat right in the center of the tongue. More peach black tea, chocolate graham cracker, and brown sugar notes. A bit of an earthy umami note here. The mouthfeel is viscous and chewy. 

Finish: The notes all start to change as they fade. Cocoa powder and stewing peaches paired with roasted pecans, fresh leather, and something that reminds me of café brulot. The finish is oily and heavy. 

Conclusions: Hubris is an excellent example of why I believe more Texas distillers should adopt some variety of used cooperage. The tannin felt more balanced, and let the heirloom grains get more of a showcase. In some ways this reminds me of a vintage Armagnac in the best of ways.

Icarus was a dry sip, and is a strong contrast to the more fruit-forward Hubris. It missed the balance and roundness, and was off profile for Ironroot Republic, in my opinion. That said, I do enjoy an Islay Scotch on occasion, and anyone that loves a smoke-forward whiskey should enjoy it. I just wish that more of the fruit shined; instead, it felt drowned out by the raw power of peat.

The Harbinger Single Barrel was enjoyable. My preference for this bottle vs. the standard offering would likely come down to my mood.

Ranking-wise, I would say Icarus (3), Harbinger Single Barrel (2), Hubris (1). If you made it this far, thank you for reading! I will see you in the next one! Cheers!

EDIT: Formating

Background: First West is the more affordable branch of the 15 Stars bourbon portfolio, named for Kentucky's position as the first U.S. state west of the Appalachian Mountains. The brand was started by father-son duo Rick and Ricky Johnson. Before bourbon, one of the family businesses was Black Jewell Popcorn, a brand that uses heirloom corns to create various specialty popcorn. Ricky had reached out to Bardstown Bourbon Company, who at the time had not yet distilled any heirloom corns, expressing interest in distilling the black corn they use in Black Jewell. Fast forward, and in November of 2019, the initial distillation of a wheated black corn whiskey was produced at BBC. First West Explorer is the first release in the portfolio to contain 100% of the company's own distillate, contract distilled for them at BBC.

First West Explorer Baby Black Corn Bourbon

Blend of 70% baby black corn, 18% wheat, and 12% malted barley & 70% yellow dent corn, 18% rye, and 12% malted barley mashbills; composite mashbill unknown

5 Years Old

95 Proof (47.5% Alcohol/Volume)

I paid ~$50 (after tax) for 750mL

Appearance: A deep gold hue with surprisingly viscous and plentiful legs.

Nose: A noticeably sweet nose with very prominent notes of fresh caramel, apple blossom, and toasted oak. Then some faint fruit and spice notes as well, with real cherry vanilla cola, banana taffy, and some ripe blackberry. There may be the faintest dusty corn note, but I only got that on my initial dram; once the bottle got some air, it went away for me.

Palate: Once again, sweetness is the main player, but some earthiness is coming into play here. Caramel candy and cola with a much more prominent cherry note than the nose before transitioning to sweet tobacco leaf. A quick hit of honeycrisp apple bridges the gap to the finish. The overall mouthfeel is above average for the proof and age of the blend.

Finish: The caramel and cherry cola are sticking around for the finish as well. Some faint ripe blackberry and dry oak are here as well. The initial sips did have a bit of chicory root and tobacco leaf, though as you continue to taste the whiskey it becomes more sweet forward. Once the earthiness fades, you are left with a sweet caramel corn finish that gently plays out.

Conclusion: An enjoyable example of heirloom grain bourbon at a relatively affordable price. I do wish the pour had a bit more spice and earthiness to balance the sweetness, and maybe be more ~100 proof. Though I am pleasantly surprised by this, those who enjoy a bit sweet forward sip should enjoy it. For me, this product is a good example of what is to come from 15 Stars as their own distillate matures in the Kentucky climate. I am sure 8-10 years will really let this distillate come into its own. While this product may not be for everyone quite yet, I would absolutely recommend it for those who would like to start exploring heirloom corn whiskey. Cheers!

Background: Preface, unlike my traditional reviews done over multiple sessions, this review was done in one sitting at a local whiskey bar. As such, I may have missed a bit of the nuances in this whiskey, but let's see how this goes anyway! 

The most interesting part of The Infinite is the blending of whiskey that was distilled by 3 different generations of Beam Distillers. Freedie Noe’s component was a 7-year bourbon. Fred Noe’s component was a 14-year bourbon. Finally, Booker Noe’s component was a 20-year bourbon. The family component was an 8-year bourbon. With only 70% of the net blend being bottled, and 30% being withheld in steel tanks for future releases. We have already received The Infinite II, and I would imagine that III will be coming down the pipeline eventually. 

Booker Noe retired in 1992 from full-time distilling, spending his remaining time with the Jim Beam company as an ambassador for the brand. He passed away in February 2004, long before I was drinking whiskey (or even in elementary school).  As such, I have had very little opportunity to taste the distillate he had produced, though I enjoyed the opportunity to try a bit of a bourbon time capsule. Let's dive in!

Little Book - The Infinite I

Blend composed of 7-year to 20-year bourbon

119.3 Proof (59.65% Alcohol/Volume)

I paid $15 for 1oz at a local whiskey bar

Appearance: Viscous oil ring at the top of the glass, with thick legs that don’t really run. Color couldn’t be assessed due to the lighting. 

Nose: A dark and dense nose, filled with dark chocolate cherry cordials, southern hazelnut pralines, cinnamon hard candy, and some wisps of vanilla custard and confectioner sugar. Yes, of course, there is some oak and ethanol, but both are very well integrated.

Palate: Immediately, you are gonna get some heat at the center of your tongue. Despite that, the palate is buttery and rich overall. Those dark chocolate cherry cordials are back, along with cinnamon, toasted black pepper, and antique wood. Maybe even a bit of a tootsie roll vibe on the transition to the finish. 

Finish: Just like the palate, the finish is buttery. Similarly, the antique oak is carrying over as well. Toasted hazelnuts and caramel chews are present, and a fruit note that makes me think of Nerds candy a bit. There is a lingering heat on the tongue that makes you salivate. 

Conclusion: A very nice example of Jim Beam bourbon, with a taste that lives up to the story it's trying to tell. At the time of writing, we are already on the 2nd edition of The Infinite. I am sure the 3rd edition is on its way sooner rather than later. I am looking forward to seeing how the profile evolves and becomes its own in future releases. Cheers!

Background: Released in November 2025, Duck Club is the product of Morningside Brands and country music celebrity Riley Green. With marketing emphasis being placed on the outdoorsmen culture and wetland conservation. The debut included a 92-proof standard offering and the 110-proof High Brass.  Duck Club High Brass is a blend of 5-year-old bourbon distilled in Clearmont, Kentucky, and an 8-year-old bourbon distilled in Bardstown, Kentucky. Meaning this is very likely a blend of Jim Beam and Bardstown Bourbon Company distillates. 

Duck Club High Brass

Blended from a mashbill of 81.5% 5 year Kentucky bourbon (67% corn, 23% rye, 10% malted barley) and 18.5% 8 year Kentucky bourbon (75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley)

Net mashbill of 68.5% corn, 21.5% rye, and 10% malted barley

Aged 5 Years

110 Proof (55% Alcohol/Volume)

I paid ~$44 (after tax) for 750 mL

Appearance: The bourbon has a copper hue and plentiful legs that drip rather quickly

Nose: The opening is a combo of freshly grated nutmeg and black pepper, followed by some expressed sweet orange oils. The rest of the nose is much more subtle, with peanut brittle, lightly toasted hazelnuts, dry leather, toasted grain, fragrant fennel seed, and a diluted cherry quality all contributing. 

Palate: There are notes here that remind me of going to Cracker Barrel as a kid. Both vanilla taffy and peanut butter bars are present. That old-fashioned candy pairs up with some sweet orange. A subtle, earthy, even almost savory, rye grain note and espresso bean precede the finish. The mouthfeel is average for the proof and age. 

Finish: Pronounced cinnamon stick and peanut shell are the focus. Paired with notes of light brown sugar, a bit of that earthy grain, and sweet orange as well. The peanut shell and cinnamon stick notes persist the longest. 

Conclusion: I am not at all mad at this bottle. It has a nice complexity for its price point, and it offers a solid intensity of the signature Beam profile combined with some individuality of the Bardstown Bourbon Company distillate. I will be keeping an eye on Duck Club and seeing what they do in the coming years. We certainly could see some high consumer value limited editions in the future, and who doesn’t love a bit of higher age-stated Jim Beam?

On a more speculative note, Duck Club is a part of the Morningside Spirits brand portfolio. Morningside also owns the Alma del Jaguar tequila brand, which recently released a tequila that was aged exclusively in mizunara oak casks. While mizunara oak finishing isn’t that novel in the bourbon space as it once was, perhaps Duck Club will experiment with some long-term oak finishing projects in the future as well.