Across the United States and the world, Texas enjoys a larger-than-life reputation. Its physical size and association with cowboy culture continue to dominate much of the discourse, especially from those outside the state, but Texas today is diverse in people and landscapes, with mega metropolises coexisting alongside rugged ranchlands. All that open space has long accommodated cattle and crops, and a growing population has exhibited a thirst for whiskey, ranking second in consumption behind more populous California, according to data from Beverage Information Group.
The first wave of Texas whiskey distilleries sprang to life in the mid-aughts, as small operations began to distil spirits and lay them down in barrels. As recently as 2010, the state counted only two whiskey distilleries among its ranks: Garrison Brothers in the Hill Country town of Hye, and Balcones in Waco. Since the beginning, in-state distillers have faced an uphill battle, fighting against more established players in Kentucky and Tennessee, consumer awareness (or unawareness), and well-meaning but often reductive concerns about how the hot climate in Texas impacts a spirit’s ability to mature and develop flavours.
If numbers are an indication, Texas is winning the battle. Dozens of whiskey distillers now call Texas home, and consumers both within the state and outside it are beginning to ask for Texas whiskeys.
