Taste Test: One of the Best Craft Distillers Successfully Uses Old Cognac Techniques in Its New Bourbon

Jonah Flicker
·4 min read

Welcome to Taste Test, where every week our critic Jonah Flicker explores the most buzzworthy and interesting whiskeys in the world. Check back each Sunday for his latest whiskey review.

At last count, there were almost 3,000 craft distilleries in the United States. While there’s no real definition for that term, it usually refers to small operations that are not owned by drinks giants like Diageo, Brown-Forman, or Campari (there are also a few like Woodinville Whiskey, which is owned by Moët Hennessy but still operates like a craft distillery). One of the best in the business is Texas’s Still Austin, which just released a very good new bourbon made with a very old Cognac technique.

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The bourbon is called Tanager Cigar Blend Whiskey, so as you can tell by the name it’s a whiskey meant to be enjoyed with a stogie. I don’t really care for cigars, but this bourbon, while perhaps not as good as some of the distillery’s other recent releases, is very tasty and can certainly be enjoyed smoke-free. Cigar blends are often finished in a number of different barrels to add layers of flavor, but that’s not the case here.

Typically, bourbon is cut to proof after it is dumped from the barrel before bottling, unless of course it’s bottled at barrel proof or cask strength. But master blender Nancy Fraley and head distiller John Schrepel used a technique called petites eaux, traditionally employed by Cognac or Armagnac makers, to produce this whiskey. This method differs from the slow water reduction process normally used by the distillery, in which a little bit of water is added to barrels as they age and water evaporates to control the proof and flavor of the whiskey during maturation. “It’s less about proofing the whiskey down (a single dose of slow-water reduction only reduces the spirit by two to four proof points) and more about changing how the whiskey interacts with its barrel,” Schrepel told Robb Report.

The petites eaux technique is very different. The whiskey is dumped from the barrel and water is added to cut it to about 50 proof (25 percent ABV). That water-heavy mix is then put into a used barrel to pick up the essence of the wood, essentially resulting in barrel-aged whiskey-water. For Tanager, three full-proof bourbons made from red, white, and blue corn were aged for about five years, blended together, and put into a neutral container to marry. Lastly, petites eaux was added to the whiskey to dial in the specific flavor profile. “Instead of looking at it as low proof whiskey, we see it as ‘fortified water,'” said Schrepel. “The petites eaux is so rich in esters, oils, and oak tannins that can greatly influence the blend, even with tiny amounts.”

So how has this affected the whiskey’s flavor? I actually like Still Austin’s other whiskeys better than Tanager, although this is still a high-quality bourbon. The note that really stands out to me here is dark fruit, with flavors like ripe berries, stone fruit, and red apple leading the charge. Mixed with those are notes of caramel, tobacco, caramelized brown sugar, and subtle but noticeable layers of baking spice and black pepper. But it’s that dark fruit note that really pops, which seems to be the character that the Still Austin team has gone for to create its version of a cigar blend whiskey.

This is the most expensive Still Austin whiskey to date, with a suggested retail price of $150. It comes in a striking package with a painting created by Texas artist Marc Burckhardt featuring the summer tanager bird that can be found on other Still Austin labels. Tanager is initially available at the distillery, but will roll out to markets around the country in the coming months. This whiskey is worth seeking out even if you are not a cigar fan, but if you are looking to spend a little less money to get to know this craft distillery I’d recommend sticking with the bourbon or rye in the core lineup instead.

Score: 87

  • 100 Worth trading your first born for

  • 95 – 99 In the Pantheon: A trophy for the cabinet

  • 90 – 94 Great: An excited nod from friends when you pour them a dram

  • 85 – 89 Very Good: Delicious enough to buy, but not quite special enough to chase on the secondary market

  • 80 – 84 Good: More of your everyday drinker, solid and reliable

  • Below 80 It’s alright: Honestly, we probably won’t waste your time and ours with this

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