Whiskey Made in Texas
Texan-made whiskey is fairly new to the scene, with the first whiskey distillery only established back in 2005 and the second Texan distillery established in 2009. Since then, the Texas whiskey scene has exploded, with an additional 13 Texas distilleries opening in subsequent years. Take a look at some of the best Texas whiskey brands, or if bourbon is more your style, check out our bourbon whiskey page.
This post may contain affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. As an Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Due to the large number of Texas products out there, I have not had the pleasure of sampling all the products on this page (yet!).
Whiskey Made in Waco, Texas
Originally started in 2008 in an old welding shop in Waco, Texas, Balcones Distilling was the second whiskey distillery in Texas and the first to release a Texas Whiskey. This award winning brand is now located in the 65,000-square foot Texas Fireproof Storage Co. building, just a few blocks away from the original location.
Holding the honor of being the first Texas whiskey released since Prohibition, Balcones Baby Blue Whiskey is made from Hopi blue corn. It has a buttery nose and a sweet, fruity taste. It provides a spicy finish, with cinnamon, peppercorn, and mint. This whisky has won a Silver Best in Class at Whiskies of the World Awards, was a Gold Winner with Wizards of Whiskey, and was rated the World’s Best Corn Whiskey at the World Whiskies Awards.
2. Spirit of Texas Pfluger Single Malt Whiskey
Single Malt Whiskey Made in Pflugerville, Texas
Thirty minutes outside of Austin in Pflugerville, Texas, is the Spirit of Texas distillery. Seven years after the distillery was founded in 2009, Pfluger Single Malt Whiskey was released.
Created in small batches, Pfluger has a bill of 80% malted barley and 20% rye. It is aged in oak barrels and charcoal filtered. Pfluger Single Malt Whiskey has received numerous awards, including a gold medal for the Best Texas Malt Whiskey in 2019 and 2020 at the Texas Whiskey Festival, a gold medal at the 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and a gold medal at the 2016 American Distilling Institute Competition.
3. Ranger Creek Rimfire Mesquite Smoked Whiskey
Single Malt Whiskey Made in San Antonio, Texas
Established in 2010, Ranger Creek is located in San Antonio, Texas. This combination brewery and distillery proudly produces and matures both beer and whiskey on site. Being a brewstillery means that some of the whiskeys and beers can share mashbills. This is the case for Rimfire Mesquite Smoked Single Malt Whiskey, which uses the same mashbill as Ranger Creek’s Mesquite Smoked Porter beer.
Styled after peated Scottish single malt, Rimfire is part of the Small Caliber Series, which matures whiskey in 5-10 gallon oak casks to speed up the aging process. Rimfire is aged for six months in a rackhouse exposed to the full Texas heat.
4. Rio Brazos Boxcar Texas Whiskey
Whiskey Made in College Station, Texas
Located less than half a mile from the Brazos River, Rio Brazos was started in 2013 in College Station, Texas, by Nathan and Wade Barkman. Situated in a warehouse right next to a winery and a brewery, Rio Brazos makes for the perfect addition to an alcohol tour of Central Texas. Rio Brazos currently produces two whiskeys and one bourbon.
Boxcar Texas Whiskey is a blended whiskey created by combining four 7 to 9-year-old whiskeys that are then aged in white American oak barrels and filtered through charred pecan wood. Boxcar is made in small batches and offers a spicy cinnamon taste.
Rye Whiskey Made in Blanco, Texas
 | $ 44.99 |
| Milam & Greene Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Casks - 750ml Bottle | |
Less than 20% of craft distillers are women owned, and Milam & Greene is one of them. Created in 2017 by Marsha Milam and Heather Greene, Milan & Greene is based out of Blanco, Texas, an hour west of Austin. Originally only available in Texas, Milam & Greene is now available in multiple states in the U.S. as of 2020.
The Straight Rye Whiskey is one of the three whiskies produced by Milam & Greene. Finished in Port wine casks, this whiskey has been awarded at both the Texas Whiskey Festival and The American Craft Spirits Association, winning “People’s Choice Award” and “Best in Show,” respectively.