My first trip to Texas was Dallas. Aside from pursuing the best BBQ I could find, I made sure to bring home a bottle of Herman Marshall Small Batch Texas Bourbon Whiskey (Batch 16-1). Herman Marshall is Dallas County's first distillery since prohibition, hand-crafting whiskey in new white oak barrels. The nose is unexpectedly bright - apricots, grapes, mulled citrus and very light woodshavings. With time, I can smell a light leather influence and deeper caramelization, which paints an appropriate Texas-inspired Western image in my head. I can picture a cowboy sidling into a saloon with worn leather boots, kicking up the dust and wood remnants on the floor with every step. The body is luxuriously oily and it then stings the tip of my tongue within 5 seconds of sipping. It provides a balanced flavour combination leading with sweet honey and orange followed by saltiness and a subtle sourness. The last savoury note barely reaches the back of my throat as it finishes in the chest, rather than the stomach. Subdued apricot and tannic oak linger as I enjoy the indefinite warmth like wrapping a scarf around my neck and shoulders. The finish is very lightly drying on the tongue and lasts until whenever I choose to take my next sip. I'm pleasantly surprised by this one. I'd be happy to pour this when an American whiskey craving arrives when I don't need my hair blown back by a loud ABV. If you're craving aggressive spice, this bottle may not be for you, but I appreciate how this amber (and almost orange tinted) pour compliments the American whiskey landscape. 7.5/10
About this bottle
Herman Beckley and Marshall Louis met at a Starbucks in North Dallas, they had no idea that their common interest in distilling would turn into something more than just a hobby. The friends started making whiskey for fun and eventually became business partners operating their own distillery. Their flagship bourbon is made "from the corn up" and hand crafted in small batches.
Reviews
Showing the most detailed of 23 parsed reviews.
hmm, this one was way different from others that I have tried. I picked up a bottle of Temptress, not the standard Herman Marshall. The initial taste is rather clean and corn, the aftertaste is very heavily smoky and spiced. Good, but it takes a little getting used to.
Smells of vanilla, but bitter on the roof of my mouth. Stingy on the lips. Warms the throat a bit and lingers awhile. Not a pleasant finish. Smoky and leathery, strong unpleasant taste. Sorry, not a fan.
I’ve learned to really like this Bourbon. My first tastes were rough, but now after letting it sit a bit in a ice ball, the taste is smoother and more enjoyable. Goes well with chocolate.
The Rye mixed; the rye whiskey, bitter, Aperol & orange garnach. Sweet orange tang nose. Sweet orange flavor with a touch of spice. Sweet herbal finish. Spicy lingering flavor. 4/5
Could be an everyday drinker. Will be nice to share with friends. At 92 proof not as much bite as I would like. Smooth, peppery finish. Vanilla corn. Tasted neat not memorable.
17 more reviews were collected for this bottle. The longest ones are shown first.
Tastes like this
Same style and price bracket, best rated first.
