Still Austin The Musician Cask Strength

Purchased at Total Wine, Spokane, WA, $68, June 2024, after tasting a sip at the store. Aged at least 2 years, bottled at 118 ABV. Tasted neat. Beautiful red copper color and strong coating legs in the glass. Nose is strong and rich--floral oak, vanilla, maple syrup, caramel corn, sweet grass, and some ethanol. That's the best part of this taste. In the mouth, thin white sugar (think sweet leche cake or maple flavored syrup/candies at best, but not brown sugar or caramel as other reviews note), vanilla oak and leather tannins, cherry, baking spice, followed by an ethanol bloom. Mouthfeel starts sugar thin, becomes oily coating, but of that sweet profile. Finish remains sweet, but turns grassy spicy with pepper, and then a little sour cherry in the background. Long finish. An ice cube softens that white sugar sweetness and tames (but doesn't erase) the tannic ethanol. I was skeptical about this whiskey because of the 2 year age statement and price, but the tiny taste I had in the store changed my mind. More leisurely tasting reveals some of the youthful flaws--the thin sweetness and tannic ethanol. Don't get me wrong, this is still a really interesting whiskey, and I can appreciate it for what it is, but it's a distillate that will only improve with more time in charred oak, developing a deeper caramelized brown sugar and grain sweetness.

Given to me as a gift by a friend who didn’t enjoy it. Nose offers some nice elements in the form of cigar box, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, creamed corn, cinnamon, and oak.Ethanol is…oof. But I suppose slightly forgivable given the proof. Palate is interesting with powdered sugar doughnut, blackberry, clove, nutmeg, grassy herbs, dark chocolate, and charred oak notes. Flavors definitely pack a punch, but not very well integrated; each individual flavor stands out sharply. Bright and brassy. Long finish brings heavy rye spice, black pepper, allspice, barrel char, oak, mint, and some interesting cereal grains after everything else fades. Mouthfeel is thick and creamy which really elevates, although oddly a hint of graininess pokes its head out every now and again. Overall a solid effort and much more subtle than other Texas whiskies I have had (looking at you Balcones). But in doing so, it also gives up some uniqueness. At $49.99, the price is right and I want to say it’s going to be a staple in my cabinet, but I just ultimately found it to be…somewhat disjointed and slightly forgettable. A pass.

I got this bottle (a fifth) for $49.99 at the Uptown Total Wine store here in Albuquerque. It's 116 proof, has a two year age statement, and is dark copper in the glass. The mash bill is 70% white corn, 25% rye, and 5% sprouted barley. NOSE: Over a number of dives into the glass I got dark caramel, something that I can only characterize as warm, green leaves, brown sugar, eucalyptus, butter, bread, musty corn, and cornbread. MOUTHFEEL: Heavy and creamy - I thought of saying oily, but it doesn't quite fit that word. TASTE: Again it took several sips for me to get caramel, brown sugar, butter, honey, milk chocolate, and red pepper. FINISH: Medium, with milk chocolate, a little red pepper, and a little oak. SUMMARY: The nose and palate are so complex that it's hard to pick out specific notes - but it's DELICIOUS. This is everything the Musician promises but doesn't deliver. This is excellent whisky. RATING: My hick system has eight levels, with 8 being the highest. I give this that eighth rating, Mighty Fine. That comes out to 5 stars, or 100/100 or 10/10.

Nose: A lot of good vanilla and a very rich, slight spiced wood note, mixed in well with a heavy and dark cherry. They cherry and the wood are wonderful compliments, both dark and rich and heavy, with that nice herbal spice note. There’s almost a bit of bubblegum there too. Palate and Finish: Beautiful palate and a nice finish. For 59% ABV, this dram is nearly quaffable. It has wonderful woody and vanilla notes, with a nice rich Luxardo cherry sort of syrup. There is a nice chocolately/cherry note here to and the spice is a great background to finish on. Finish lingers for a decent time, and becomes sweeter and friendlier. This is a great winter evening dram, if you’re in the mode for a bourbon. After about two minutes, a bit of a green/fresh grain note is left, along with the spice as it fades. Overall, this is a wonderful dram from Still Austin. It is nearly quaffable, despite its 59% ABV tag— It is easily a drink you could return to over and over multiple times and feels like a bottle you could do much more damage to than intended!

Nose: On the nose it’s like opening a can of cherry Vanilla Coke. The sweet, blend of cherry and vanilla wafts through the air. It instantly transports me to memories of having a soda on a hot day. Palate: The whiskey coats the entire palate. Its viscosity is syrup like. The brandied cherries take center stage. It’s almost like drinking the cherry syrup from a jar of Luxardo cherries. This deep flavor is intertwined with the robust undercurrent of Vanilla, creating a wonderful pairing. Finish: It’s a prolonged and gratifying finish. The flavors gradually recede, leaving behind a lasting impression. The long finish becomes an encore, inviting contemplation and reflection on the delightful notes once more. In my opinion, this is truly a remarkable whiskey. It’s super sweet and enjoyable at every point. The high proof is a huge benefit to this whiskey as it is full of flavor and last forever. Big fan. Makes me excited to try more from Still Austin.

NEAT NOSE - Rich notes of brown sugar and caramel burried in oak with a touch of vanilla. PALATE - Thick mouthfeel. Brown sugar, caramel, vanilla. I do get a bit of barrel char on the palate with a decent kick of rye spice. Moving this around on the palate a few seconds before swallowing definitely helps to lessen that kick from the rye spice. FINISH - Medium-long. On the back end, I get a minty-dark chocolate note. BUY? I know this is expensive, given the age statement, but hear me out. This is a craft distillery making some of the best whiskey in Texas (in my opinion) especially at the price point. BUY AGAIN?? Absolutely. I think it drinks pretty sweet despite the kick of rye spice. Also, there are single barrel versions of this which should make things just that more interesting.