Still Austin Bottled in Bond Blue Corn Bourbon Review
In-Depth Review
Let’s come right out and say it: if you haven’t heard of Still Austin – you’re missing out. What the small team at this distillery in the heart of Austin, Texas is doing is pretty remarkable. Founded in 2015, Still Austin operates as a fully grain to glass operation and source all their grains from local Texas farmers and before aging their products Texas Hill Country. They remain a staunchly independent craft producer but have brought together some industry titans in Master Distiller Mike Delevante and Master Blender Nancy Fraley as part of the core team. Alongside Head Distiller John Schrepel, they have custom built much of the distilling equipment used on site.
Still Austin has expanded their core lineup in recent years to include flagship versions of bourbon and rye alongside cask strength versions of each. And as their stocks mature, they have begun experimenting with new limited releases exemplified by their new Bottled in Bond series. Today, we are going to dive into their 2023 winter release - Still Austin Bottled in Bond Blue Corn Bourbon. This release comes with a very unique mashbill featuring 26% blue corn, 25% white corn, 5% malted barley, and an incredibly high 44% rye. Coming in at 100 proof (required for bottled in bond) and with an MSRP around $79.99, I was lucky enough to pick this up at the distillery shortly after launch. Let’s dive in and see how this unusual mashbill holds up!
Age: At least 4 years
ABV: 50%
Cask: New oak
MSRP: $79.99
Distillery Name: Still Austin Distillery
Review Date: 12/19/23
Color: Rich Caramel
Nose: The nose starts off rich and syrupy with notes of spicy popcorn, hearty trail mix, and Mexican chocolate. There is a strong buttered popcorn note that shifts more towards caramel corn as you keep coming back to the glass. It’s like a strong movie theater butter dripped over the top of a light brown sugar and molasses. The more time you spend on the nose, the dynamic, interesting, and complex it becomes.
Palate: Even at 100 proof the palate is so gentle and approachable, you’d think this is closer to a 90 proofer. It’s filled with delicious shortbread butter cookie, French vanilla, clove, light brown sugar and juicy red apple, all mixed with the perfect amount of oak. The heat is very restrained. My only real criticism is the palate is a bit thinner than I expected. But it remains incredibly easy to drink, with a fruity buttery character with an oaky backbone.
Finish: Medium length finish with more baking spices, tobacco leaf, and black tea. There’s no real lingering heat, making this a very crushable, enjoyable experience.
Final Thoughts: This Blue Corn Bourbon expression from Still Austin showcases a very different side to the distillery than their latest single barrel or cask strength releases. This is a much more balanced, nuanced - and in many ways - a more sophisticated pour than previous releases. The nose might be the best part, with a captivating bouquet of notes that easily draws you in. Take your time with this pour or else it can come off as a bit simple on first blush. But let it breathe and you will be rewarded with what might be Still Austin’s best expression yet.
