Austin, TX (April 12, 2022) – Still Austin Whiskey Co., a homegrown distillery situated in the heart of South Austin, is excited to announce that its Cask Strength straight bourbon whiskey was awarded a Double Gold medal at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The expression features grains that are 100% grown by Texas farmers, handmade from grain-to-glass at the distillery, aged in new charred American Oak barrels, and bottled at 118 proof (59% ABV). The expression is a deeper, darker, more robust version of its fruit-forward sibling (aka The Musician Straight Bourbon), which is also a Double Gold winner. Both bourbons feature a mash bill comprised of 70% Non-GMO white corn, 25% Elbon rye and 5% wildfire malted barley.
“We’re honored that both of our straight bourbon whiskeys have now won Double Gold at this prestigious spirits competition where entries are judged blindly,” said Brandon Joldersma, Chief Operating Officer, Still Austin Whiskey Co. “Cask Strength is a masterpiece of complex, dark flavors with a deep spice finish.”
To create this robust bourbon, the team asked Master Blender Nancy Fraley to search through their barrels of Straight Bourbon and select the most complex and full-flavored ones—those that were begging to be blended and released at “barrel proof,” meaning the whiskey was bottled at the same proof at which it was aged. Still Austin Cask Strength “offers a nose of brandied cherries with fresh muddled mint, old fashioned blackberry cobbler with biscuit crust, and cinnamon toast in brown butter,” according to Fraley. “The palate presents notes of grilled peaches drizzled with balsamic vinegar, butterscotch pecan pie, and dark brown sugar, followed by warming waves of rye spice, nutmeg, and clove.”
The artwork on the label, created by internationally acclaimed artist and native Texan Marc Burckhardt, is a slightly modified version of the Straight Bourbon artwork, a series which portrays “archetypical” Austinites. Each provides a sense of the people who have influenced and inspired the team, while paying homage to the Texas terroir. While the Cask Strength bottle also features the image of The Musician, the black starry night sky is meant to reflect the mysterious nature of the stronger, “darker” whiskey inside the bottle.
Grain-to-Glass Philosophy
Still Austin is an independent craft whiskey distillery founded in 2015, focusing on a true grain-to-glass concept that produces the highest quality whiskey by perfecting every part of the process and using local resources and sustainable practices. The team is committed to carrying out each part of the process in-house. That means never sourcing whiskey from another distillery, and instead always hand-making everything from scratch, and managing everything in-house – milling, mashing, fermenting, distilling, barreling and bottling.
The distilling team is led by Head Distiller John Schrepel, Master Blender Nancy Fraley and veteran Master Distiller Mike Delevante, one of the most experienced and respected distillers in North America who designed the Still Austin distillery to make the highest quality of bourbon. That includes a 42-foot custom-made column, “Nancy,” (and her sister copper-pot still, “The Queen”) which give the distillers serious creative license to create unique new flavors and spirits.
Where to Buy
Still Austin’s Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey is available for purchase online via Reserve Bar and the Still Austin website as well as throughout retail stores in Texas, for a suggested retail price of $60 per 750ml bottle.
For more information, visit www.stillaustin.com and follow Still Austin on Facebook at Facebook.com/StillATX, Twitter @StillATX and Instagram @StillATX.
About Still Austin Whiskey Co.
Founded in 2015 by three Austin families, Still Austin Whiskey Co. is a true grain-to-glass Distillery, located at 440 East St. Elmo Road in the heart of Austin, Texas. All spirits are hand crafted using grains grown by Texas farmers. Still Austin’s collection of spirits includes Still Austin’s flagship Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey, and Still Rye Gin. Still Austin places a high value on sustainability, with a focus on cutting carbon emissions through local sourcing, increasing the biodiversity of the region through heritage grains, returning spent grains to local ranchers to feed their animals, and operating a distillery that is designed for energy efficiency and water conservation.
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