Origin: USA, Texas
Type: Bourbon
Proof: 90 (45% ABV)
Age: Undisclosed
Mash Bill: Undisclosed
Color: Amber
MSRP: $24
As a Texan, I always do my best to seek out state products and give them a try. I have tried and reviewed everything from TX Bourbon to Rebecca Creek and Devil's River. I find that in my experience, Texas Whiskey is always a hit or a miss. A substantial amount of Texas sourced bourbon is often overly tannic and heavily grain centered. This might be fine for many people, but I prefer my liquor char and barrel forward and easy on the bitterness. That being said, a good friend of mine in the liquor industry recommended a cheap bottle of Texas Bourbon that he claims is easy on the eyes, and the palette. Out of respect for him, i purchased a bottle and have drunk more than half of it before I sat down to write this review.
False Advertising:
The lore behind this liquor is actually quite fascinating. Before I make a review I do my do dilligence and make honest attempts to learn about the product and the company before I post anything to the public eye. With that in mind, I have learned that the so called "Texas Made" 1835 Bourbon is not in fact, from Texas. After going down the rabbithole of distillery information, I've come to find out that the "North Texas Disltillers" who produce 1835 are not actually distillers. The title Distillers is actually part of their company name and they are legally, a bottling and shipping company. Most, if not all, of 1835 is produced in Kentucky and then bottled here in Texas. For anyone, looking for an authentic bottle of Texas Distilled Bourbon, 1835 is not for you.
Real Review:
Although the advertising and the company are frauds, if by some miracle, their product is great, I will impartially write that in this review.
1835 is a slightly higher proof whiskey than most of its basic peers. With "90 PROOF" in big red letters across the face of the bottle, North Texas Distiller's wants you to know that this is not for the faint of heart. On the nose, this bourbon gives a light vanilla note with a hint of praline and cinnamon. Unfortunately, though the nose is gentle and pleasant, the profile is anything but. 1835 is tannic. Very, very, tanic. The bourbon feels heavily oily and seems to suck all of the water from your lips and tongue. The flavor profile is generic for a "Texas" Whiskey, heavily tannic, with a strong grain forward flavor accented with a hint of sweetness and cinnamon. Needless to say the balance of this bourbon is all wrong. I am no expert, but a higher proof bourbon need a stronger wood and barrel char prescence to give depth to the bourbons proof. 1835 is far to bright and lacks the necessary balance to mellow its proof. Even after letting the bourbon air out and having the tannis oxydize, 1835 fails to evolve into a deeper and more complex flavor. At $24-$29 dollars a bottle, this bourbon is far to pricey to be written off as rock gut whiskey and meant to always be mixed with Coke. The oils on this bourbon are not pleasant and seem to coat the tongue long after passing. Any note of vanilla or any real balance of sweetness are lost to the ever present burn that 1835 presents. The lack of balance and complexity of this bourbon seems to heighten the feel of its proof rather than settling it. High proof bourbons like Wild Turkey 101 and the 100 proof Old Forester Bourbon, go down much easier and more readily than 1835. This bourbon is a unidimensional drink that uses heritage as a substitite for quality.
52/100
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