TX Blended Whiskey: Sweetly suspect

What is feckin whiskey doing on the net's leading independent rum website? There's a reason, read on, but it's not my fault! Honest...
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jankdc
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TX Blended Whiskey: Sweetly suspect

Post by jankdc »

My cousin just brought in a blended whiskey from Texas. I tried it and it reminded me more of a demeraran rum (smooth and sweet) than a whiskey, and I'm convinced that there is sugar in it. At $34-40 a bottle, my recommendation is to pass.
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Capn Jimbo
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

Great post, thanks...


Is this suspect, or what?


"We finally settled on the perfect recipe: An extraordinarily complex spectrum of fragrance and flavor that mixes well or stands alone on the rocks or neat. TX Blended Whiskey is a proprietary masterpiece we are incredibly proud of. We hope you’ll enjoy it.

Blenders' Tasting Notes:

Color: Auburn
Nose: Vanilla bean, oak and pear
Taste: Honey butter, banana, caramel and coffee
Finish: Long, smooth and slightly sweet
Proof: 82"
Personally, I am always suspect of the word "recipe" based on what that word usually means in the world of rogue rum. And as JaRiMi has so well said "If it tastes sweet, there's sugar". The usual suspects are present - a marketing driven bottle, a blatant claim (better than the world's leading Scottish, Irish and Canadian blends). Another wild claim:
"Capturing and propagating a proprietary whiskey yeast strain is a craft that has largely been forgotten. In fact, it hasn’t been done since the end of prohibition when THE Jim Beam captured the yeast strain used by his distillery today."
Let's face it - in the world of blends there are many fine, fine products, so natch, the marketing boyz must create a USP - a "unique selling proposition" (that's marketing talk). What's their earth-shattering difference(s). Sit down please...

1. A handmade cork and leather closure
2. A super secret yeast (see above)
3. A recreation of a 1930's operation, with a 1930's type scale, historic wall art, reclaimed wood and old barn doors, et al.

Just click on the section "differences" and be prepared to read the marketing drivel so deep you'll need scuba gear and a couple extra air tanks. What's really funny - of all the pictures of their distillery and its art, and scale - not a one of the fackin stills. And the price for this blend? $40, but you pretty much have to find a local Texas liquor store.

Thanks Jan, a great find. So I ask any of you... just how realistic is the profile they claim?
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jankdc
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Post by jankdc »

I'm not an expert taster, but it did have some vanilla and oak. I was just struck at how sweet it was. It was so dissimilar to the rye and bourbon I've been having recently and so similar to the sweeter smoother rums that I was immediately suspect.

In this review, they state that there is "distilled grain spirit" used in the final blend. So basically, any "whiskey flavor" has been diluted and then sweetened.

Basically a whiskey for people that don't like whiskey.

Certainly not worth the price.
Rum Reviews Rankings and Cheat Sheet
References: MGXO, R Mat. GR, Scar Ibis, Apple 12, Barb 5, Pusser's, Wray and Neph, ED 15, 10Cn, West Plant, R Barc Imp.
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Post by bearmark »

This whiskey isn't disagreeable to the average drinker and is quite easy to drink with the obvious sweetness. There's a decent amount going on here, but it's overpriced and the bottle tops seem to be as important as the whiskey. If you like sweet whiskey, then you could do a lot worse. If you like Canadian whiskey, then give this a try. If you're a bourbon or rye fan, then you'll want to pass.
Mark Hébert
Rum References: Flor de Caña 18 (Demeraran), The Scarlet Ibis (Trinidadian), R.L. Seale 10 (Barbadian), Appleton Extra (Jamaican), Ron Abuelo 12 (Cuban), Barbancourt 5-Star (Agricole)
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Post by jankdc »

bearmark, would you agree that there is added sugar?
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References: MGXO, R Mat. GR, Scar Ibis, Apple 12, Barb 5, Pusser's, Wray and Neph, ED 15, 10Cn, West Plant, R Barc Imp.
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Post by bearmark »

jankdc wrote:bearmark, would you agree that there is added sugar?
I don't know. I last had that whiskey back in December and while it's a bit sweet, that's not necessarily indicative of added sugar. I've had many whiskeys (including new make and even Pappy 23) that were on the sweet side. Some of that just comes through the process for some reason and I'm guessing that it's from the corn. I would expect some of that sweetness to come from the barrel, but that doesn't explain the sweetness in new make.

I also asked the friend who provided the sample that I tasted about this and he believes that there's a "perceived sweetness" due to the big vanilla flavor in the whiskey (again, I don't think that it's added, but blended whiskey is not regulated to the degree that bourbon is).

Again, I don't find this whiskey to be overly sweet. It's actually decent stuff, but can't compete in the price range with the likes of Weller 12, Evan Williams Single Barrel and Eagle Rare 10, which are all cheaper. The caps are cool though.
Mark Hébert
Rum References: Flor de Caña 18 (Demeraran), The Scarlet Ibis (Trinidadian), R.L. Seale 10 (Barbadian), Appleton Extra (Jamaican), Ron Abuelo 12 (Cuban), Barbancourt 5-Star (Agricole)
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Post by Winston »

You should be able to tell if there was sweetener added by wetting your fingers with it and rubbing them together until it evaporates. If your fingers are left slightly sticky, then it was sweetened.
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Capn Jimbo
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

That's true. It's also said that you can boil off a tablespoon in a fry pay, and look for the burnt sugar residue...
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