Firestone & Robertson Blended Whiskey Review

Firestone and Robertson Distilling Co. is a new operation based in Fort Worth, TX. The enterprising gents behind the eponymous label started the distillery in 2010 and have been hard at work ever since. They’ve got a bourbon (North Texas’ first) currently aging in barrels. And they’ve produced a blended whiskey that was just released last month. And is currently sitting in my glass.

Firestone and Robertson TX Blended Whiskey is a proprietary blend of American whiskeys. You’ll find no Scottish, Irish or Canadian blends in here. The distillery spent more than two years sampling a bunch of whiskeys to determine the characteristics of their favorites. From there, they experimented with different combinations until landing upon the final product.

On the nose, the whiskey is very sweet, with lots of vanilla beans, plus some dessert notes — think creme brulee and buttercream frosting. A dash of nutmeg adds a light spice note to the aroma, and there’s a hint of pear hiding in the background. Drink up to find more of those sweet notes — predominantly vanilla — plus caramel, coffee and an undercurrent of dried fruit.

Well, that went down entirely too fast. It’s easy to drink, from sweet start to smooth finish. The flavor’s great, but again, quite sweet. I’d have liked to see some more spice notes to temper the sweetness. But hey, it’s a good alternative to spicy bourbons and smoky Scotches. And certainly a dram worthy of entering your whiskey rotation. Well done, Fort Worth.

For now, you can find Firestone and Robertson at a handful of bars and stores in the North Texas area. And look for the brand’s bourbon to be bottled sometime in 2014.

Stats:
– 41% Alcohol by Volume
– $40