Treaty Oak Ghost Hill Texas Bourbon

Treaty Oak Distilling Ghost Hill Texas Bourbon Single Barrel 47.5% abv 57% Texas Corn, 32% Texas Wheat, 11% American Barley Smell: Thick vanilla, corn, sweet baked goods, dried tea, strawberry cake, vibrant cherry, vanilla icing, the brand's typical earthy and distinct Texas Oak, cinnamon pecan roll. Taste: Silky and sweet as it hits, a bit slick and rich, tea and honey with a touch of fruitiness followed by a burst of barrel and proof heat. It feels stronger than its 95 proof suggests, which is good. Vanilla essence, caramel & brown sugar, dark fruits, spice. The middle of the taste is short before spicy barrel notes flood your mouth from rear to front, bringing a good measure of oak. End: Vanilla cream, hide, tart oak, and a whisper of mint cream linger. It's traditional Texas... yet different. That distinct Texas Oak funk is present but not overwhelming. It provides just enough wood character to make it engaging. The middle taste is very short and lacks depth. It's straightforward and direct. Oak takes over the latter half and the finish becomes somewhat tart. Reminds me of Larceny Bourbon taking a trip through Texas and ending up just as you'd imagine... weathered, sun-baked, and a little feisty 😉.

I'm performing the wedding ceremony for my cousin this weekend in Dripping Springs, so when I had the chance to try a very local, grain-to-glass bourbon... I accepted. The first thing noticeable on the nose is the spirit's age, or lack thereof. That hard-to-describe yet recognizable scent, faintly like shoe polish, is all over this dram. It's not bad, exactly, but it strongly suggests the bourbon needs more time to mature into its true form. Beyond that, there's a distinct cinnamon and nutmeg spice, cherry cola, and vanilla custard. The palate mirrors the nose - very young, but at least quite smooth with minimal burn. The flavors are spice-forward, like Red Hot candies and crema Catalana dusted with nutmeg, washed down with a sip of cherry cola. Overall, this is a promising beginning. I believe the base spirit is high quality, but it requires more time in the barrel to reach its potential. With additional time and care to develop those flavors and build more complex layers, this could become a truly exceptional bourbon. As it stands, it's a perfectly acceptable, if somewhat unexciting, drink for a rehearsal dinner.

The aroma is exactly like sweet sticky Christmas fruit cake. The kind actually made with love with plenty of dark fruit. Also plenty of oak. The taste right away makes me think rich fig Newton and a rather strong black pepper. Then I get the sweet dusty corn and oak. The pepper spice lingers. Very different from any other bourbon. A Texas profile that would never be mistaken for anything from Kentucky or Tennessee. I see a lot of keyboard "master distillers" saying Treaty Oak needs to age this longer. From my understanding the benefit of making whiskey in Texas is it ages fast and the downside of making whiskey in Texas is it ages fast. Age it too long and it becomes over oaked and undrinkable.

A quick experience here. Fortunately for my companion and I, the Treaty Oak distillery is just thirty minutes outside of Austin on a large ranch, helping maintain proper distance from others. This is their grain-to-glass bourbon, and it certainly smells and tastes like a Texas bourbon. Very woody and tannic on the nose, with a similar palate. My main complaint with Texas bourbon is that the subtle grain flavors are frequently overwhelmed by the oak, making the whiskey a bit one-dimensional. This shows potential, but like most craft whiskey, a bit more barrel management would be beneficial.

This spirit is enjoyable. It doesn't hold up with water but can be consumed straight. The primary notes are of a creamy corn texture and caramel. A darker sweet fruitiness is also present, reminiscent of figs but leaning towards brown sugar. The oak influence is quite strong and not yet integrated, similar to wood-chipping homebrew. The tannins can be quite sharp when fresh, carrying a very woody flavor. It's not unpleasant, but it's noticeable. The mouthfeel is full, slick, and quite nice, which balances the sharp tannins well. No aroma notes were recorded for this one.

Nose: Hints of peach and an unfamiliar European scent, possibly like a sweet yet woody, aged balsamic. Taste: Robust leather and some woody notes. Not very fruity. A touch of spice. This bourbon is a wheated variety from Texas, aged for 2 years. It's made with 53% Texas corn, 36% Texas wheat, and 11% American barley, all ground at a local mill.