Toast to Texas in a glass, whether neat or in one of these fine cocktails.
We are firmly in the days of fine Texas whiskey, the days when we no longer need to look north and east for bourbon and rye and single-malt whistle-whetters.
They’re all found here, in our Lone Star backyard by all-star distilleries. Among those producers is San Antonio-based Rebecca Creek. Established in 2009 by Steve Ison, Rebecca Creek Distillery has grown into a regional favorite, easily found on store shelves and bar shelves. This “Texas in Glass,” as Ison calls it — meaning Rebecca Creek spirits are made from all-Texas ingredients and with that Texas, well, spirit — is not sold in more than a million bottles.
The flagship Rebecca Creek Fine Texas Whiskey is a smooth tipple. Although it is oaky and sweet, it is not a simple whiskey. There are flavors and aromas of dried fruits, spices, and vanilla that allow this whiskey stand alone. The Fine Texas Whiskey is joined in the lineup by Texas Ranger Whiskey, Enchanted Rock Vodka, and Enchanted Rock Peach Vodka. None of which, like their namesakes, should be taken lightly.
But we do recommend you take the following Rebecca Creek Distillery cocktails for a spin, a shake, or a stir.
Rebecca Creek Whiskey Old Fashioned Cocktail
2 ounces Rebecca Creek Fine Texas Whiskey
2 dashes bitters
1 splash water
1 orange wedge
1 maraschino cherry
½ ounce simple syrup
Mix sugar, water and angostura bitters in an old-fashioned glass. Drop in a cherry and an orange wedge. Muddle into a paste using a muddler or the back end of a spoon. Pour in Rebecca Creek Fine Texas Whiskey, fill with ice cubes, and stir.
Family Tradition
2 ounces Texas Ranger Whiskey
½ ounce triple sec
1 ounce sweet and sour mix
2 ounces ginger ale
Pour whiskey, triple sec, and sweet and sour mix over ice into a chilled glass. Stir, and top with ginger ale.
Whiskey Sundown
2 ounces Texas Ranger Whiskey
2 ounces orange juice
½ ounce grenadine
1 splash lemon-lime soda
Pour whiskey, juice, and grenadine over ice into a chilled glassed. Stir, and top with a splach of lemon-lime soda.
For more information on Rebecca Creek Distillery, visit the distillery’s website.
