Milam and Greene

Nestled in the heart of the Texas Hill Country is Blanco, Texas, and while it doesn't have a big population, it boasts a big distillery.  Formerly Ben Milam Whiskey & Distillery, what is now Milam & Greene is surely a small-town favorite.  I stopped in on a whim as I was traveling to a friend's, and I'm so glad I did. 

The "yard" out front is great - there are trees and shade everywhere, tables and chairs make for easy gathering and visiting, and the facility is warm and inviting.  At the bar, I learned that Ben Milam Whiskey was now Milam & Greene after the original owner partnered up with female Master Distiller Heather Greene, a former musician out of Austin.  Such a cool story.  It's pretty remarkable that many of the Texas Distillers right now are female...who said girls don't know whiskey???

I got my tasting and sat at a table off to the side so I could read, sip, and people watch. First, I want to say that I love the presentation.  They give a little tray with a paper mat, and on the mat is the name of the whiskey and some descriptors.  I turned it over so as not to cheat.  Ha! 

My initial tasting came with a Rye, Triple Cask, and Single Barrel Bourbon.  I also snagged a taste of the Barrel Proof Bourbon, effectively sampling all the best stuff, and nothing disappointed - but I was in for a shock for sure. 

I'm not really a Rye girl, but this one maybe turned me a little. With hues of rich gold and amber, it presented with scents of honey and vanilla up front and lingered spicy and with flavors of pepper at the end.  It was warm and full at the back of the tongue, and I couldn't get enough - I bought a bottle to bring home it was so good! 

The Triple Cask was lighter in color, bright gold with an easy pecan and caramel finish. No doubt this would make for a fine daily sipper or a killer Old Fashioned.    

The Single Barrel Bourbon had cinnamon all over the place, from the front of the nose to the back of the throat. It finished slow and smooth and slightly vanilla, but boy that cinnamon lingered around. This is a neat sipper if I ever had one. 

Finally, the Barrel Proof Bourbon was a dark, amber color and definitely the richest, chewiest of the four.  It presented with rich toffee in the nose, and was creamy and buttery in texture.  At the finish, there was the slightest hint of candied pecans, sweet and bold.  They make this dreamy whiskey by blending up to six barrels of their best stuff.  It's pretty strong, but a few drops of water will only serve to cool the burn - the flavors hold pure and true. 

Also on the menu is a gin that's not sold in stores, but I didn't get a taste of it.  I happened to be there on "National Gin Day" and there were gin cocktails everywhere.  The bartender definitely had her hands full working on their vast array of cocktails, including some with local fruits and honey.  

As I am a lover of books, memoirs especially, I also picked up Heather Greene's book entitled Whisk(e)y Distilled: A Populist Guide to the Water of Life.  It serves as both a guide to drinking and understanding the basics of whiskey and a story of how she came to love it. She also included a section that pairs wine and whiskey, making it pretty much the perfect literature to accompany this tasting. I read the first chapter while I did my tasting, and it was a wonderful combination of whiskey and words. 

Next time you're out in the Hill Country, stop in and have a taste.  You will not leave disappointed, but you just might leave with a stellar bottle of Rye and a wonderful book.  

Cheers, y'all!