Wakey Whiskey: Yellow Rose Outlaw Bourbon

by Eric Ducote

Well, it has been a crazy week, but one thing I think almost everyone down here can agree on is that it's good to see some LSU football! My #wakeywhiskey tradition began as a gameday tradition, back in the Third Row Tailgaters days of glory. We would aim to get out to our tailgate spot by 7 AM, if not the night before. What better way to start the morning off than with a celebratory bourbon and coke? Tastes may have changed, but traditions haven't. As football season rolls around, so does the wakey whiskey!

As I'm sure you all know, Hurricane Harvey has made a mess of this last week, devastating the gulf coast from Corpus Christi up into South West Louisiana. The Bite and Booze and Gov't Taco team was hard at work Thursday night serving tacos and donating a portion of their proceeds to hurricane relief. In honor of the resilient nature of the gulf coast and of all the amazing people that have been doing their part to help, it was an easy choice to find a Texas bourbon for this morning's selection. I had a few to choose from, but ultimately I had to pull out the Outlaw Bourbon from Yellow Rose Distilling.

Yellow Rose was founded in 2010 and started hitting the market in 2012, making them Houston's first legal whiskey distillery. This bourbon is created in small batches from a 100% corn grain bill, then aged in small fresh charred oak barrels. The benefit of using the smaller barrels is that there is much more surface area per volume of whiskey, which serves to accelerate the aging process as the initially white (or clear) whiskey soaks in and out of the charred oak. The drawback is that more is typically lost to the "angel's share" than in a larger 55 gallon barrel.

The accelerated aging process is evident, as the Outlaw Bourbon pours a deep reddish, almost copper color. The nose is strong with hints of vanilla and charred caramel. The taste is a superb follow through on the aroma, powerful with sweet corn notes, hints of vanilla, a touch of mineral water on the mouthfeel, and a slight burn from the alcohol without being a tough sip. This one clocks in at 46% alcohol or 92 proof, so it's a step above your standard 40%, but nowhere near as potent as some barrel proof bourbons on the market. The finish is smooth and that vanilla from the aroma comes back strong.

All in all, a pretty damn good bourbon, absolutely worth looking for. 

On that note, stay strong Houston, and GEAUX TIGERS!