Still Austin Whiskey Co. 'The Artist' Straight Rye Whiskey, Texas

Still Austin Whiskey Co.'s ‘The Artist’ Straight Rye Whiskey gives a single grain room to show its range. Made entirely from Texas-grown Brasetto rye, this whiskey pairs the grain’s lively spice with wildflower honey, orchard fruit, chocolate, and warming oak. Still Austin handles every stage of production, from milling the grain to bottling the finished whiskey, while maturation in the Texas Hill Country adds another distinctly local influence. Introduced in 2022 as the distillery’s first flagship rye, The Artist carries original label artwork by Texas artist Marc Burckhardt, connecting the creativity inside the bottle with the people and culture that inspired it.

Product Details:

• Mash Bill: 100% Brasetto rye.
• Grain Sourcing: Texas-grown, non-GMO grain.
• Alcohol: 49.8% ABV.
• Proof: 99.6.
• Production: Milled, mashed, fermented, distilled, barreled, aged, and bottled by Still Austin, without sourcing finished whiskey from other distilleries.
• Distillation: Produced at a distillery equipped with a custom 42-foot Forsyth's column still named Nancy and a companion copper pot still named The Queen.
• Maturation: Aged for at least two years in new charred oak. Still Austin’s standard barrel program uses sustainably sourced white oak barrels that are toasted before receiving a level-three char.
• Water Reduction: The distillery employs slow water reduction during maturation, adding small amounts of water to aging barrels over several months under careful monitoring.
• Master Distiller: John Schrepel.
• Master Blender: Nancy Fraley.
• Label Artist: Marc Burckhardt.

Sensory Description:

Wildflower honey introduces an aromatic mix of cherries, fig and clove, with coffee adding a darker, roasted accent. The palate moves between spicy chocolate and bright apricot, layered with caramel, ginger and the fragrant woody character of sandalwood. Rye spice remains clearly defined, balanced by honeyed fruit and cocoa rather than overwhelming them. Cinnamon and nutmeg carry into the lingering finish, where molasses adds depth and orange zest supplies a final citrus lift.

Awards & Accolades:

• Double Gold: San Francisco World Spirits Competition, 2023.
• Gold: ASCOT Awards, 2023.
• Silver: New Orleans Spirits Competition, 2023.

Distiller's Background:

Still Austin began with Cleveland Seals’ retirement dream and a distillery research trip with his son, Chris, in 2012. What started as an opportunity to spend time together became a working distillery, which began distilling in 2017. Today, John Schrepel directs production alongside master blender Nancy Fraley, whose background in French brandy informs the company’s approach to maturation and slow water reduction. Texas-grown grains, local agricultural relationships and original artwork anchor its identity. Its practical sustainability efforts include returning spent grain to ranchers for animal feed and designing production around energy efficiency and water conservation.

Serving Suggestions:

Begin neat at cool room temperature in a tulip-shaped whiskey glass to explore the honey, fruit, and spice. Add a few drops of water gradually, or serve over one large ice cube for a cooler, softer presentation. At 99.6 proof, The Artist also brings definition to a Manhattan, Old Fashioned or Sazerac. Suggested food pairings include smoked brisket, aged cheddar and roasted pork; dark chocolate, ginger biscuits or pecan pie complement its cocoa, caramel and baking-spice notes.