Review #30 - Still Austin Straight Rye Bottled in Bond 2025
After sneaking into u/southern-rip3018 's liquor cabinet, I was able to get a pour of Still Austin's 4 year bottled in bond rye expression (thanks again!). I've heard that it's basically the normal, basically already 100 proof standard rye offering, but aged for at least 4 years. I'll give a little comparison at the end to compare my initial thoughts on this BiB option to the normal rye. I'll also make this short this time, if you're looking to find more info on Still Austin and their Bottled in Bond seasonal program, check out some of my earlier reviews on the Blue Corn and Red Corn.
Let's get right into it!
MSRP: ~$80.00.
Age: At least 4 years. It seems that Still Austin isn't increasing the age statement on this particular BiB release, no idea why.
ABV: 50% (100 proof).
Mashbill: 100% Texas rye.
Nose: Typical rye floral notes. There's more complexity for sure, and very little ethanol even immediately after pouring. Some chocolate comes out, like I got for the base rye, but not as much in comparison. Like the tasting notes on their website, I do get some mint, and a little bit of a honey note.
Palate: More fruit comes out, as a mix between citrus and floral. Maybe lemon or orange. Baking spices come into play here, I did not get this from the nose at all. The chocolate dies out along with the honey. The citrus and spices lead the way here.
Finish: Medium, interestingly enough it's shorter than the Red and Blue Corn, maybe that has something to do with the aging? No idea. I don't really get any new tasting notes on the finish compared to the palate, but the floral is the strongest note I get here.
Overall, this pour was definitely a step up from the base rye, but I'm not sure I'm enough of a fan of rye to really seek this bottle out. It was good for sure, and great for what it is, but just not really something I'd reach for immediately. If you're looking for a softer, more complex version of the base rye, I'd highly recommend this BiB variation! I'd probably rate this a 6 or a 6.5 on the T8KE score. In case anyone actually cares, I dug up my review on the base rye (review #4 on my page), realized I rated that at a 6.5 back in 2025, and immediately second guessed my rating. I'll just explain that as maybe being a little too generous to the base rye back when I did a review. The BiB is certainly a step above the base stuff.
I hope you enjoyed reading my review, be on the lookout for a couple more in this unplanned yet welcome Texas whiskey mini series. Cheers!