Whiskey News
Distillery opens dedicated whiskey bar at Texas Live Arlington
A Texas whiskey distillery will open its very first bar and North Texans will get first sip. Balcones Distilling will open its first bar at Texas Live, the Arlington entertainment complex opening in August, with an assortment of whiskey expressions and cocktails.
Founded in Waco in 2008, Balcones makes the first legally sold Texas-made whiskey since the Prohibition and has become an acclaimed distiller, earning more than 200 national and international awards and accolades since 2009.
"We are thrilled to partner our distillery with Texas Live, where we believe our award-winning whiskies will complement a world-class experience for patrons," says Balcones' head distiller Jared Himstedt in a release. "As one of the original 'grain-to-glass' whiskey makers in Texas, we look forward to sharing our distilled-in-Texas story with fans and visitors from around the world."
"Grain-to-glass" is a new one. A twist on farm-to-table. Balcones also randomly spells it "whisky" rather than "whiskey," which seems to go against conventional wisdom which says that if it's an American spirit, it should be whiskey with an E.
Guests of Texas Live who are 21+ years of age will be able to enjoy Balcones whiskey and whiskey-inspired craft cocktails at multiple venues district-wide, as well as at a signature Balcones bar and patio on an elevated space overlooking Arlington Backyard.
Balcones' lineup includes single malt, rye, smoked whiskey, "baby blue" corn whiskey, and something called Rumble that has honey and fig; their website is a bit of a chore to navigate.
Texas Live will open between the Texas Rangers' Globe Life Park and Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium and will sit next to the Texas Rangers' new ballpark, Globe Life Field, when it opens in 2020. A luxury hotel, Live by Loews, is currently under construction and will open in 2019. The opening celebration takes place August 9-12.