A Spirit for the Spirited

Pour some damn good whiskey that celebrates true Texan pride

Texans have long made whiskey their drink of choice, and more and more they're choosing to knock back whiskey made in the Lone Star State.

With that loyalty in mind, meet Nine Banded Whiskey, your new favorite bourbon whiskey out of Austin that's perfect for old fashioneds, Manhattans, sours, or simply on the rocks or neat.

Its origins
Nine Banded Whiskey was founded by two University of Texas alumni, Sean Foley and Chris Ogden, who wanted to create a local whiskey that embodied everything great about their city. No pretense, just damn good whiskey that honors Austin's history and keeps up with today's culture while remaining accessible for all.

The story behind the name
If "nine banded" doesn't immediately ring a bell, perhaps this will: "armadillo." The nine-banded armadillo is not only the state mammal, but also a symbol of the independent and creative spirit that runs through the Texas capital.

It's also a nod to Armadillo World Headquarters, the 1970s music venue where Willie and his friends helped unite hippies and rednecks over a cold beer and a shot of whiskey. Nine Banded Whiskey celebrates the diverse and inclusive music scene in Austin, both then and now.

Two new additions
In late 2019, Nine Banded released two new product offerings: one a wheated straight bourbon with a mash bill of 51 percent corn, 45 percent wheat, and 4 percent malted barley and the other a straight bourbon with a mash bill of 87 percent corn, 11 percent rye, and 2 percent malted barley.

The taste
This whiskey doesn't taste like anything else because it can't be made anywhere else. Limestone filtered water, sourced directly from an ancient spring in the Texas Hill Country, forms the basis for a spirit that's blended and bottled by hand in Dripping Springs.

At 90 proof, both are very approachable. On the nose, the wheated is grassy, herbal, and mineral with a touch of butterscotch. On the palate, the wheat brings out a sweetness combined with a rich and round mouthfeel and a lingering, smooth finish.

The straight bourbon is a perfect base for any cocktail. The rye gives this bourbon backbone and is designed to be versatile. It is spice-forward with stone fruit, clove, and a salted caramel finish.

Where to find it
Pick up a bottle or two of Nine Banded at Spec's, Total Wine and More, Goody Goody, or Sigel's.

Drink like a true Texan.

Photo courtesy of Nine Banded Whiskey

Drink like a true Texan.

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Fried Chicken News

Chicago restaurant debuts its fried chicken and boba tea in Frisco

Chi Tea

Chi Tea burgers and chicken sandwiches.

A new restaurant serving boba tea and fried chicken just opened in Frisco: Called Chi Tea, it's a chain from Chicago that opened its first location in Texas at 4760 Preston Rd. #228, in a former Bonchon Korean in Frisco Village.

According to a release, It opened November 1.

The concept was founded in Chicago in 2020 by brothers Zak Ayyubi, Aman Siddiqui, and friend Abdurahman Sharif, with an unusual goal to pair fried chicken sandwiches, fries, and bubble tea drinks. They've since opened two more locations in Illinois; Frisco is the fourth and the first outside the state.

The name is a little misleading, as it implies it's a beverage place, but there's equal emphasis on the sandwiches and fries. They also tout their welcoming vibe, encouraging customers to eat, drink, and linger.

Their menu features three sandwiches — Nashville hot fried chicken sandwich, a grilled chicken, and a burger with grilled onions, jalapenos, pickles, cheese, and Chi-sauce — which can also be ordered in a smaller slider size.

There are also fries, loaded fries, popcorn chicken, chicken tenders, and mac & cheese, which can be customized with bacon, beef, fries, and other toppings.

Prices typically range from $5 for a single Chi Tea Classic slider to $13 for four-piece chicken tenders.

Boba drinks are entirely customizable, starting with choice of blended smoothie or over ice, with choice of flavor ranging from pineapple to brown sugar milk tea to horchata; and toppings, like popping pearls or cream cheese foam. A regular starts at $5 and a large starts at $6.

Notably, Chi Tea was among the restaurants selected in the recent Spongebob Krabby Patty promotion during October that took place in 12 cities across North America, included a dozen restaurants in Dallas.

"We are very excited to finally bring a taste of Chicago to the Greater Dallas area," says Ayyubi in a release. "This move has been very promising and we cannot wait for the community to welcome us and for us to serve this beautiful city."

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