Gifts to Guzzle

True Texas distillery pours forth tasty gift ideas for everyone on your list

Truly, something for everyone.

Photo courtesy of Balcones Distilling

The amount of time left to shop for the holidays is short, and your list is long. What to do? Knock it all out with one true Texas brand: Balcones Distilling. The grain-to-glass whiskey makers have a wide array of bottles, each of which is sure to fit someone on your nice list.

Who you're buying for: Your best friend
What they'll love: Baby Blue
Why it's perfect: You've dropped all artifice with each other, and when you get together it's to just kick back, relax, and have a good time. Balcones Baby Blue was the first Texas whiskey on the market following Prohibition, making it a true Texas original. There's always time to share a glass or two with your best bud, letting the notes of melted butter, kettle corn, vanilla, and toffee melt away your holiday stress.

Who you're buying for: Your boss
What they'll love: Texas Single Malt
Why it's perfect: You're out to impress, and this iconic bottle won't let you down. It was the first American-made whiskey to win top honors in the U.K.'s global blind Best in Glass awards, and has won more total awards than anyone can count. Silky and full on the palate, this complex whiskey features notes of lightly toasted bread with fresh butter and marmalade. It's what you reach for when only the best will do.

Who you're buying for: The cocktail enthusiast
What they'll love: Texas Rye 100
Why it's perfect: That one friend who's really into craft cocktails will swoon on this new take on an old classic. Its notes of buttery toffee, creamy chocolate, and peanut butter go unbelievably well in classic cocktails like the Old Fashioned or Manhattan.

Who you're buying for: The bourbon enthusiast
What they'll love: True Blue 100
Why it's perfect: Surprise them with a bourbon that's not really a bourbon after all. True Blue 100 is made from 100 percent roasted blue corn but is not technically a bourbon because Balcones ages it in pre-used barrels (strictly speaking, bourbon must be aged in new barrels). This gives the whiskey a deeper, richer character than most bourbons. With its finish of lingering dried cherries and blackberries, followed by toasty bitter chocolate with pleasant oak tannins, they'll wonder why they haven't tried this sooner.

Who you're buying for: The hostess with the mostess
What they'll love: Rumble
Why it's perfect: Rumble defies definition. Made from Texas wildflower honey, Mission figs, and turbinado sugar, it isn't technically a whiskey. But its sweet and delicious flavors of honeysuckle, cinnamon, and vanilla work great as a base for inventive, Pinterest-worthy cocktails.

Who you're buying for: The rugged Texan
What they'll love: Brimstone
Why it's perfect: If this person's ideal winter activity is getting cozy around a campfire (or a fireplace), they'll appreciate this one-of-a-kind whiskey that's been smoked with sun-baked Texas scrub oak. Aromas of masa, wood smoke, and powdered sugar are backed by stone fruit, peppery spice, and mint. Bold yet balanced, they'll remember this gift forever.

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To pick up a bottle, you can find Balcones at most major liquor stores, including Total Wine & More, Spec's, Goody Goody, and Pogo's. See the Balcones Distilling website for more details.

cocktails shopping promoted drinks holidays

Omakase News

Downtown Dallas restaurant Sauvage expands with new dining twist

Sauvage

A downtown Dallas restaurant famous for its multi-course tasting experience is letting its hair down: Sauvage, the high-end mom-and-pop restaurant near the Statler Dallas hotel, has a new dining option that gives a smaller, more casual taste.

The restaurant opened in September with a set menu featuring 16 to 18 courses — wild game, seafood, vegetables, and dessert — all cooked via grill and smoker.

While 16 courses might sound like a lot, the courses are mostly small bites. However, owners Casey and Amy LaRue received feedback from diners wanting a smaller option.

"We were getting a ton of messages from guests who want to stop by just to try one dish, a bite, or a specific pairing without committing to the full tasting — so we built something for exactly that," Casey says.

They've introduced a new three-course "Cocktails & Bites hour" featuring three dishes, each paired with its own cocktail, served from 5–6 pm on weekdays.

Last week’s menu consisted of:

dry-aged red snapper crudo with La Chinola Way, a cocktail featuring passionfruit, mezcal, lime, and ginger
foie gras & truffle on house-baked croissant with Pendennis Club, a gin sour with apricot liqueur bitters
jerk-spiced shrimp with Clarified Paper Plane, a bourbon cocktail with Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and lemon juice

The new offering continues their pattern of pairing courses with cocktails rather than wine — an approach they've embraced since opening. "Limiting pairings to wine can get boring — it so often ends up being one expensive red after another," Casey says.

You can make a reservation on Tock, or just walk in and grab a seat.

Caviar
They've also added a new version of their classic menu: no caviar.

"Some love having caviar integrated into the menu, but others prefer to skip it, whether for taste or dietary reasons, but still want the full value of the experience," Casey says. "With such a small counter, this put us in a strange position: do we give everyone caviar whether they want it or not, or do we remove it entirely and lose a core part of our menu?"

Thus, a new menu without caviar, priced at $195, with an optional caviar course available for those who want it for $245.

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