Texan Entrepreneurs Announce New, Small-Batch Whiskey Devils River
Devils River Whiskey, the newest small-batch bourbon to become available in Texas, will be in stores in early April. The Texas whiskey captures the spirit of the water it draws its name from, with bold flavors in each sip.
Devils River Whiskey, recent Gold medalist at the 2017 Denver International Spirits Competition, asserts that the devil is in the details. The bourbon begins with carefully selected grains that result in warm, golden notes. The boldness comes through as a result of a proprietary fermentation process. The mash is distilled in traditional copper pot stills then the whiskey is aged in dark #4 charred oak barrels, which enriches the amber color. At the heart of the process, the whiskey is combined with pure, limestone-filtered spring water of the whiskey’s namesake Devils River, increasing quality of the end result. The whiskey finishes with the company’s proprietary chill filtration process. The result is a smooth 90-proof small-batch Texas whiskey.
Mike Cameron, who serves as president of the Texas Distilled Spirits Association, is president and chief operating officer of Devils River Whiskey. Once he decided to launch Devils River Whiskey, he assembled a strong team. Eric Hundelt, senior vice president of marketing, has over 18 years of experience with liquor brands ranging from Smirnoff Vodka to Angels Envy Kentucky Bourbon. Keith Neill, senior vice president of sales, was previously senior vice president of Republic National Distribution Company, and oversaw record growth in the largest sales unit in RNDC’s 22-state footprint.
“I first visited Devils River while I was in college, and the experience stayed with me for years,” said Cameron. “After I brainstormed brand names, I asked my parents, from whom I got my passion for whiskey, for their favorites. They both gravitated toward Devils River Whiskey. By then, I had all but settled on the name and, by chance, had lunch with a friend, who mentioned that he was going kayaking in Southwest Texas. He was headed to Devils River, and that’s when it started to feel like fate. In the end, I did some research and learned about the high quality of the water, which solidified my decision.”
The namesake Devils River, located in southwestern Texas, earned its name when renowned Texas Ranger John Coffee Hays saw the river and learned that it was named for St. Peter. He peered at the rough waters and deep canyons of the river, and deemed it worthy of a stronger name – Devils River. Devils River Whiskey captures the spirit of the river’s history with its flavor.
The small-batch bourbon is a high-rye bourbon because it dials back on corn and doubles up on rye, resulting in rich and flavorful bourbon that can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in a whiskey cocktail.
Devils River Whiskey will ship across Texas in April 2017. Its suggested retail price is $29.99/750ml bottle.
