Sneaking a peek of Firestone and Robertson Distillery in Fort Worth

by Josie Singleton of Eat This Fort Worth

Making bourbon whiskey right here in Texas.

Photo by Josie Singleton

Firestone

Have you heard? Fort Worth has a bourbon whiskey distillery. Leonard Firestone and Troy Robertson chose the growing Near Southside for the location of their craft distillery, Firestone and Robertson Distilling Company. The rehabbed warehouse on West Vickery provides a natural fit for the distillery. The copper distilling pots and barrels of aging whiskey seem as though they have always been there.

I got a sneak peek of the distillery last month when writing an article for Fort Worth Foodie magazine (make sure and pick up a copy at Central Market -- shameless plug). The passion that Leonard and Troy show for their product and process comes across during the tour of the distillery.

Since mid-June, they've been doing public tours, and I snatched up two of their reservations for opening weekend so my husband could check the distillery out. Tours happen every Saturday between noon and 4 p.m. Reservations can be made online through their website. The tour takes you through the process they go through in producing their bourbon whiskey and includes a taste of the “white dog” distillate, which is the whiskey before it’s aged for years in a barrel.

Photo by Josie Singleton

Firestone

Firestone and Robertson recently released their blended whiskey. On my last visit to the distillery, Leonard described the high demand for their TX whiskey blend and how it was a good problem to have. Their first release of the blended whiskey sold out practically immediately. Further releases have yet to even make it to the shelves because of waiting lists. Luckily, the tour concludes with a tasting of the blended whiskey. However, TABC laws prevent them from selling the whiskey. I’m not a whiskey drinker, but since I’ve sampled the TX blend I may be a convert. Slight caramel flavors come through, and the smooth finish makes for an enjoyable drink. I can see craft cocktail experts integrating the whiskey into creative concoctions.

The bottles the blended whiskey come in are as distinctive as the whiskey. For starters, the bottle evokes its Texas ties in a graphic and modern way. Topping it all off, so to speak, is a unique bottle topper on every bottle. You’ll find a piece of boot leather inlaid in the bottle top, each different and unique. On the day of the tour, they had just received a box from Leddy’s with a crazy cornucopia of boot leathers that would dazzle any of the TX blended whiskey bottles. (Here’s their blog post detailing the bottle tops.) Exemplifying the hand crafted quality of the bourbon and blended whiskey, each topper is also made by hand.

Firestone and Robertson Distilling Company brings a unique Texas take on whiskey and bourbon to Fort Worth. Their location adds to the Near Southside renaissance, which is just fancy speak for the Near Southside just got even cooler. It’s a great addition to the food and drink landscape of Fort Worth since this is the only artisanal bourbon distillery in North Texas. Whiskey and bourbon aficionados will appreciate the hand crafted quality of the bourbon and a detailed explanation of their process. However, the tour is informative and interesting enough for just about anyone -- and the whiskey ‘aint bad either. Cheers!

ETFW tip: The distillery is in an open warehouse, so keep that in mind. If it’s hot outside, it’s hot in the warehouse, so dress comfortably for the weather.

Another tip: A few weeks ago, The Swiss Pastry Shop offered a TX Whiskey Caramel Pie using the whiskey blend. It’s worth following them on Facebook to see if they offer it again.