This rich and spiced bourbon from a Texas grain-to-glass distillery starts big with a bold nose of cracked pepper, dusty leather, and cocktail cherries. The palate is dense and rewarding with layers of chile pepper, caramel, and buttery cornbread. Each sip is electric—the pepper gives this whiskey a zing balanced by poundcake and glazed doughnuts. Charred oak fades to chocolate, coffee, and pecan pie on the finish. Distilled from a mash with both red and white corn, plus rye and a little malted barley, this relative newcomer delivers a bourbon as bold as the Texas sun without sacrificing finesse. —Shane English