So, I came to Waco for the obvious reasons, Magnolia Market, The Silos, Antique Shopping, and Mammoth National Monument and a bit of a quiet getaway. What I found made my taste buds happy and it made my soul release a deep sigh. There are two breweries, a wonderful distillery, and the best damn whiskey bar this side of the Mississippi, Barnett's Public House. We stumbled on this little jewel in downtown Waco by accident. We signed up for Waco Tours (if you are coming here, do the tour first before ANYTHING else) and this spot was on the map of recommended places. What they don't tell you is about the whiskey cages and the 700+ bottles spanning American, Japanese, Tasmanian, Czech, English, Canadian, Spanish, Irish and German Whiskeys to Bourbon to Scotch. They have beer, mulled wine, cocktails, an extensive wine list. If you cannot find something here then you are not trying.
Friday nights their kitchen is closed for a reservations-only dinner that they run but the rest of the week they have pub fare.
Confession, we came two nights in a row which can get expensive if you are like us. We were there on a Friday and watched them roll out their dinner in the back area with ease. It was astounding to watch given the size of the kitchens. They rolled out a four-course meal as if they were in a five-star hotel and the service matched. Saturday night we took in the Baylor game with quite a few locals. It was loud, the energy was high and everyone in a good mood. It was pretty packed but again, the staff amazed me with how well they worked in unison without missing a beat. You would have thought the bar was empty the way they flawlessly attended to the patrons and kept it spotless! I cannot tell you how impressive it was to watch them work.
Brandon and Josh are two characters in a class of their own. Brandon is one to sit and while away the time discussing philosophy and the merits of different religions who are very inquisitive about other people's ideas and values who is an avid student of Jiu-Jitsu and coffee, both close to my heart. Josh brings forth a refreshing view on the more unique whiskeys such as the Rauchbier.
If you get really, really lucky Desi will be working behind the bar. She's a woman after my own heart with her love of scotch. We had an extended conversation throughout the evening about the variations of peat and how different areas impact flavor. Her preference leans towards the peat but her knowledge expands well beyond. She knows her bourbon and makes some pretty damn amazing cocktails. If you are there (and I hope you are), just tell her to surprise you. You won't regret the decision. These are all people who value your time and
Now let's go back to this whiskey list. I was spellbound and in awe that there could be so many glorious bottles in one space. They have your standard set up behind the bar then they move on to six cages along the back wall plus one reserved for single bottles that belong to specific individuals. Outside of this, they have a backroom with even more bottles. The staff is dedicated connoisseurs of their craft working to ensure that you not only have what you want but, that you have what you didn't even know you wanted. Did I mention the cigars? They have a six-foot-tall humidor and darts in the back area. There are three TVs that play sports and one that upfront that list out the current draft beers.
Now let's go back to the list. It took me, a lady who knows her whiskey, a good twenty minutes to even come to terms with the book they present when asking for the menu. It is thick with a good twenty pages to thumb through. A few of my favorites are Sullivan's Cove from Tasmania, Balcones Brimstone (the distillery is down the street), Bruichladdich Octomore 9.3, and every Blackadder on the list (they have thirteen of them!). Below are a few of the notes I took down as we worked our way through (there are more photos than notes because, after a while, I just forgot to type) alongside a cheeseboard and some deviled eggs.
English Whiskey Co. - Unpeated - taste like rum, it's young with a very subtle nose and a bit of a burn. If you like warmth, this is the one for you. When you pair this one with the blue cheese, magic happens. I got flavors that I did not expect, Madagascar bourbon vanilla bean paste, sugar cookie, and fresh cream. Not something I ever expected to pair but, definitely going to do this in the future.
Ohishi Whisky - Islay Cask Finish - soft iodine nose, noses like a smoked, dried seaweed seasoning that I picked up in Ireland a few years back. It tastes like an alligator char in your mouth with the mouth of an old, musty book that someone took camping.
Whistle Pig Double Malt 18 - it noses like a wheated vanilla cream cereal but the flavors rolling around are of a refined spice, caramel, and a very subtle warmth. Mixing it with a few red grapes will bring forth a sour cherries or prune profile. It's a fun sampling.
Aecht Ochlenferla Rauchbier - Not technically a whiskey but, it is classified as a distilled beer; a promotional piece for the Rauchbier ( the main German drink). The nose is like an old, athletic shoe, smokey, bacon, a baseball glove if you chewed on it, very funky. Spice, warmth, a moldy vanilla flavor.
Domaine des Hautes Glaces - Cask #79, single malt organic - nose is leather and honey with a tad cream, tastes like a buttered pistachio and a pickling flavor that I cannot place and have never tasted in a whiskey before.
Balcones Mirador single malt - Stone fruit, smells like it is straight out of the mash tank, the color is light almost pale, and it tastes just like it smells. If you ever do a tour and wonder what it tastes like, this is the one for you.
Balcones True Blue Cask Strength - a rich, deep color, think cognac here. Candied orange peel, notes of evergreen on the nose after letting it rest for a few minutes. There is a lot of tingle on the lips and it crawls slowly down your throat with a full load of spice. It has just a bit of toasted nuts upon further tasting.
Johnnie Walker Port Ellen Ghost and Rare - you can smell the mash and yeast upfront, amber color, spiced maple nose, great legs that seduce you as they slide down the glass, mossy, a beautifully balanced peat and smoother than a baby's bum after a bath, pairs amazingly with blue cheese that brings up more of the peat. It is like a luscious woman greeting you at the door with the most amazing maple nut pudding you can imagine. It is silky, tingles as it moves around in your mouth and lulls you into a warmth that pushes away all thoughts of cold. I admit I have been a harsh snob of Johnnie Walker until this moment. It is unlike any others I have ever had. Its soft woodsy fragrance pulls you forward into a dreamland of Scottish heather blanketing the valley on a dewy, misty morning.
The Johnnie Walker was the best way to finish up our trip. If you don't have plans to visit the Waco, Tx area, make them. And make them simply to come here. It is worth the travel.
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