1845 Distilling Company

About the Distillery

1845 Distilling Company is a family-owned grain-to-glass distillery in Lowry Crossing, Texas, producing bourbon from 100% Texas-grown grains. The distillery combines small-batch production with an active tasting room operation, single-barrel experiences, and a series of bottled-in-bond, cask-strength, and double-oak releases that have won several national awards.

History

Founded in 2018 by Bob and June Petitt, 1845 Distilling Company builds on the family's local roots and experience from their previous brewing business. They filled the first barrels in 2019 and quickly built up a stock in their onsite 'barrel barn'. After maturing the early barrels, they began blending and bottling; the tasting room opened in February 2023, and the 1845 bourbon hit local markets the same year. Since then the distillery has received a number of awards at competitions such as the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Heartland Competition and has been mentioned in connection with national recognitions.

Raw Materials and Production

The production center is local grains: Yellow Corn, Red Winter Wheat, Elbon Rye, and Malted Barley. The distillery describes itself as grain-to-glass and works in small batches to preserve quality and consistency. Fermentation and distillation details, as well as the number and type of stills, are not specified, but the distillery's practice includes both standard releases, bottled-in-bond bottle releases, cask-strength pours, and single-barrel projects. The raw material is listed as 100% Texas-grown grains, and the team has backgrounds in both brewing and gastronomy, which is reflected in flavor development and blending.

Aging and Barrels

The stocks age in an onsite 'barrel barn', and the distillery uses several approaches to barrel aging. They release single-barrel bottlings and cask-strength bottles, and some releases undergo a double oak process in lightly charred and toasted barrels. Bottles are also described as bottled in bond on some Preemption releases, while single-barrel barrels are actively used in tasting room experiences.

Whiskeys

The range primarily consists of bourbon variants based on different mash bills: rye-based 'Texas Straight' editions, wheated variants, a four-grain edition, and the Reverence series with cask-strength bottlings. Some bottles are tasting room-exclusive or single-barrel bottlings, while other releases are distributed statewide. The distillery offers both standard 100-proof editions, five-year bottled-in-bond editions, cask-strength, and higher-proof double-oak variants.

Whisky	Type / Series	Alcohol	Age	Barrel and Finish	Flavor Profile	Status
Preemption Texas Straight Bourbon Single Barrel #234	Bourbon	61.25 %	Aged a minimum of four years	Single barrel (tasting room barrel)	Tasting room-exclusive single barrel; used in the 'fill your own bottle' experience.	Limited (tasting room exclusive); Tasting room pickup
First Lady of Texas Bourbon	Bourbon	44 %			Special release (375 ml) dedicated to the family matriarch; labeled as tasting room-exclusive.	Limited (tasting room exclusive); Tasting room pickup
PREEMPTION Texas Four Grain Straight Bottled in Bond Bourbon Whiskey	Bourbon	50 %	Aged 5 years		Four grain bourbon made with 100% Texas-grown grains; bottled in bond and five years of aging indicated.; Nose: Buttered corn, honey, floral, cherry and a hint of oak; Taste: Cherry, black tea with honey, baking spices and a touch of chocolate	Current; Core range; Local pickup / statewide distribution for selected editions
PREEMPTION Texas Wheated Straight Bottled in Bond Bourbon Whiskey	Bourbon	50 %	Aged 5 years		Wheated straight bourbon made with 100% Texas-grown grains; bottled in bond and five years of aging indicated.; Nose: Chocolate, orange, vanilla and a hint of pear; Taste: Mexican chocolate, orange, cooked fruit and freshly baked bread with honey	Current; Core range; Local pickup / statewide distribution for selected editions
PREEMPTION Texas Straight Double Oak Bourbon	Bourbon	57.7 %	Aged 5 years	Lightly charred and toasted barrels (double oak finishing); finish: Double oaked in lightly charred and toasted barrels	Signature edition with double oak finish; rye-based mashbill and five years of aging indicated.	Current; Local pickup / tasting room
Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey (From the Vault - Batch 2)	Bourbon	50 %	Aged a minimum of 3 years		Characterized as the house's rye-based bourbon; 'From the Vault' Batch 2 noted as a 100 proof edition.; Nose: Cherry cola, caramel, vanilla, oak and a hint of florality; Taste: Black tea, cinnamon, citrus, floral notes and a touch of tannins	Current; Core range; Local pickup / statewide distribution for selected editions
Texas Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey	Bourbon	50 %	Aged a minimum of 3 years		Four grain variant highlighted in several places; made from 100% Texas-grown grains.; Nose: Buttered corn, honey, floral, cherry and a hint of oak; Taste: Cherry, black tea with honey, baking spices and a touch of chocolate	Current; Core range; Local pickup / statewide distribution for selected editions
Texas Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey	Bourbon	50 %	Aged a minimum of 3 years		Wheated edition made from 100% Texas-grown grains; mentioned in both standard and cask-strength variants.; Nose: Chocolate, orange, vanilla and a hint of pear; Taste: Mexican chocolate, orange, cooked fruit and freshly baked bread with honey	Current; Core range; Local pickup / statewide distribution for selected editions
Texas Reverence Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Cask Strength)	Bourbon		Aged a minimum of 3 years		Cask-strength edition of the flagship bourbon; listed as cask strength in the shop.; Nose: Cherry cola, caramel, vanilla, oak and a hint of florality; Taste: Black tea, cinnamon, citrus, floral notes and a touch of tannins	Current; Local pickup / tasting room

The Whiskeys' Style and Flavor Profile

Across the range, notes of cherry and other fruit tones, darker fruits and citrus mingle with malt sweetness such as buttered corn and honey. Vanilla and caramel appear often on the nose, while spicy elements like cinnamon and baking spices emerge on the palate. Oak and tannins are prominent in several expressions, and floral notes are mentioned in several products.

Visit the Distillery

The distillery welcomes guests for guided barrel-tasting tours and a 'Fill Your Own Bottle' single-barrel experience. Tours start on the hour, are limited to 10 people, and require all participants to be at least 21 years old. The single-barrel experience includes a blind tasting of six barrels, choosing a favorite, and bottling a bottle; pricing and ticket information are handled via the distillery's booking channels. The tasting room is open Wednesday–Friday 16:00–19:00 and Saturday 12:00–17:00, and online purchases must be picked up at the distillery within 30 days.

The stated opening hours are Tasting room: Wed–Fri 16:00–19:00, Sat 12:00–17:00. Tours start on the hour; max 10 people per tour.

Philosophy and Craft

The distillery's values rest on the grain-to-glass principle, the use of 100% locally Texan-grown grains, and family-owned craftsmanship. They prioritize small-batch production, direct guest experiences in the tasting room, and creating both standard releases and special single-barrel projects.

Awards and Recognitions

Double Gold (2023, Double Gold, PREEMPTION Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey (100 proof))
One of the Top Three Bourbons in the World (2023, One of the Top Three Bourbons in the World)
Double Gold (2024, Double Gold, PREEMPTION Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey)
Best Four Grain in America (2025, Best Four Grain in America)
Double Gold (2025, Double Gold)