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    Gifts to Guzzle

    True Texas distillery pours forth tasty gift ideas for everyone on your list

    CultureMap Create
    Dec 14, 2018 | 1:20 pm
    Balcones whiskey bottles
    Truly, something for everyone.
    Photo courtesy of Balcones Distilling

    The amount of time left to shop for the holidays is short, and your list is long. What to do? Knock it all out with one true Texas brand: Balcones Distilling. The grain-to-glass whiskey makers have a wide array of bottles, each of which is sure to fit someone on your nice list.

    Who you're buying for: Your best friend
    What they'll love: Baby Blue
    Why it's perfect: You've dropped all artifice with each other, and when you get together it's to just kick back, relax, and have a good time. Balcones Baby Blue was the first Texas whiskey on the market following Prohibition, making it a true Texas original. There's always time to share a glass or two with your best bud, letting the notes of melted butter, kettle corn, vanilla, and toffee melt away your holiday stress.

    Who you're buying for: Your boss
    What they'll love: Texas Single Malt
    Why it's perfect: You're out to impress, and this iconic bottle won't let you down. It was the first American-made whiskey to win top honors in the U.K.'s global blind Best in Glass awards, and has won more total awards than anyone can count. Silky and full on the palate, this complex whiskey features notes of lightly toasted bread with fresh butter and marmalade. It's what you reach for when only the best will do.

    Who you're buying for: The cocktail enthusiast
    What they'll love: Texas Rye 100
    Why it's perfect: That one friend who's really into craft cocktails will swoon on this new take on an old classic. Its notes of buttery toffee, creamy chocolate, and peanut butter go unbelievably well in classic cocktails like the Old Fashioned or Manhattan.

    Who you're buying for: The bourbon enthusiast
    What they'll love: True Blue 100
    Why it's perfect: Surprise them with a bourbon that's not really a bourbon after all. True Blue 100 is made from 100 percent roasted blue corn but is not technically a bourbon because Balcones ages it in pre-used barrels (strictly speaking, bourbon must be aged in new barrels). This gives the whiskey a deeper, richer character than most bourbons. With its finish of lingering dried cherries and blackberries, followed by toasty bitter chocolate with pleasant oak tannins, they'll wonder why they haven't tried this sooner.

    Who you're buying for: The hostess with the mostess
    What they'll love: Rumble
    Why it's perfect: Rumble defies definition. Made from Texas wildflower honey, Mission figs, and turbinado sugar, it isn't technically a whiskey. But its sweet and delicious flavors of honeysuckle, cinnamon, and vanilla work great as a base for inventive, Pinterest-worthy cocktails.

    Who you're buying for: The rugged Texan
    What they'll love: Brimstone
    Why it's perfect: If this person's ideal winter activity is getting cozy around a campfire (or a fireplace), they'll appreciate this one-of-a-kind whiskey that's been smoked with sun-baked Texas scrub oak. Aromas of masa, wood smoke, and powdered sugar are backed by stone fruit, peppery spice, and mint. Bold yet balanced, they'll remember this gift forever.

    ---

    To pick up a bottle, you can find Balcones at most major liquor stores, including Total Wine & More, Spec's, Goody Goody, and Pogo's. See the Balcones Distilling website for more details.

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    all about the taste

    Beyoncé-loved Houston brunch spot sweetens Sugar Land with new location

    Eric Sandler
    Dec 5, 2025 | 10:00 am
    Taste Kitchen + Bar chicken and waffles
    Courtesy of Taste Kitchen + Bar
    No meal at Taste is complete without chicken and waffles.

    One of Houston’s most successful brunch spots is coming to Sugar Land. Taste Bar + Kitchen will open its second location on Wednesday, December 10, in the former Veritas Steak & Seafood location at 1550 Lake Pointe Pkwy, Suite 500.

    Located near the Greatwood development, the restaurant will feature a lakefront patio and a private dining room that will host family celebrations, corporate events, and other happenings.

    Even more importantly, it will serve chef-owner Don Bowie’s kicked up take on Southern comfort food. The restaurant’s menu offers more than a dozen versions of chicken and waffles — General Tso’s, Nashville hot, jerk, Cajun, etc. paired with waffle flavors such as peach cobbler, apple pie, and sweet potato — as well as seafood, mac & cheese, and the jerk lamb chops that won the prize for best dish at the CultureMap Tailgate earlier this fall.

    Diners can expect a lively atmosphere, particularly in the evening, when the restaurant will showcase its extensive cocktail program and live entertainment on the weekends.

    Count Houston icon Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and her husband Jay-Z among the restaurant’s fans. Along with their families, the duo feasted on an order from Taste before Queen Bey’s Cowboy Carter tour stop at NRG Stadium. Bowie later shared a photo of himself with Jay-Z on Instagram.


    View this post on Instagram
    A post shared by Taste Kitchen + Bar (@tastekitchenbar)


    “We’re thrilled to bring Taste to the Sugar Land community,” Bowie said in a statement. “This expansion allows us to share the flavors and experiences our guests enjoy downtown with a new audience, beautiful waterfront views, and a signature space designed for both everyday dining and memorable occasions.”

    Taste Bar + Kitchen opens daily at 8 am.

    No meal at Taste is complete without chicken and waffles.

    Taste Kitchen + Bar chicken and waffles
    Courtesy of Taste Kitchen + Bar
    No meal at Taste is complete without chicken and waffles.
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