1845 Distilling Company: A Texas Distillery Visit

Recently, a few friends and I made the short drive out to Lowry Crossing to visit 1845 Distilling. Calling it a trek would be a stretch since I was already staying in Little Elm, Texas, but any

excuse to visit a new distillery is good enough for me.

This wasn't one of those trips fueled by rumors that an out-of-the-way liquor store was about to put out a surprise allocation. The destination itself was the reason to go. Somehow, despite spending plenty of time around Texas whiskey, I'd never visited 1845 Distilling—or even tasted any of their bourbon.

That changed the night before.

A buddy who had already made the trip opened a few bottles and gave me my first introduction to the lineup. Before we get too far into the distillery itself, I'll answer the question most people are probably asking.

Is the bourbon good?

Yes.

Of the four expressions I sampled, the Double Oak was my favorite, with their wheated Bottled-in-Bond coming in a close second. My palate usually settles into that sweet spot around 100 to 110 proof for the bottles I find myself reaching for over and over again.

Did I buy a bottle?

No—and that's intentional.

I've learned that I'm susceptible to getting caught up in the excitement whenever I'm out with friends at a distillery. Over the years I've made a few... let's call them pour decisions that made more sense in the moment than they did once I got home. These days I try to separate the experience from the purchase.

That isn't a knock on 1845 Distilling. Quite the opposite. I genuinely enjoyed what I tasted, and I'd have no problem supporting a local Texas distillery by picking up a couple of bottles on a future visit. This trip just wasn't going to be an impulse buy—it was about seeing the place, meeting the people, and learning the story behind the whiskey.

As we pulled onto the property, we were greeted by a grove of pecan trees—a detail I wouldn't fully appreciate until after the tour. My immediate reaction was, "This reminds me of Jack Daniel's."

Now, before anyone who's been to both places starts shaking their head, no, they're not all that similar. The scale is different. The architecture is different. Even the color palette is different.

I think what I was picking up on was the feeling.

Over the past few years, I've visited several small distilleries that make the most of whatever space they have. Functional buildings. Warehouses tucked wherever they'll fit. Places that are still growing into themselves. Walking up to 1845 felt different. The property felt intentional. It had room to breathe, and before I could really explain why, I found myself enjoying it before we'd even stepped inside.

Our tour was led by founder and head distiller Miguel, who kicked things off by sharing how 1845 came to be. The story actually starts in 2008, when Bob and June opened a craft brewery in Port Aransas and brought Miguel on while he was still in culinary school. After returning to the Dallas area, they shifted their focus from beer to whiskey, investing in grain-to-glass production and learning from distillers across the country. Their first barrels were filled in 2019, and by the time they opened the tasting room in 2023, their bourbon had already earned medals at multiple competitions.

Our first stop inside the Barrel Barn(rickhouse) gave us our first taste of the bourbon at different stages of its life, with each sample thieved straight from the barrel.

The youngest, at just 15 months old, tasted exactly how you'd expect—fresh cereal grains—but what surprised me was how much oak had already begun to show itself. Next came a two-year-old barrel that leaned heavily into fruit notes and drank so much softer than the younger whiskey that I probably would've guessed it was older in a blind tasting. By the time we reached the three-year bourbon, creamy chocolate notes had started to emerge, giving a glimpse of where the whiskey was headed.

Looking back, I think there may have been a fourth sample, but I failed to take notes. Rookie mistake.

From there, we stepped into the distillation room. Miguel mentioned that it can reach nearly 130 degrees while they're actively running the stills. It wasn't quite that hot during our visit, but it didn't need to be. Within a few minutes, everyone was feeling it.

What stood out to me wasn't just the equipment—it was the flow of the room. Rather than squeezing equipment wherever it fit, the production floor follows a clean U-shaped path from fermentation to the pot stills and finally into the holding tanks. Watching Miguel walk us through each step made it obvious that every piece of equipment has a purpose and a place. It wasn't flashy, but it was efficient, and that's something I've started to appreciate the more distilleries I visit.

Our last stop was the tasting room, and I was looking forward to it for two reasons. First, the air conditioning. Second, we finally got to taste the finished product.

At the beginning of the tour, each guest is handed four wooden tokens to redeem for sample pours of their choosing. Since I'd already tried two of the bourbons the night before, I used my tokens on the Wheated Bottled-in-Bond, Texas Straight Bourbon, Four Grain Straight Bourbon, and the Double Oak. With the exception of the Bottled-in-Bond, everything I sampled was served at cask strength, so I'd definitely recommend grabbing a bite before your visit.

By the end of the afternoon, I left with a greater appreciation for what 1845 Distilling is building. Beyond the whiskey itself, it was refreshing to spend time listening to the person actually making it answer questions, explain decisions, and walk us through the process from grain to glass.

If you find yourself in the Dallas area, I'd recommend setting aside the time for a tour. And if making the trip to Lowry Crossing isn't in the cards, Miguel mentioned you'll also find their bottles at Spec's and Total Wine throughout Texas.