Although, traditionally, Dallas might be associated with oil, the booming number of distilleries that have popped up around the city might soon make it synonymous with another form of liquid gold: spirits. Whether bourbon, gin, vodka, or all of the above, Dallas distilleries bring electric flavors and delicious drinkables to all corners of the Big D. However, with so many options to choose from, a rocks glass authority might have a hard time knowing where to begin, hence this handy list. We collected the best places to knock one back in North Texas. With this guide on your side, the only thing you’ll need to remember to do is sip some water between every shot you take.
Related: Weird Things to Do in Dallas
Top 5 Dallas Distilleries
Lucky Gin
Address: 390 West Seventh St, Dallas, TX 75208
Neighborhood: Bishop Arts District
For those who like to get their DIY on alongside their drinking, this combination tasting room / bar / classroom will satisfy your crafting thirst. Lucky Gin will not only draw you in with its gluten-free spirit selections and charcuterie board of “adult lunchables,” but will literally make you part of the distillery process itself with their gin school classes. While there, you can choose from a variety of botanicals, including hibiscus, coconut flakes, lavender, and mango, to customize your own bottle of gin, which Lucky will then distill for you to bring home. If you would rather sip your drink than work to make it, their environment — dive bar-like with a lush twist — will let you lounge on velvet couches and do just that.
What to Try:
While gin might be a hard sell to some drink enthusiasts, even those who don’t normally spring for herby flavors will love Lucky’s peach and basil-infused frozen gin and tonic. The sweetness of the fruit perfectly balances out the bitterness and sharpness of the gin and tonic water in the form of the best adult slushie you’ll ever taste.
Herman Marshall Tasting Room
Address: 121 North Ballard Avenue, Wylie, TX 75098
City: Wylie, TX
The longer they age, the better whiskeys usually become, a premise that also applies to the Herman Marshall Tasting Room. When it first opened its doors in Dallas, it was the county’s first whiskey distillery after the prohibition era ended, which made it, additionally, the fourth oldest distillery in the whole Lone Star state. Recently, this small-batch distillery, which cranks out ten different kinds of whiskey as well as gin and vodka, moved to historic Downtown Wylie, approximately a 30-minute drive from Dallas. However, taking in a glass of their delicious, vanilla-smelling bourbons, while enjoying the small-town Texas setting, is more than worth the gas money it takes to get you there.
What to Try:
Everyone’s longtime favorite at Herman Marshall remains, hands down, the HM Texas Bourbon. In a nod to their historical past, this spirit is still made from an original recipe that dates back to the 1800s and distills its peppery, mildly sweet flavor from local Texas corn and malted barley.
New Artisan Distillery
Address: 8202 Chancellor Row, Dallas, TX 75247
Neighborhood: Love Field
This artisanal distillery, located just outside of Downtown Dallas, appeals to foodies and flavor connoisseurs of all stripes. The credentials of the owners – one, a former top executive at Coca-Cola Co., and the other, a James Beard Award-winning chef and biochemist – demonstrate the seriousness of this endeavor. Another feature that will strike the culinary-inclined as they visit this distillery for a tour or a drink is the expansive herb garden that sits outside the building. This garden, which contains rosemary, Thai basil, and a variety of other fresh botanicals, goes directly into the gin and bourbon that New Artisan makes. Pair this herbal setting with high-end urban decor, featuring graffiti-covered walls and antique furniture, and you get a perfect spot to toast to a special occasion or, even, just kick off the start of the weekend.
What to Try:
There are two tasty winners to order at New Artisan: their Roxor Artisan Gin and their Roxor World’s First Botanical Bourbon. Both contain a number of delightful ingredients that will play across your palate as you sip, including cacao nibs, pecans, grapefruit, and cubeb peppers.
BENDT Distilling Co.
Address: 225 South Charles Street, Lewisville, TX 75057
City: Lewisville, TX
Formally known as Witherspoon Distillery, the popularity of BENDT, whose new name derives from their technique of blending various mashes, required them to expand their operations to a larger building about 30 minutes outside of Dallas. At their Lewisville factory and tasting room, you can try their unique mash-ups of different bourbons, ryes, malts, and wheat-based whiskeys, as well as take tours of their operations and even try your hand at bartending at one of their craft cocktail classes. Their space is special as well. Located in a former Piggly Wiggly, it looks both chic and welcoming, which, coincidentally, aptly describes the type of spirits they serve up.
What to Try:
The most beloved option at BENDT has to be their Bendt No. 5, a combination of malt, bourbon, rye, and wheat & light whiskeys. Don’t let the large number of liquors in the blend intimidate you, though — this concoction served on the rocks is extremely drinkable and goes down easy.
Deep Ellum Distillery
Address: 2880 Clover Street, Dallas, TX
Neighborhood: Deep Ellum
A distillery with the vibe of your favorite sports bar, Deep Ellum Distillery is as much a place to try distinctive, craft-infused vodkas as it is to knock back a couple of rounds after work with the crew. Located in the trendy Deep Ellum neighborhood, this spot often hosts DJs and live music as well as displaying all the big Texas games on their large screen TVs. Thus, you can cheer on the Rangers while sipping one of the 16 kinds of vodka they make and flavor with such ingredients as watermelon, mandarin, and smoked oak.
What to Try:
For a refreshing drink on a hot Texas day, grab a glass of Deep Ellum’s Strawberry Basil Mule cocktail. It might contain their strawberry-infused vodka, but, due to the fact that they infuse it with real strawberries as opposed to artificial ingredients, it won’t give off the sweet, jolly-rancher taste you might expect of flavored vodka, but rather, a natural and delicious flavor.
Apartment Hunting Near the Best Dallas Distilleries?
If, like Willie Nelson, you crave a “whisky river” in your own backyard, a move to Dallas could be in your immediate future. Get all the homegrown knowledge about heading to the Lone Star state by scheduling a meeting with one of AptAmigo’s expert agents. They will make finding the apartment of your dreams a task way less harsh than taking a shot of bottom-shelf tequila.
