Pecan Street Rum

So, now I'm in Houston, TX. A winter that induces sweating, people as big as dirigibles, and stetsons. There you have it. Though I am here for an eight week training course for work I have been looking forward to this trip for three reasons:

1. People speaking English AND Spanish.
2. My college roommate lives here and I can finally run my bad science-fiction ideas past him.
3. Spirit of Texas Independent Distillery is distributed here. This. is. huge.

Spirit of Texas Independent Distillery crafts Pecan Street Rum which I have been meaning to try for over a year. It is an 80 proof oak aged molasses rum that is flavored with Texas pecans and believe it or not it tastes even better than it sounds.

Pecan Street Rum. Image captured on the finest of Hyatt Hotel towels.

I took some notes when I initially cracked it open and had it first neat at room temperature then mixed with cola. Here's what I thought at the time:

The nose is light suggesting sugar cane cola, caramelized sugars, baked walnuts, and pecans. The first sip starts with an easy brown sugar flavor that draws you in, cuts to a cola-carbonic-acid sharpness with a thin molasse salve, and blends to notes of nut oils, soaked golden raisins, and maple syrup. The finish is sweet, delicate, and heavy on the pecan pie.

Pecan Street Rum goes so well with chilled coca cola it's really hard to imagine how pop ever survived without this little Texas gem. The pecan really shines through and it's a drink I would happily pay $7 to $9 dollars for; definitely NOT just a fountain drink. It goes for about $18 dollars for 750 ml at your local Texas liquor store, which is a better value than most mega-brand rums. Although I cannot vouch for it's strength as a rum to be mixed in fruity cocktails, Spirit of Texas also offers Straight Silver Rum, a similarly priced white rum that should do the trick if you must have your friday evening daiquiri.