The $45 Bourbon That Made My Marine Father-in-Law Call Me “Son”

💥 Opening Pour

Met the in-laws for Sunday supper. First time. Stakes were high.

I brought a bottle that looked humble but poured like royalty. By the end of the night, her dad — a grizzled ex-Marine who once said “I don’t smile unless there’s steak involved” — was calling me “son.” The secret? A Texas bourbon with soul, spice, and just enough swagger.

📖 The Story

Let me take you back a few years...

I was dating this wonderful woman. Smart, sweet, way out of my league — the kind who wore cowboy boots to art museums. Eventually, the time came to meet the folks. Sunday supper. Pot roast, church wine, and her old man — a retired Marine turned insurance adjuster who inspected everything like it was liable to explode.

This man had a handshake like a vice grip and a jaw that looked like it hadn’t unclenched since ’97. The kind of guy who doesn’t ask what you do — just watches how you pour.

I brought him a bottle of boutique rye I’d been excited to try. His response?
“Better not be some hipster garbage.”
That bottle stayed corked.

So next time, I came prepared. Brought out a bottle I’d found in Austin — a sleeper hit called Still Austin “The Musician.” Not flashy. Not famous. Just a good ol’ honest bourbon with roots and rhythm.

I poured it neat. He sniffed it. Sipped it. Took a long breath and said, “Damn. That’s good.”

By the end of dinner, he was asking for seconds. Wanted to know where he could buy it. Even brought out his dusty decanter “for special pours.” And when we hugged goodbye, he clapped my back and said, “You did alright, son.”

A $45 bottle had just accomplished what three months of dating hadn’t: it got me into the family circle.

🥇 The Weekly Pour

Bottle: Still Austin “The Musician” Straight Bourbon
Price: ~$45
Proof: 98.4
Age: ~3 years

Nose: Caramel, fresh cornbread, and baked apple
Palate: Honey, spice, and toasted graham cracker
Finish: Soft oak with a lingering cherry note

✅ Rich, smooth flavor with character
✅ Under $50 but tastes like triple
✅ Crowd-pleaser that works neat or mixed

🛒 Buy it now → Still Austin “The Musician” – $45

🍹The Art of Mixing

The Southern Son

A cocktail built to bridge the gap between bourbon die-hards and sweet-tooth sippers.

Ingredients

• 2 oz Still Austin “The Musician”

• 0.5 oz dark maple syrup

• 2 dashes orange bitters

• Orange peel & cherry (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Stir with ice until chilled

2. Strain over a big rock

3. Garnish with a twist of orange and one fancy cherry

Tip: Swap in cinnamon bitters if you want fall-in-a-glass vibes.

🍖 Flavor Pairing Picks

Pair it with:

🍗 Smoked Pork Shoulder — The sweet oak and spice hold up to the richness
🍑 Peach Cobbler — Brings out the bourbon’s fruit and warm vanilla notes
💨 Romeo y Julieta 1875 Cigar — Balanced, mild smoke that won’t overpower

🧠 Big Lesson of the Week

When it comes to family impressions, skip the showboat bottles. Choose something smooth, soulful, and just unexpected enough to earn a second pour.

🥂 Final Toast

Here’s to quiet confidence, bold pours, and the kind of whiskey that wins hearts — one sip at a time.

🥃 Repeatable Proverb

A bottle doesn’t need to shout to be unforgettable.

📖 The Whiskey Journal Is Here

For those of us who believe every bottle tells a story worth writing down.

I finally released The Art of the Pour Official Whiskey Tasting Journal—the same one I use to jot down:

🖋️ Tasting notes, barrel picks, and “finally cracked it open” moments
🗓️ First pours with friends
🧠 Thoughts that hit halfway through a good pour

🎁 And because I love a good surprise, I’m throwing in a free printable Whiskey Tasting Wheel—yep, the one folks keep asking about from past newsletters.

Already a subscriber? You’re first in line.
👉 Get the Journal + Free Whiskey Wheel

Now Its Your Turn

What bottle helped you win someone over? Drop your story in the comments, hit ⭐ to save this for your next big dinner, or send it to a buddy who needs a reliable ringer.

Cheers to handshakes, hard-earned smiles, and family-approved pours,

Ethan “Neat” Whitmore

P.S. Next week: The best bourbons under $30 that drink like they’re wearing cufflinks.