New Texas Whiskey Debuts: Texas Silver Star


Like mom’s spaghetti, everything just tastes better when it’s homemade.

At least that’s the hope of a new Dallas-based whiskey distiller, Texas Silver Star.

The Hatch dropped by Stampede 66 Tuesday night to try the restaurant’s newest addition to the menu, locally-produced Texas Silver Star Whiskey and Texas Honey liqueur. Stampede 66 is Stephen Pyles’ take on Modern Texas Cuisine, so it was as fitting a place as any to try some authentic Modern Texas Whiskey.

The restaurant’s upscale Texas Cowboy vibe and the authentic Lone Star whiskey cocktails delivered.

Texas Silver Star founders Mark Lusignan, Ben Alexander and Don Alexander were on hand to educate guests on what makes Texas Silver Star Whiskey and Texas Honey special. The sprits launched in November.

It all starts at home.

Silver Star Whiskey is produced in Lewisville, the first of its kind to be produced in North Texas, according to Ben Alexander. The whiskey is then blended with Round Rock Honey, which is derived from fragrant Texas Hill Country wild flowers, to produce the honey-infused liqueur.

Alexander said the company is taking a completely grassroots approach to getting Texas Silver Star Whiskey into Texans’ glasses across the state, noting that people from the Lone Star State typically take a certain pride in home-grown products. The key of course, regardless of origin, is quality. Alexander and his fellow co-founders believe their whiskey is as good as Texas barbecue, and they were anxious to prove it Tuesday night.

Three distinct cocktails were served: the “Texas Back-Hand,” “Texas Tea-Ni” and “Texas Boy Oh Boy!” Each concoction succeeded in putting a tasty twist on a familiar drink. The Boy Oh Boy! seemed to be the most popular of the evening, but my personal favorite was the Tea-Ni. The lightest of the three, it was as refreshing as a whiskey drink could ever hope to be with a sweet, tangy citrus flavor and only a subtle hint of whiskey that lingered warmly after the other flavors faded away.

Between the whiskey and the ambiance, I felt like a real-life urban cowboy.