IRONROOT REPUBLIC DISTILLERY

By Xander Evans

In Denison, Texas, a spirit of independence, resilience, and serendipity is being raised. Not just created, but raised. This is the very ethos of Ironroot Republic Distillery, a family endeavour that deliberately blurs the lines between agriculture, engineering, and the ancient art of distillation. Forget traditional notions that high-grade whiskey solely belongs in Kentucky or even Scotland - the Likarish family is forging its own republic, one defined by a spirit of independence, meticulous French-inspired techniques, and a deep commitment to expressing the character of their North Texas home. Brothers Robert and Jonathan, combining backgrounds in law and biomedical engineering, alongside their mother, Marcia, the “Mother of Texas Whiskey”, represent an unconventional force in the world of spirits. Then again, how often is a republic built on convention? Their journey, marked by serendipitous twists and unwavering persistence, is redefining what Texas whiskey can be, proving that true character is indeed raised, not just made.

Photo by Christopher Coates

The Likarish story isn’t one of inherited distilling legacies - in fact, for a long time, the prospect of opening up a distillery was a running family joke. The family's professional backgrounds were diverse: the father was a metallurgical engineer, the mother a speech pathologist and educator, sons Jonathan and Robert held degrees in industrial/ biomedical engineering and law, respectively. Initial casual discussions centered around potentially opening a winery or brewery, stemming partly from the parents developing an interest in wine tasting later in life. The decisive shift towards spirits occurred after a family visit to Dry Fly Distilling in Spokane, Washington, which prompted their father to suggest distilling instead. This long-running joke finally became a serious plan when Robert, deciding against practicing law, committed during a Christmas dinner to learn the craft and spearhead the venture.

"If I'm going to start something and try to make something that takes years to make, why not do it now?" - Robert Likarish, Co-Founder Ironroot Republic

This bold declaration wasn't made in a boardroom, but rather during a potentially tense Christmas dinner after he announced to his family that he wouldn't be practicing law, despite just finishing law school. This news was met with a notable silence, punctuated perhaps only by his mother Marcia taking, as Robert described, "a big giant hit of wine." It was his father who broke the silence, revisiting the long-running family joke by asking Robert if he was going to start that distillery instead. Seizing the unexpected opening, Robert agreed on the spot, deciding his youth and lack of dependents made it the ideal, albeit risky, time to pivot entirely and learn the complex art of making spirits.

With the commitment firmly made amidst the festive backdrop of Christmas dinner, the immediate and daunting challenge became transforming sheer ambition into practical expertise. Robert, armed with a law degree but zero distillation experience, plunged into an intensive learning phase, a necessity in the nascent craft spirits landscape of the early 2010s where reliable information was scarce. His self-study involved analyzing available material, including tracking down obscure texts like "a...distillation guide from the 1950s," highlighting the limited formal resources readily accessible at the time. Recognizing the need for hands-on knowledge and expert guidance, Marcia, the family's unwavering supporter, organized a pivotal immersion trip to the heart of American whiskey: Kentucky. 

Nancy Fraley, courtesy of Ironroot Republic’s Instagram

This journey proved invaluable, immersing them in the Kentucky whiskey landscape through firsthand observation of both heritage giants and emerging craft players, as well as facilitating crucial connections along the Bourbon Trail. Early on, they stopped by the famed Vendome Copper and Brass Works, the largest American based manufacturer of stills and for many the gold standard in distillation equipment. Marcia signed her name to what she believed was a visitors log, something that would prove to be critical to the success of the distillery years later. Perhaps the most formative encounter was with Ted Huber of Starlight Distillery, whose advice fundamentally reshaped their learning trajectory. Huber insightfully steered them away from solely mimicking the large heritage operations, advising them, as Robert paraphrased, "to go visit the smaller craft distillers...to go see what it is you're going to be doing." This counsel redirected their focus towards hands-on learning and understanding the feasibility of a craft-scale business. During this period, they also connected with renowned spirits expert Nancy Fraley, taking her highly acclaimed course, “Nosing for Faults” deepening their understanding of the complex science of maturation.

"That French approach... really laid the groundwork for everything else that we do at Ironroot."

Courtesy of Ironroot Republic’s Instagram

Robert and Jonathan continued their education, traveling the country. They took distillation courses at Koval Distillery in Chicago, Illinois. They returned to Dry Fly in Washington for a week of hand on distillation work. However, perhaps the most significant mentorship came from the famed Hubert Germain-Robin. Their formative meeting wasn't in the cellars of Cognac, but rather at an intensive distilling class in Oregon. Germain-Robin, a 10th-generation Master Cognac distiller who had boldly established RMS Brandy in California back in the 1980s (making him arguably one of America's earliest craft pioneers alongside St. George Spirits), brought a perspective steeped in centuries of tradition yet acutely ready to adapt to a new world. Robert was immediately captivated by this philosophy, which emphasized the meticulous art of guiding the spirit's development in the barrel rather than just passively aging it, also known as “élevage”. The week-long class, held at McMenamins and utilizing a traditional Cognac alembic still, provided practical exposure to these techniques and solidified the élevage principles that would become central to Ironroot. This encounter marked the beginning of an influential mentorship, leading to a trip overseas to Cognac itself and shaping the core philosophies that would define Ironroot Republic's unique approach to crafting whiskey.

Forging their own path distinct from many American whiskey traditions, Ironroot’s singular approach begins fundamentally with the grains themselves. Terroir holds great importance in the wine making regions of Europe, and while the term is divisive within the distilling community, the Likarish family were determined to make whiskey with a true sense of place. They were not interested in using mass produced, commodity grains and thus turned their attention to what grew well in Texas. The answer to that was relatively simple … corn. To elevate their whiskey they started looking into old heritage varieties of corn like the spicy Bloody Butcher or fruity Floriani Red Flint, even having Robert and Jonathan’s parents grow them in their backyard. They were certain that these heirloom corns would produce great flavor, but there was some concern about getting access to the quantity needed to produce their whiskeys at scale. They did not have the land to grow it themselves, and convincing local farmers to devote a significant part of their business to it could be a tough sell, so they decided to use these unique strains of corn in somewhat of a surprising way.  Instead of the common use of rye or wheat for flavor complexity, they opt for these vibrant, locally-sourced heritage corn varieties. Ironroot makes three distinct 100% corn distillates. The first can contain anywhere from 5-30% Bloody Butcher Corn. The second can contain anywhere from 5-15% Floriani. The last can contain 5-15% Purple Corn, with the rest of the mash bill made up of a locally sourced, non-GMO Yellow Dent Corn. 

Ironroot ferments on the grain with an old Scotch yeast increase their yields and produce specific congeners they hope to harness through pot distillation. Most large scale, commercial American whiskeys are made on a column or continuous still. These were first developed in the late 1800’s and have been adopted by all the major bourbon players for their efficiency, but Ironroot is dedicated to the more traditional pot or alembic distillation. America has seen a major boom in the number of distilleries over the last two decades, so getting your hands on a still might sound easier than it actually is. Initially, Robert and Jonathan were interested in getting pot stills from a company in Scotland called Forsyth. They were told it would be around a three year wait. In an interview with Whiskey Magazine, Jonathan said, “We can’t wait that long. We’ve got to start this business. I’ve already pretty much quit my job … it was disheartening at that point and it was frustrating and there were only two still manufacturers making pot stills of that size and one of them just told us no.” In a panic, they decided to reach back out to Vendome, whom they had visited early in their journey on that first trip to Kentucky. Similarly, they were told it would be years before they could get a still, but when the representative from Vendome heard their name he paused for a moment. “He goes, hold up, let me go look at something real fast. A few minutes later he came back to the phone and he goes, ‘Well, Robert you’re not going to believe this but you’re actually third on the list for having still produced.”  As fate would have it, the list that Marcia had signed her name to was not, in fact, a visitor log, but a waiting list. With a design and down payment, Vendome would go into production on their still a few months later. 

The still they received from Vendome was a 1200-gallon pot still they’ve nicknamed, “Jim Bowie.” They run it slowly to ensure the spirit comes off the still at specific proofs. “Running the still slower also is about getting the right separation of different compounds in the distilling process.” The lyne arm coming off the still has a pretty steep decline on its way to the condenser. This helps reduce reflux, allowing the heavier and oilier compounds to come through in the final distillate.

"You're taking that kid [maturing whiskey], seeing what it's doing and then parenting it to try to make it the best version of those flavor profiles."

They decided to barrel their spirits at a lower proof. Not only will this help them absorb the specific wood sugars and tannins from the wood that they are looking for, but given the intense Texas heat, it also helps them manage the final proof of their barrels as they inevitably lose more water than alcohol to evaporation over time. Ironroot uses a variety of different barrels, American Oak, European Oak, French Oak and mostly at a relatively low char. As Robert puts it, “we do the majority of our work on the blending table. The warehouse is about getting diverse flavors so we have more options to create our final products.

Ironroot meticulously manages their whiskey during the maturation phase, rather than just passively aging it. By leveraging dramatic temperature swings and strategically moving barrels within their warehouse, they’re able to guide the spirit’s maturation process highly deliberately. This active ‘raising’ of the whiskey, their interpretation of élevage, allows the distinct character derived from those heritage mashes to evolve in a unique way. The intense Texas climate becomes a tool rather than an inhibitor, accelerating interaction with the oak of the barrel. This dialogue between grain and wood prevents any one unique distillation factor from having an outsized impact and instead produces a smooth and thoughtful end product.

So far, their approach appears to be working. Ironroot Republic’s Harbinger Straight Texas Bourbon became the first non-Kentucky Bourbon to win World’s Best Bourbon at the 2020 World Whiskey Awards. Their two corn whiskeys, Hubris and Icarus have at different times brought home World’s Best Corn Whiskey at the World Whiskey Awards a whopping seven times (2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025). They also produce Promethean Straight Texas Bourbon, Sleight of Hand Bourbon and Rye and have even partnered with other Texas distilleries and former Major League Baseball Star Vernon Wells to create Grayson Blended Texas Bourbon.

In the end, the story of Ironroot Republic Distillery is one of serendipity. From a casual family joke that evolved into a serious venture to fortuitously landing at the top of a Vendome still waiting list, chance has woven itself into Ironroot’s history. However, it required a unique composition of skills and experiences that the Likarish family was able to provide - blending precision, legal acumen, maternal persistence - to transform fortunate moments into a successful reality. Their commitment to exploring heritage grains and adopting the subtle art of élevage has allowed for the cultivation of spirits deeply tied to their North Texas character. This embodiment of their “Republic” ethos has resulted not just in critically acclaimed whiskey, but in a powerful statement about the potential for innovation and quality far beyond distilling norms.

TASTING NOTES

Sleight of Hand: A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskey (46% ABV)

Nose: Banana, Cinnamon, Cherry Wood, Peanuts, Caramel

Palate: The mouthfeel oily and coating with sweet flavors up front of vanilla. The sweetness turns more fruity with hints of white nectarine with cinnamon leading to a long finish of banana bread and oak.

This is a really tasty bourbon. It’s soft and approachable with great texture and dynamic sweet flavors. This is the kind of whiskey you go back to night after night.

Sleight of Hand: A Blend of Straight Rye Whiskey (48% ABV)

Nose: Peach, Vanilla, Maple, Grass, Oak

Palate: The mouthfeel is similar to the Sleight of Hand Bourbon, still sweet up front with vanilla balanced with a subtle bitterness like charred vegetables. The midpalate is a bit spicier with more black pepper than cinnamon leading to a long finish with bready notes and walnuts.

This is very similar to the bourbon, perhaps too similar. It is clear that the rye was dialed up but it doesn’t really drink like a rye. It feels more like a high rye bourbon. If you are a bourbon drinker who wants to try a rye whiskey, then this is definitely for you, but if you are a rye drinker this one may fall a bit flat with too much bourbon sweetness.

Harbinger Straight Bourbon Whiskey (57.5% ABV)

Nose: Vanilla, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Clove

Palate: The mouthfeel is thick and oily with brown sugar sweetness up front that morphs into vanilla and walnut, and milk chocolate in the midpalate. The finish is long and creamy with lingering sweetness with paired with cinnamon and black pepper almost like dulce de leche along with mild oak and spice.

Wow. The texture of this whiskey is immaculate. You can feel and taste every ounce of knowledge that they have gathered over the years. This is pot still whiskey at it’s peak. As far as bourbon goes, this is spectacular. The balance of sweetness, spice, nuttiness and oak is artful. It is one of the better bourbons we have tasted in a very long time.

Promethean Straight Bourbon Whiskey (50% ABV)

Nose: Dark Cherry, Plum, Burnt Sugar Caramel, Oak

Palate: Again, the mouthfeel is thick and oily with dark fruit flavors of cherry and plum up front. Those fruit flavors remain throughout, accompanied by mild cinnamon and allspice in the midpalate which stick around for a long finish of fruit, spice oak, vanilla and gentle smoke.

I love this whiskey. It is so beautiful. The Harbinger is amazing, but this one is sneaky wonderful. The dark fruit flavor throughout is delightful. You could be fooled into thinking this is a wine finished bourbon. The fact that it isn’t and that all that fruit flavor comes from using the Floriani corn as a flavoring grain is so cool. If you are interested in what the future of American whiskey can be, this is one you need to get your hands on.

CORN WHISKEY REVIEW COMING SOON …