We are distilling some fine brown water in Texas these days as well, some are American whiskies, some are Bourbons.
Among my favorites..
Balcone's Baby Blue
Balcone's Brimstone (aged in smoked mesquite barrels, very smoky flavor, though nothing like peat smoke)
Rebecca Creek
Yellow Rose blend, though the rye and straight are also quite good
Texas Giant 91 - hints of walnut and caramel without being sweet
TX
Red River
Cypress Cove
and of course, Garrison Brothers
If you like hints of vanilla, then Texas Ranger is also quite tasty, and under $30 for a 750 mL.
And though definitely not a bourbon, if you guys ever see a bottle of Laird's Applejack, it's also very good, and under $20. Laird's is THE oldest distillery in the United States, they've been around since the 1760s, and was a favorite of none other than George Washington. It takes about 100# of apples to make a single bottle. If you end up not liking the flavor, it's a very good cooking brandy as well. I know, most people see "apple" anything on a liquor bottle and assume "sweet" or "chick drink." My wife is not a NEAT whisky drinker, but she'll drink Laird's, Rebecca Creek, and Texas Giant neat. They're that smooth and tasty. I only drink neat, or maybe a few drops of water.
This stuff is most ricky-tick not sweet, with a character similar to drier Bourbons.
For Scotch, Glenmorangie 10 yo is my favorite.
