Texas has emerged as a premier hub for craft distilleries, ranking among the top markets in the nation. TahWahKaro (TAH) Distillery was initially founded in 2015 in Grapevine, Texas, by founder Justin Jackson.
The name “TahWahKaro,” derived from the Caddo Indian language, was chosen to honor the native history of the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area.
It was the original Native American name for Grapevine Creek which runs just east of DFW International Airport. In 1843, this location was the site where Sam Houston and the Republic of Texas signed a peace treaty with Native tribes, ending a chapter of the Texas-Indian Wars.
The name translates to English as “bend in the river”—a fitting symbol as TahWahKaro was born out of tragic, life-changing circumstances for its founder. Indeed, TAH is about something more than just water and grain.
What makes both the company and the product special are its other ingredients not found in the Texas oak barrels—patience, hope, love, grit and a never-ending belief that Faith will deliver a brighter future as the river of life changes course.
In 2012, Tahwahkaro Distillery founder Justin Jackson and his wife were stopped in traffic on I-40 in Arkansas, returning from his mother’s funeral, when two tractor-trailers traveling at highway speed collided with their car, crushing it into an 18-wheeler ahead.
Jackson shared a close bond with his in-laws, and his late wife’s sister, Allie, supported him throughout his challenging recovery. In time, they fell in love, married, and welcomed two beautiful children.
“I feel very blessed for that—to have the general health that I do and to have recovered from that accident and now have a beautiful family,” Jackson says.
In 2024, the Jackson brought on Dallas/Highland Park partners, Lance Johnson (who’s passion for distilling is rooted in part to his background in chemical engineering), and finance professional Jay Tulmieri to help expand the brand and extend distribution.
TahWahKaro is “a Texas grain-to-glass distillery, and we are adamant that we stay that way,” says founder Justin Jackson. “We make every drop and believe the time we spend should be used to make something truly remarkable. There’s just no shortcut to making that happen.”
TahWahKaro is Texas from grain to glass. TAH sources raw corn, wheat, rye and barley all right here in Texas, and all the milling, water purification, mashing, distilling, barrel aging and bottling happens at their new distillery in Palestine, Texas where they relocated to from Grapevine during covid. The distillery is open for tours from noon to 3 p.m. every Saturday. No reservation is required.
TAH’s flagship is a four grain bourbon that’s 70% corn, 15% rye and wheat and 15% malt. It has a rich taste of roasted corn, caramel, vanilla spice, white pepper, butter toast and smoke. Cigar & Spirits has given it an exceptional 92 rating.
TAH also offers a unique Rye Malt Whiskey. “When we set out to make our Tah Texas Rye Malt Whiskey, we didn’t know quite where it would lead us, but knew we wanted to bring something special to a category we already loved. Beginning with the same rye malt we use in our bourbon, we waited as the rye aged and revealed this explosion of unexpected flavors.
The first sip is like a deep vanilla toffee mingled with pepper and spice but as it leaves, there’s this lingering taste of chocolate and buttered toast” said Justin Jackson.
TAH can be found at most DFW retailers including Total Wine, Goody Goody and many others.
Visit TahWahKaro Distillery
100 N. Church Street
Palestine, TX 75801
(903) 231-5464