BALCONES DISTILLING--TEXAS' LITTLE CRAFT WHISKY SECRET
In downtown Waco Texas, in a building that was once known as the Texas Fireproof Storage Co., now sits Balcones Whiskey Distillery. This craft distiller really put thought into every part of its process. Whether growing its own barley so they could be the first Texas distillery to use Texas-grown malted barley, working with New Mexico farmers to make sure they are getting top quality Blue Corn, or going all the way to Scotland to get their pot stills from Forsyths who have made stills for brands like Woodford Reserve, Appleton Rum and Suntory.
Balcones distillery even works with multiple species of oak, and uses different toast levels on its barrels to help deal with the intense heat in Texas that causes some distilleries to lose up to 30% of the whiskey that goes into their barrels.
I, for one, love when you can taste the effort that people put into their products. One of the advantages of working with a lot of craft distilleries is being able to taste that work and see what really does differentiate those smaller distilleries from the big ones. And with the line of whiskies we have from Balcones, I believe you’ll be able to taste the difference too.
Balcones Texas Pot Still Straight Bourbon
Distilled in a pot still, this Bourbon's mouthfeel is what makes it stand out. Rich notes of cocoa and caramel coat the palate up front. Floral rye and spice from the oak balance out the richness very well. On the finish, a wonderful combination of tobacco leaf, red apples and dark chocolate give you a savory, fresh and rich profile that lingers.
$31.99 per 750ml bottle, $3.99 per 50ml bottle
Balcones Lineage Texas Single Malt Whisky
Called "Lineage" because Balcones pays homage to the old school with nods to the new school. A combination of Scottish and Texas-grown barley, and aged in refilled and new oak barrels, both schools are brought together. Soft and floral would be my quick pitch on this whisky. A subtle smokiness wraps the palate a little bit, so while it is always around, it is never overtaking. Shortbread cookie and toasted vanilla up front give it a nice roundness and a little sweetness. Malted chocolate on the finish adds to the shortbread and vanilla to balance out the smokiness that is always present.
$39.99 per 750ml bottle
Distilled in a pot still, this is a combination of Elbon rye, Crystal, Chocolate and Roasted rye. The four rye varieties together create a flavor profile that taste like molé in the bottle! Bold dark chocolate, cinnamon and pepper up front give this whiskey robust characteristics. Floral rye adds a lightness before more dark chocolate and malted chocolate coats the palate. This really does taste like a molé dish, just rich and spicy, floral and robust. One of the most unique rye whiskies I have experienced.
$39.99 per 750ml bottle
Balcones Texas Single Malt Whisky
This starts with a great coating mouthfeel Single Malt Whisk(e)y fans are familiar with. Rich notes of dark chocolate and bold roasted coffee hit marks more familiar to American whiskey fans. Decadent malted chocolate on the finish rounds out the robust dark chocolate and coffee notes.
$71.99 per 750ml bottle