Tastes

I’m going to open up this review with some production information, for those interested, otherwise you can skip further down. A big thanks to the customer service team and distillers at Balcones for answering my questions! All of the following quotes, except for the final quote, in this review are from my email with Balcones. Balcones’ Baby Blue corn whisky (without the E as is Balcones’ preference) starts its life as home grown West Texas hopi blue corn. (In earlier years, it was a mix of West Texas blue corn and New Mexico roasted blue corn. Though, in the beginning it was only New Mexico roasted blue corn.) It is then roasted, mashed, and fermented. Quoting the distiller: “Balcones does long/acidic 7 day fermentations, open to the Waco air, to encourage fruit character and to invite the microflora of Texas to get involved and put their thumbprint on our process.” American whisk(e)ys and Bourbons put a big emphasis on yeast whereas Scotch producers put their weight behind their water source, the island distilleries often emphasizing their peat-rich water. Balcones’ proofing water comes from the limestone rich Balcones Fault Line, as shown artistically rendered in their logo. This aquifer is otherwise known as The Edwards Aquifer, a water source serving many public and private institutions as well as almost two million individuals in south central Texas. Balcones uses two different types of yeast in their whiskys. Their single malt receives dry malt whisky yeast alongside dry ale yeast. Their corn and rye whiskys only get the dry malt whisky yeast. The reason behind this they noted was that “The malt whisky yeast honors the flavor of the base grain very well, making sure we get rich grainy notes that highlight our quality roasted blue corn.” I did not ask about the distillation process. I know more about Scotch distillation and was unprepared to inquire, not wanting to force a teaching moment for an already busy distiller. However, Balcones noted that Baby Blue is always “double copper pot batch distilled.” (Try saying that three times fast!) The off the still proof varies between 65-68% ABV and is then barreled around 57-60% ABV. However, please note that this number may vary as they “customize the entry proof of each fill to the estimated impact of the oak compounds remaining in a used barrel and the character of the new make in question.” This brings us to the barrels. Baby Blue would otherwise, I believe, have been considered a Bourbon except that it is aged in used barrels, which consist of a mix of Balcones’ own (225-240 liter capacity) as well as undisclosed used KY Bourbon barrels (200 liters). Balcones’ own used barrels (heavy toast char #3) appear to be the former homes of quite the mix of various distillates: “ex-rye, ex-bourbon, ex-malt, ex-corn.” My bottle of Baby Blue was aged for “at least 12 months.” Earlier bottlings were aged for “at least 6 months,” whereas, the distiller noted, the last two years they have consistently blended and bottled Baby Blue only at 24+ months. Now on to the bottle itself! Let it sit in your glass a little and experience as this wonderful whisky opens up. First/Second Pour Nose: Initially, in the neck pour, all I got was a bit of a metalic note when I stuck my nose in the glass, an experience unique to the first dram after opening. But with some time, the little robot bloomed out of my tulip glass, giving way to banana and cream, vanilla icing, caramel, along with a doughy, oat-like character. After a few minutes, a citrus note poked its head out. From there you can toe the line, dipping into the citrus, then the oats as you please. Given a little more time, a light toffee emerges distinct from the earlier darker caramel, providing a pleasant background hum alongside fully integrated notes, in which citrus turns to spice and the doughy oat gives way to roasted, creamy corn. Though the notes are still only a handful, the presentation, performance, and quality of those few are what hold you. Third Pour Initial Nose: The previous notes hold, with the difference that the metallic note disappeared; the whisky opens on the nose with an explosion of caramel and corn, which shift like billowing curtains to occasionally flash you glimpses of a crisp red apple behind them. Palate: The palate is filled with caramel and corn. The beginning to mid-palate is strung through with a ripe peach of sorts, giving way to more caramel and roasted corn on a lengthy finish, which linger like old friends. Overall, a lovely whisky and great value for the price! Another famous corn whiskey is Mellow Corn (4 years old, bottled in bond) which is, according to Heaven Hill “at least 80 percent corn,” whereas Baby Blue is 100% (hopi blue) corn—both corn whisk(e)ys are aged in used oak barrels. Though both are considered “corn whisk(e)ys,” don’t confuse these two as they share few similarities outside their categorical marker. This is not the most complex whisky. And though not a jack of all trades in the flavor department, what it does well, it does superbly. Please note, this is not like a bourbon. You will not find your usual bourbon notes making themselves known in the absence of the rye/wheat and barley. Instead, take this as an experiment in seeing what truly wonderful things corn can get up to when left to its own devices, with some expert supervision, that is. This is unlike any other whisk(e)y I’ve had and wholeheartedly recommend it. No coloring. Non chill-filtered 46% ABV Aged at least 12 months in oak batch: BB21-2 Bottle date: 11.18.21 Sources: •Balcones Customer Service •https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/distiller-profile-balcones-distilling/#:~:text=Our%20proofing%20water%20for%20our,the%20form%20of%20plate%20tectonics. •https://www.edwardsaquifer.net/ •https://heavenhilldistillery.com/mellow-corn.php •https://www.twdb.texas.gov/groundwater/aquifer/majors/edwards-bfz.asp