Balcones Blue Corn Bourbon Whisky Finished in Wine Casks

N: Red wine notes are immediate and intense, cherry and strawberry, corn, vanilla, caramel covered cherries, dusty books, what I imagine a grain elevator smells like, surprisingly minimal ethanol notes. Really nice. P: Bourbon corn, cherry cola, vanilla, caramel, sweet, spicy, barrel, earth, oak, mint, tiny hit of black tea, lots of power, big boozy bite, cherry cough syrup. F: Cherry, oak, ethanol, barrel spice, lots of heat, mint, black tea bitterness, long lasting cinnamon candy, menthol cigarette. Lasts seemingly forever. Excellent bourbon. The wine cask finish adds tons of heady, boozy fruit to an already nice Texas bourbon profile. The proof is powerful, but this can still be sipped straight. While some of the more traditionally aged bourbons are more complex, this is lovely, fairly priced, and readily available (for now anyway - who knows how much was made or remains available). Well worth getting a taste if you can. _______________________ Please come join an unofficial Distiller community on Discord (now one whole year old!): https://discord.gg/4nfePCdyKM. We chat spirits (and other things) in real time while being a great resource to each other for recommendations, finding deals, and generally enjoying the journey together. (If the link is expired, please post a comment and I will gladly and usually quickly provide a new one. Lately, I have not been able to tag people who have asked for the link, so please check back when you can. Or, better still, look for a more recent review of mine which should have the most current link.)

Very nice, good finish on this one

Nothing says “I’m a redneck” more than having whiskey from styrofoam cups, sitting in a wife beater T-shirt and gym shorts. That is what I’m resorting to while on a business trip this week., sitting in my hotel room. Fortunately, @soonershrink hooked me up with several samples that came just in time for me to bring over here. I was actually afraid the nazis at EWR TSA security would confiscate all 5 of my samples …and I was ready to pound them down all at once , should it come to that. But fortunately, it met the less than 3 ounce each requirement. So, I’m generally a huge fan of Balcones. But for some reason, this one just didn’t work for me. I got muddled flavors and a harsh bite, as if the red wine was used to cover up the youth. I know I’m the outlier, but this one was one of the few times I didn’t like Balcones. The start of the palette shines with red berries and a sweet oak flavor. But it suddenly turns harsh. I added some water, but I found it got even harsher. Anyway, not every product can be a home run for all. Regardless, was thankful to try it. Thanks @soonershrink for providing a few samples to keep me company here during business travels

As is typical with Balcones, big and bold. The roasty toasty Balcones note is front and center. Then strawberry jam on a tortilla chip. Sweet and salty kettle corn cooked in cast iron over a wood fire. Buttered cornbread. Dusty lumber. A little water brings out more caramel. A little more water and the fruit comes across more like raspberry. I was skeptical about this one, because I don't generally care for secondary finishes on bourbon, but it works really well here. I might like this more than the regular Blue Corn Bourbon, but unfortunately I didn't think to keep any to compare when I finished my last bottle a couple weeks ago. I don't think it rises quite to the level of their peated single malts, and I think the special releases from Ironroot and Garrison Brothers are still a bit ahead of them in regards to Texas bourbon, but this is very good and I'm strongly considering ordering another bottle.

The nose is bold and rich starting with sautéed strawberries on buttermilk flapjacks with grade A dark maple syrup then dark chocolate mocha and light florals followed by caramelized peaches, cherries jubilee and mandarin orange zest that transitions to dusty cowboy boots, hay and polished mahogany with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a rich syrupy mouthfeel starting with whipped honey butter on top of freshly baked cornbread, sautéed strawberries and hay bales then dark chocolate mocha, candied pecans and light florals followed by caramelized peaches, cherries jubilee and mandarin orange zest that transitions to dusty cowboy boots and polished mahogany with high ethanol burn. The finish is long with dark chocolate mocha, cherries jubilee, sautéed strawberries, cornbread topped with honey butter, pipe tobacco, worn leather and polished mahogany. This is a big, rich and bad ass bourbon that is a decadent treat and the finishing was done just right which added red berries to the already fantastic blue corn bourbon without pushing it into an overly tannic bitterness that sometimes occurs with red wine finishing. It does have a slight youthful sourness that detracts from the overall experience but it is still an incredible bourbon that can easily go toe to toe with many of the overhyped and overpriced bourbons of today and beat or hold its own against them. At a price of around $70, I think this is a fantastic price for a premium high proof bourbon that should be a must buy for any Balcones fans. Thanks @skillerified for the generous sample and I’ll have to go order myself a bottle now.

Rich thick molasses (almost pomegranate molasses), with heavy notes of baked berry pastries, dusty corn, and musty wood. It has a slight berry tartness which nicely complements the earthy, spicy notes. The finish is long and rich, like a delicious raspberry danish. Good amounts of cinnamon and clove throughout. Really delicious.