Balcones Texas Blue Corn Bourbon

Nose - butterscotch, vanilla bean, dusty corn, funnel cake, caramel corn, honey, milk chocolate, baked apple, cherry, rich oak, orange zest, black pepper, sweet dough, nutmeg, cinnamon, leather, tobacco, floral note, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - caramel corn, butterscotch, vanilla, cherry, powdered sugar, apple, rich oak, chili pepper, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, dark chocolate, coffee, leather, tobacco, lemon, moderate to high alcohol bite, finishing long with rich caramel, coffee, baking spice, and citrus zest flavors. Oh yes. I knew I was going to like this, and I do. Balcones does corn whiskey right, and this is no exception. It’s rich, deeply sweet, and powerful. And pours with an extremely dark, beautiful mahogany color. The nose has everything you want in corn whiskey. Caramel, vanilla, sweet fruits, and confectioneries, underpinned with rich chocolate, marked baking spices, leather, and strong oak. The palate is rather similar. Oily, rich, and brash. Did I mention it was rich? Texas whiskey just hits different. No surprises here. This is right in my wheelhouse. I was very close to giving this a rare 4.5, but it’s just slightly hotter and brighter than it probably should be. A bit more time in the barrel would likely have elevated this. But honestly, I kinda like that it’s so hot. It slaps you around, and sometimes that’s what you need after a long day. And what’s better? This is $55 a bottle! And what’s even better than that? It seems that the new batch just dropped. I snagged one online at a Total Wine near me. If you like bold Texas whiskey, buy one. I doubt you’ll be disappointed at that price. A huge thank you to @jonwilkinson7309 for introducing me to this one. It’s a gem.

I’ve somehow found myself in a Balcones kick right now, they seem to be one of the few distilleries that make really solid whiskey and sell them at very reasonable prices. Whereas other distilleries are pushing out too young or sourced NDP spirits for hundreds or thousands, Balcones just keeps pushing out incredible products for under $100. Granted not all of them work for me, but there are plenty of different palates out there than mine and there seems to be something for every enthusiast or everyday drinker to enjoy from them. Continuing on my Balcones tour, I have a sample this blue corn bourbon at 128 proof thanks to @jonwilkinson7309 to try. The nose starts with freshly made buttermilk blueberry flapjacks coated in grade a very dark maple syrup followed by wild flowers, then comes old leather saddles, hay and sun soaked old barn with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a thick oily mouthfeel starting with freshly baked cornbread drenched in honey before fruits of orange peel, cherries jubilee, and apple pie filling with candied pecans that slowly transitions to spices of cayenne pepper, pipe tobacco, leather and old musty oak with high ethanol burn that finishes long with espresso, dark chocolate, dehydrated figs, dates, candied pecans, cornbread covered in whipped honey butter, worn down cowboy boots and pipe tobacco that lingers for minutes. This is a fantastic whiskey that has those big, bold flavors that Balcones tends to bring, but still manages a balanced flow without any flavor overpowering the others. In a side by side comparison with Garrison Brothers Cowboy bourbon, it was surprisingly close but the Cowboy had more balance whereas this is a bit more tannic and bigger ethanol burn even though this is a lower proof. So even though the Cowboy managed to edge it out, if you factor in price, this is under $100 for a bourbon that comes really close to a $200+ whiskey. If a big, bold, cask strength whiskey works for you and you happen to be lucky enough to find this in a store, grab one and get ready for a big Texas bourbon treat.

Fantastic flavor

Rich, pipe tobacco pipe tobacco wakes up with water. Smoked prunes

Ahh yes, continuing my love affair with Balcones... I’ve reviewed so many Balcones products and they share so many similarities that it feels slightly redundant but let’s just say that all the big, rich Balcones flavors and aromas are present in spades on this one: molasses, mesquite, buttered corn-on-the-cob, beef jerky, smoke, bbq sauce, teriyaki, creme brûlée, and charcoal. Mouthfeel is THICK and the finish lasts forever. Maybe it’s just a Tex-Mex fantasy, but I’d almost swear there was a hint of jalapeño in this one. This is one of the best Balcones products and features all their signature notes turned up to 11. With these whiskeys I have found that the higher the proof the better, as any attempt at watering down or subtlety just falls flat. Trust me, you want it in all it’s undiluted intense in-your-face glory and this one delivers that hardcore. Paid $63 and would rebuy. That said, as a public service announcement I would say that in my opinion one Balcones product is probably enough in your cabinet at any one time. But when this is gone I will definitely go out and buy something else from this distillery; either this, Brimstone, or their Single Malt.