I have never had a Balcones product before, not being sold in my area. After seeing several very positive reviews on this site I was able to locate an out of state source that would ship to me. You folks steered me well. This is a delicious single malt. In the bottle it is nearly as dark as a cola, but pours a lovely dark amber in the nosing glass. NOSE: vanilla, cooked peaches and nuts compote, a bit of spice and underlying sweetness. PALATE: Very soft on the tongue, sweetness (not too much) is immediate followed by a full, rich malt taste that displays old leather, honey, nuts, vanilla, cooked peaches, and a little spice. This compares to an older, non-peated Highland malt; as Ctrexman stated in his review a few months back. (Personally it reminds me in general flavor notes of a non-sherry Macallan 12 yo or a Royal Brackla 12 yo. Nothing like the lighter, fruitier styles of an Glenmorangie, Glenlivet, or Glen Grant.) The Texas heat has aged this youthful malt beyond it's years. It is bottled at 47% ABV, but mouths like a 40%. The finish continues with these flavors and is medium-long. This is not a heavy peat Scotch, a complicated multi-layered Springbank, nor a fruity/floral Speysider. It is simply a straight forward well-crafted American single malt that is simply delicious.