The nose starts with a mesquite smoky caramel Texas hug followed by smoked meats (leaning towards pork belly) then fruits of stewed cinnamon apples, charred orange, and figs, before roasted chestnuts, incense, barbecue spice rub, and tannic oak with medium ethanol burn. The taste starts with a medium mouthfeel with mesquite smoked caramel apples, peaches coated in brown sugar then grilled to caramelize, then cornbread, pecans followed by spices of chili pepper, ginger, leather and tannic oak with medium ethanol burn that finish medium length with coffee rubbed brisket, dates, bit-o-honey, candied pecans, leather and tannic oak. This is a whiskey that you need to be in the mood for as the smoke and tannic oak can simply overpower the other flavors. It’s a woody, smoky and spicy Texas unbalanced barbecue, one that I think those that enjoy Whiskey Del Bac Dorado would probably enjoy a lot as well. The mid palate goes bitter with tannic oak and smoke that overpower the other flavors, but then the finish slowly drifts towards those coffee and dark fruit flavors that other Balcones whiskies tend to have. For me, if I’m going for a smoky Balcones, I would rather reach for the Peated that has a better balance and isn’t as tannic. I’m sure wherever the sample @jonwilkinson7309 disappeared to, is being enjoyed and huge thanks to @ctbeck11 for the replacement sample to finish off this Balcones series of mine. Balcones top three for me still stand at Peated Single Malt, Blue Corn Bourbon and True Blue Tequilla Finished, but I hear they have plenty of more experimental whiskies in the works and I look forward to trying them one day.