The nose is thick and rich that starts with a blonde roast caramel macchiato followed by grade a dark maple syrup covered flapjacks then fruits of stewed plums, fresh dates, sautéed cinnamon apples, and black cherries that transitions to red hot candy, ginger, nutmeg, worn cowboy boots and cherry wood burning in a fireplace with high ethanol burn. The taste is a viscous oily maple syrup texture that starts with a high oak spice that fades to blonde roast caramel macchiato followed by flapjacks cooked in brown butter then fruits of prunes, cinnamon apple pie, and charred orange peel that transitions a high drying spice that slowly fades to chocolate covered candied pecans, ginger, nutmeg, worn cowboy boots and ashy tannic oak with high ethanol burn. The finish is long with ashy tannic oak, espresso, chocolate covered marshmallow, apple chips, black cherries and candied pecans. Balcones certainly knows how to make a big bold flavorful whiskey that starts with an amazing nose filled with coffee, citrus, bready notes and barrel spices that carries over to the taste but veers towards a high drying spice mid-palate that then reveals some nutty chocolate notes along with ashy bitter oak that finishes with a characteristic Balcones of citrus, espresso, berries, toasted marshmallow but an overabundance of tannic ashy oak remains throwing off the balance. In a side by side with the Barrell 15 year (2021) edition, this held its own which is very impressive to keep up with a $220 whiskey but if tannic oak can easily overpower your palate like me, you might want to look elsewhere. A huge thanks to @ctbeck11 for the generous sample for me to taste.