Balcones Peated Single Malt - 2021 Release Neat // Glencairn Appearance: Ruddy brown with a hint of copper. Like a nicely stained red oak. Legs form quickly and linger. Nose: Freshly opened package of bacon bits, orange zest, apricot and blackberry jam, toasted sourdough. Great variety on the nose. It invites you into the glass and doesn’t punish with alcohol burn, allowing long, deep breaths to take it all in. Just me being a Texan, or is there a red dirt smell here too? Reminds me of turning the A/C on in my granddad’s farm truck on a hot summer day. Great memories unlocked here. Palate: Wow, very distinct transitions across flavor profiles here. Starts with the salty, smoky bacon, then pivots to a juicy slice of blood orange, followed by a nicely buttered slice of sourdough toast. This finishes with a very smooth, luxurious oak spice. Finish: Oak spice starts and simmers nicely with a nice layer of oak smoke over the top. Blonde toast and smoked candied bacon are present as well. Several minutes later, I’m tasting red hots, and a fruit candy concoction - like if you just stuck your hand in a bag of jelly beans and ate everything at once. Beautiful. Finally picked this up after several weeks of waiting, and BOY does this deliver. I especially love the complexity on the finish - I’m still tasting this one 5 - 10 minutes later and unlocking new flavors along the way. This is fantastic stuff that I am extra proud of because it comes from the Great State of Texas. We do whiskey good. 95/100 My scoring system: 59 and below: Bad. Not worth buying. 60 - 69: Decent, but with obvious flaws. Might buy, but very price dependent. 70 - 79: Pleasant to good, worth buying, but nothing spectacular that wows me. 80 - 89: Good to very good. Insta-buys that I actively seek out. Must contain some “wow” moments. 90 - 94: Greatness has been achieved. No detectable flaws, and every moment is sheer pleasure. 95 - 100: This is where I score my “best of all time” drams. Similar to lower 90s, but with something tangible/perceptible that sends it over the top.