I like Balcones. I like Shiner Bock. I drink plenty of both... With that out of the way, I was very excited by this collaboration. Balcones took the Shiner mashbill (minus the hops), fermented it with Shiner’s proprietary yeast, distilled it, and aged it in new oak for at least 2 years. It’s a straight malt whiskey. Aside from the roasted barley malt, I don’t know what else is in the mashbill. On the nose, there’s a deep, earthiness to this whiskey. It’s smells similar to their single malt Mirador with some extra heartiness like their Pot Still Bourbon. You definitely get that roasted barely note on the nose. I get some dark dried fruits like raisins and a bit of spice. Reminds me of toasted raisin bread. I love it. The taste has all-spice, some maple syrup sweetness, and more of that roasted barley. There’s some barrel char on the finish along with some heat. 30 minutes later... ok I’m still getting some maple syrup on the taste. How interesting... Overall: Although it’s the Shiner Bock mashbill, you can definitely tell that it’s a Balcones product. Give it a shot and grab yourself a bottle soon before it’s all gone.... Cheers!