dhsilv2
Balcones Peated Texas Single Malt Whisky
American Single Malt — Texas, USA
Reviewed
August 10, 2020 (edited April 23, 2021)
Nose - oddly refined and mellow. Light smoke over a gentle sweetness. I can't believe this is higher abv. When I let it sit a bit I get a nice sweet and warm caramel and peated and powerful note, but a second nosing and it's gone. This one isn't the most aromatic whisky out there if you don't let it build it, but if you do, it's rewarding.
Taste - Well forget everything on the nose. Punch you in the face balcones single malt. Cinnamon, oak, funk, texas heat, caramel, vanilla, and well peat? OK so yeah I see some peat here it's subtle and hidden for sure, but at the same time it's overt and in your face. That's kinda the magic of this pour. If you've had balcones single malt it's a BIG BOLD whisky and this is even more so and in that you can miss what is actually a hell of a peat punch because it's hidden in the oak or the oak is hidden in the peat? I can't tell. However on the finish you really do get a nice lingering peat element...and cinnamon and oak..and texas.
I'm doing it, a rare 3.0 from me. I'm digging the living hell out of this. Uniqueness is driving me higher but not for uniqueness but because I want more of this intense balcones sweetness and sugars and spice with peat.
This is pushing 150 dollar bottle quality, get one of these if you can. I might have to workout a bottle shipment myself.
Heavy water pour for science. It has been my experience that water when applied to CS can really pull out the flaws so lets see if this holds up to the higher standards.
So the water has done ZERO to the flavor. It's just honestly it's not even thinner. The flavors are slightly muted but again the same. I added like 20% water here. There's a touch of mineral coming out but I think that's from the water itself as I didn't have a bottled water ready. Really REALLY well done balcones.
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@gman4405 3 is a high score.
Why such a low score for such high praise by you??
@Ctrexman it is one i need a proper bottle review of myself
Found a bottle of this and wow... Delivers great flavor and proof intensity and I agree is impervious to watering. Want to work this bottle a bit before review as it has a lot to offer
@dhsilv2 Thanks for that explanation. It's helpful to know what the marks on the scale mean to you. Knowing that, the 3 with positive notes but not really anything wrong makes more sense.
I should add I do have a few too many 4.0's in my review history. Sometimes CS and sherry especially leads to an overrating. macallan classic cut, tamdhu CS are two that jump out as bottles I must have just been in the right mind and honestly likely had something before hand that masked to off notes in those two, as they're not 4.0s but I'd have to revisit and you know...only have one liver. I can't re review everything and review new things.
@ContemplativeFox 4's are master pieces for me. Truly exceptional whisky for 90% of the whisky drinkers. Over a 4.0 are those rare unicorns that cost insane amounts of money, and fully justify those types prices. For that you'd expect transitions on the flavor profile. Incredible finishes that don't just last but are as complex often as the flavor. Alcohol being on them should just be used when discussing how intense and wonderful the flavor it. I grade average to a 2.0 so a 3.0 is a signigifcant step up and one that could be 150 plus dollar whisky and justify it. A 4 could easily justify 400 dollar pricing by contrast and just to show how steep that curve is.
@dhsilv2 Thanks for reviewing. I didn't even know Balcones had a peated malt. Bases on your notes, I would have guessed you were going to give it closer to a 4. What is it that brought it down to a 3? Was it something like lack of complexity or cohesion?