Balcones Texas Single Malt Whiskey Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B

A couple of years ago, talking about American Malts as “the next big thing” in whiskey came into vogue, and it still is a popular drinks writing meme today. The odd thing about it is that, following the logic of going to where the big distillers weren’t, some important craft distillers had been heavily engaged in making American malts years before anyone started describing them as “the next big thing.” Balcones is a prime example.

Balcones was, once again, far ahead of their time with this release. As part of American Malts becoming a “big thing,” the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission was started by craft distillers who wanted to set a European-style standard for what the term “American single malt” meant. This was because Federal law has a different standard, one requiring 51% or more barley rather than the 100% content used elsewhere, among other differences.

Balcones Texas Single Malt is made entirely with Golden Promise barley, the varietal commonly grown in Scotland before it was supplanted with a cheaper, higher-yielding but less flavorful variety (a practice common in industrial agriculture generally). The new make whiskey is aged in barrels of differing sizes and types before blending and receiving a second round of maturation in a full-sized barrel. The whiskey is bottled at 106 proof (53% ABV).

The Whiskey
The Texas Single Malt has a solid amber coloring. Coating the glass leaves a thin film behind, but a sticky one that drops only a few tears.

The nose told me that it needed water from the outset, not because it was too hot (at 106 proof that would be a bad sign), but because it was too crowded and needed a little “opening up.” So, in went a few drops. That done, the scent was grassy, with overtones of molasses sweetness and butterscotch, and a note of solid oak hovering in the background and a prevailing, light brushing of pepper throughout. It is a very rich, very thick nose, even with the water added. What is more, after my pour absorbed some air, an additional note of berry fruit came out.

Compared to that quite complex, yet also quite heavy nose, the palate experience was more straightforward: a mix of toasty cereals, straw and pepper. While flavorful, it was a bit of a letdown after what the nose promised. The finish started peppery, before rolling over to the toasted cereals.

The Price
Balcones Texas Single Malt fetches about $70 in the U.S. In the UK, expect that to be £70.