Episode 22: Balcones True Blue Cask Strength "Bourbon Street" Single Barrel Corn Whisky

The Pot Still Column: Episode 22

Balcones True Blue Cask Strength "Bourbon Street" Single Barrel Corn Whisky

Proof: 132.6

Age: 4 Years

Source: Balcones Distillery (Waco, Texas)

Price: $49.99

Okay, time to review this motor oil--- uh, I mean, whisky. Wait, whisky? Spelled that way and made in America? Why?

The answer is shut up, because Balcones has earned the right to call itself and you and me whatever it wants. Or at least, in my book it has.

I'll make no secret of it: Balcones is possibly my favorite distillery in the continental US. Why do I say the continental US? Because I am holding out hope that there is a distillery of mythical quality somewhere on the islands of Hawaii or wilderness of Alaska. Until I discover such a place, Balcones will continue to wear the crown when it comes to American distilleries. The bold, experimental profiles that Balcones puts out are not for everyone, and the fact that I like Balcones does not mean that everyone else will... but they should. We live in a world where mega-distilleries have trained consumers to worship a commercial profile, and Balcones does its absolute best not to adhere to that standard. Therefore, when Buffalo Trace junkies and the NPCs who only drink independently bottled MGP encounter the flavor bomb that is Balcones, their brain short-circuits, their skin starts to smoke, and they perish in a conflagration of generic tasting notes and regret.

Before writing this review, I was lucky enough to have a conversation with Johnson Hagood, the Blender and Stillhouse Manager at Balcones in Waco, Texas. We discussed several of Balcones' products, so I'll be sprinkling snippets from our interview throughout future Balcones reviews, but we did speak specifically about Balcones' True Blue corn whisky for a while.

Balcones is well-known for its distillation of blue corn whiskies, and True Blue is one of its several 100% corn whisky options. Unlike the Blue Corn Bourbon, True Blue is most frequently finished in second or third-fill barrels, although one could not possibly tell by the extremely dark color. Used barrels don't exist in Texas. The True Blue bottle I have in front of me is aged for four years, and bottled as a single barrel at a cask strength of 132.6 proof. The mash bill is fully comprised of a hybridized Texas blue corn, grown and roasted locally by the distillery's supplier. Johnson explained to me that Balcones' corn whiskies were originally made from a pure heirloom corn varietal grown in New Mexico. A few years ago, the distillery was informed that the supplier could no longer meet demand, and so it transitioned to using the hybrid blue corn variety. Despite worsening ingredient availability, Balcones has worked to keep its grains locally sourced, as it believes that the global grain industry doesn't reflect the distillery's ethos and intention of creating a fully Texan spirit.

The Stillhouse Manager also noted that the heirloom blue corn doesn't play well with other grains, making it difficult to incorporate the corn into the distillery's bourbon products. This being so, the corn is used almost exclusively for corn whiskies, and is added sparingly elsewhere. The fermentation period for True Blue Cask Strength is seven days, and the aging vessel is a 60-gallon, toasted, ex-bourbon, oak barrel. Balcones' barrels are made by the Independent Stave Corporation, and are almost all 53 or 60 gallons, contrary to the popular belief that Balcones uses small casks. Thanks to Balcones' frequent use of second or third-fill barrels, the oak shortage now haunting many American bourbon distilleries is not a great concern.

Okay, let's talk about the whisky. On the nose, I am immediately greeted by a surprisingly rum-like collection of scents. Dense, sweet caramels mingle with industrial funk such as disrupted earth, freshly poured concrete, and glue. This is undoubtedly a pot still product, as are all of Balcones' whiskies. The dense nuttiness and funk that appears on the nose would be a welcome set of aromas for any consumer that enjoys a high-ester Jamaican rum.

The flavor leans more heavily on the bourbon flavors of caramel and vanilla, but it complicates them by adding notes of coffee grounds and a slightly tropical fruitiness. Once again, this is a rum-lover's whisky, and much of the slightly chemical richness that I detected in the nose is present on the palate. With these flavors comes a hefty punch of ethanol--- perhaps too much for my taste ---but the alcohol is well incorporated with the flavor. I am not getting any of the detached ethanol layer that I often find in over-proof bourbons with poor alcohol-to-flavor ratios. Balanced or not, this is HOT, so I will add some water to see how it changes. A few drops bring out more of the chemical notes, revealing something vaguely rubbery. As is often the case with Balcones, water did not improve the experience, and the whisky may be best enjoyed in all of its cask strength glory.

The finish brings out more of the corn, and I very briefly picked up a roasted masa or tamales note as it began to thin out. To say that this finish thins out in any way would be a disservice to Balcones, as the distillery doesn't have a single product that fails to last for over a minute on the palate. Each whisky is unforgettable because the finish simply won't let you forget. Still, the finish on this particular single barrel of True Blue is unimpressive compared to some of the other Balcones products that I have tried, although it outshines most whiskies from outside of the distillery.

Closing Impression:

Putting my deep admiration for Balcones aside, I must admit that this single barrel of True Blue is not the best representation of the distillery's potential. While the nose is spectacularly funky, the taste is doesn't stay as true to the funkiness as I would've liked it to. The finish, while long, is not as long as I know it could have been, and the ethanol presence was slightly too much. It is tough to criticize creativity and greatness, but it is also important to admit when something could be improved. Whether it stands up to other Balcones products or not, I have deeply enjoyed this bottle, and I am especially satisfied with the uniqueness of the nose. This would be a fun bottle for rum enthusiasts and whisky drinkers looking for big, bold flavors. Considering the price of $49.99... just buy it.

Nose: 87

Taste: 86

Finish: 85

Overall: 86/100 [Great, but not groundbreaking]