Balcones

Founded in Waco, Texas in 2008 by Chip Tate, Balcones has an excellent reputation and a troubled history. Chip set up the distillery in an old welding shop and named it after a fault line that runs through part of the state. Instead of buying in stills, he built his own - even making his own barrels. Idiosyncratic in every way, Balcones launched into an American whiskey market that was just about to explode. With a great liquid and a memorable character at the helm, things could not have started better. Although Garrison Brothers started production before them, Balcones was able to release the first legal Texan whiskey since Prohibition with the launch of Baby Blue, and it can be considered one of the earliest of the current wave of 'craft' American whiskey producers.

But in 2013 things started to go wrong. A major investment from Gregory Allen resulted in changes to the board, and while the first few months were better than ever as growth could take place, the relationship at the top started to go awry, resulting in Tate being sued by the others on the board, and countersuing himself. Eventually Tate left the following, under the proviso he could not make whiskey for 2 years. Tate would eventually go on to set up Tate & Co Distilling.

Despite the palaver in the background, Balcones continues to impress with an excellent range of spirits that feel Texan in every way, with current Head Distiller Jared Himstedt steadying the ship and maintaining quality

This 100 Proof (as in 100 US Proof, or 50% ABV) has a mashbill of 100% rye, with Elbon Rye from Northwest Texas supported by crystal, chocolate and roasted ryes to add complexity. It's matured for 18 months in new charred oak casks. The chocolate rye is prevalent - it's definitely the most chocolatey rye whiskey I've tasted, with sweeter hints springing forward. It's immensely drinkable, as the spicy side that rye whiskey can offer isn't so full on here.