Balcones Distillery, Waco Texas​

Single Barrel Select 

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Barrel: 28209

Distillery: Balcones Distillery

Mashbill: 100% Texan Grown Heirloom Blue Corn

Finish: Used KY bourbon cask, followed by ex tequila cask 79 months  

Bottled at: 60.7% abv cask strength 

Barrel Yield: 54 / 750ml bottles

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Selected by Whiskey Hunt Australia 

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A brand many of you may already be familiar with in Australia, Balcones has been racking up the awards since 2014 when they were named U.S. Craft Whiskey Distiller of the Year, and was a recent feature as the whisky of the month, with The Whisky Club.  The Balcones single barrel program really showcases the unique products they offer and the nuances that come from the Texas climate and local ingredients.

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Generally, whiskies are aged for many years or even decades.  However, the unique climate of Texas changes that paradigm completely.  Everyone knows it's hot in Texas, but that's only half the story.  Rapid temperature swings are a part of the region's weather characteristics, and these quick shifts force barrels to "breath" at a much faster rate than in traditional whiskey-making regions.  This not only causes oak flavours to mingle with the liquid inside but also accelerates the complex processes that transform raw spirit into a fully-matured product.  Its one of several ways Balcones embraces a unique terroir.

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This private release is a single grain mashbill made from 100% Texan Grown Heirloom Blue Corn – 4 times more expensive than yellow dent corn typically used in US Whiskey production but gives the whiskey a much richer, deeper flavour with a wonderfully oily mouth feel.  Aged for 2 years in a KY Bourbon Barrel then finished in a Tequila Cask in the 3rd level of the 1950’s constructed distillery building in Downtown Waco (Separate to their 3 x Rick Houses affectionately known as the “Aviation Warehouse”).  This cask was on the 3rd rack and directly under a pane glass window, where it had direct sunlight hitting it for 6 years!  That additional aging and rickhouse location means some very thirsty angels left us with only 54 bottles of this incredible whiskey!  

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A huge thank you to Dean and his team at Iconic Beverages for securing this rare single barrel select for us! 

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Learn more about Balcones Distillery