Post Apocalypse #1: Balcones sans the Chipster

[Capn Jimbo]

The whole Tate affair proved that truth is stranger than fiction...


...wherein an egomaniacal distiller of unique - but inconsistently reviewed hobby spirit - claimed that without him, Balcones would never be the same. In a positive sense, that is actually true. To wit, check out this recently received announcement from our friend Winston...

"Waco, TX - The Whiskies of the World Awards were announced this month in Austin, TX, and Balcones has not only earned five medals, but also had three whiskies named Best in Class for their category. The distillery's newest release, Balcones Texas Blue Corn Bourbon, was awarded a Gold Medal and named Best in Class for Standard Bourbon.

True Blue 100, '1' Texas Single Malt and the limited edition 2014 Staff Selection Single Barrel all received Silver Outstanding Medals, with True Blue and Staff Selection taking Best in Class for Corn Whisky and World Malt Whisky, respectively. Balcones Brimstone brought home a Bronze Medal. "

Not bad, apparently the Balcones ship sails quite well without Captain Ahab. But to be fair - Winston, if you're reading, can you kindly comment on which of these, if any, are the work of the Picasso of the Prairie, and which represent the new and improved (and far calmer) Balcones?

We wait...

[AK9]

not sure if this 100% relevant but the following made an apperance today...

https://www.masterofmalt.com/rum/balcon ... texas-rum/

not much info there for a pricey rum..

[Capn Jimbo]

Nice find AK, thanks. Now THIS I'm interested in, but...


Winston, I know you're travelling, but fer gawdsake give us some details to the questions in the OP, and especially how this rum is made...


. . . . . . .

Apparently barrel strength, with a rather dark color for what simply can't be all that old (noted a couple of oddball "awards" circa 2013). Couldn't find it on the website, but I found a quote that I believe emanates from Balcones:

"Described as “round and full of flavour” Balcones Texas Rum is double distilled and bottled at 63.9% abv. Fruit flavours combined with viscous notes of vanilla and caramel are said to be present on the palate, designed to “excite both the rum purist and the committed whiskey drinker”.

Here's another description from a law simming resale site that claims their price of $165 is based on "the collectible container, not the contents". Bullshite (another rum, lol), very funny. However, the description is interesting, wonder where they got it...

"Balcones Rum – Special Release |63.9 % ALC/VOL – 750ML | Bottled on: 5/22/2015 | Batch: 15.1

Round and full of flavor, this rum is made from a collection of the finest molasses available. It brings out the best in the ingredients through traditional double distillation in hand-built copper pot stills. The result of the unique cooperage program, consisting of a variety of oak species and multiple toast profiles, is a bold and robust rum with rich deep fruit flavors, with viscous and warm notes of vanilla and caramel. This is a rum to excite both the rum purist and the committed whiskey drinker.

Nose: rock candy, pancake syrup, tanned leather, violets, burnt marshmallow, under ripe cantaloupe, saltwater taffy, prune, menthol, hoisin, roasted nuts

Taste: lush and coating with cacao nibs, hazelnut syrup, char, tart cherry skins, burnt toast, and caramel

Finish: medium finish with layers of raw sugar, fruit skins, candied beets, char, tawny port reduction and abundant tannins"

Balcones new distillery site is scheduled to be fully operational by January 2016."

*******
http://www.bottle-spot.com/posts/176768 ... atch--15-1

[mamajuana]

I have been trying to get a bottle of that rum for years now. It retails for 70 and seems to only be made every so often. I could only locate it for retail purchase in Texas. The antiquated Texas laws don't call for stores shipping spirits out of state so I have not been able to get a bottle. 170 dollars shipped from master of malt is a bit too much. Hopefully they get a better US distribution going on the rum. I can find all there products locally but the rum. At 70.00 it would be worth a try but at 170 there are far better bottles to order.

[Winston]

The whole Tate affair proved that truth is stranger than fiction...


...wherein an egomaniacal distiller of unique - but inconsistently reviewed hobby spirit - claimed that without him, Balcones would never be the same. In a positive sense, that is actually true. To wit, check out this recently received announcement from our friend Winston...

"Waco, TX - The Whiskies of the World Awards were announced this month in Austin, TX, and Balcones has not only earned five medals, but also had three whiskies named Best in Class for their category. The distillery's newest release, Balcones Texas Blue Corn Bourbon, was awarded a Gold Medal and named Best in Class for Standard Bourbon.

True Blue 100, '1' Texas Single Malt and the limited edition 2014 Staff Selection Single Barrel all received Silver Outstanding Medals, with True Blue and Staff Selection taking Best in Class for Corn Whisky and World Malt Whisky, respectively. Balcones Brimstone brought home a Bronze Medal. "

Not bad, apparently the Balcones ship sails quite well without Captain Ahab. But to be fair - Winston, if you're reading, can you kindly comment on which of these, if any, are the work of the Picasso of the Prairie, and which represent the new and improved (and far calmer) Balcones?

We wait...

I guess that depends on how you measure a person's input at a distillery, but I doubt anyone could agree on that.

Without getting into too many details, I can tell you a couple things. For one, all of the winning whiskies were selected and blended by Jared, Zack and (occasionally) myself. Balcones Staff Selection and Blue Corn Bourbon are new product lines based on existing spirits at the distillery (barley- and blue corn-based whiskies). Most of them were distilled while Chip was still at Balcones, however Balcones has always employed multiple distillers, so I could not tell you if he was physically running the stills when these whiskies were made. At this time we are quickly approaching a point where most of the whisky made before August 5th, 2014 has been put into a bottle. By this time next year I suspect that 99% of our barrel stocks will have been distilled after his departure from the company.

[Winston]

Ok, so about the rum. It is produced from a blend of Barbados style molasses (aka "cane honey"), a very light and sweet molasses, and some blackstrap as well. Aside from a special nutrient blend added to the fermenting wash, it is produced more or less like everything else we make. Long and cool fermentation, double copper pot distillation, aging in a variety of yard-aged oak casks. The rum accounts for less than 1% of our annual production.

To date, we have only released two batches of the rum, both hailing from the same run of distillate in the summer of 2012. The first bottling was roughly 1 year old and bottled at 117 proof. The second batch, bottled this year, was nearly 3 years old and released at a cask strength of about 63%. Both batches were very small, in the range of 80-100 (6-pack) cases I believe. As with all of our spirits, there are never any additives aside from Hill Country spring water. The second batch didn't even get that much added to it! I know the juice probably looks inexplicably dark for its age, but I guarantee you that it is 100% natural color from the cask. Most stuff we have approaching that kind of age has the same amount of color so I can definitely attribute it to the kind of casks we use, paired with the Texas climate.

[bearmark]

Ok, so about the rum. It is produced from a blend of Barbados style molasses (aka "cane honey"), a very light and sweet molasses, and some blackstrap as well. Aside from a special nutrient blend added to the fermenting wash, it is produced more or less like everything else we make. Long and cool fermentation, double copper pot distillation, aging in a variety of yard-aged oak casks. The rum accounts for less than 1% of our annual production.

To date, we have only released two batches of the rum, both hailing from the same run of distillate in the summer of 2012. The first bottling was roughly 1 year old and bottled at 117 proof. The second batch, bottled this year, was nearly 3 years old and released at a cask strength of about 63%. Both batches were very small, in the range of 80-100 (6-pack) cases I believe. As with all of our spirits, there are never any additives aside from Hill Country spring water. The second batch didn't even get that much added to it! I know the juice probably looks inexplicably dark for its age, but I guarantee you that it is 100% natural color from the cask. Most stuff we have approaching that kind of age has the same amount of color so I can definitely attribute it to the kind of casks we use, paired with the Texas climate.

Great description and thanks for the details about the 2 batches. Can you comment on the difference in aroma/taste with the 2 batches? I have 13-1 (58.5%), but I've never tasted the other batch... at least not that I remember.

[Winston]

Great description and thanks for the details about the 2 batches. Can you comment on the difference in aroma/taste with the 2 batches? I have 13-1 (58.5%), but I've never tasted the other batch... at least not that I remember.

Don't have any open 13-1 around but from what I remember it is a bit more spirity, sugary and sulphury than 15-1. Stays very true from the original ingredients. 15-1 is much richer and darker due to additional time spent in the barrel, and doesn't have as much of a raw molasses taste to it.

[Capn Jimbo]

Ok, so about the rum. It is produced from a blend of Barbados style molasses (aka "cane honey"), a very light and sweet molasses, and some blackstrap as well.

Impressive. I know what blackstrap is (final boil); but I'm intrigued about the notion of a "Barbados style molasses". Do you know what boil - first, second, etc.?

[Winston]

Impressive. I know what blackstrap is (final boil); but I'm intrigued about the notion of a "Barbados style molasses". Do you know what boil - first, second, etc.?

Pretty sure the Barbados style is a first boil. They arrest the heating just as crystals begin to form, so there's a lot of residual sugar in the liquid.

[mamajuana]

It looks like spec's sells this for 68.99 a bottle in Texas but don't ship it. Can't seem to find it anywhere else, too bad! I really want a bottle or two, well two really.

[Winston]

It looks like spec's sells this for 68.99 a bottle in Texas but don't ship it. Can't seem to find it anywhere else, too bad! I really want a bottle or two, well two really.

I doubt Spec's really has it in stock. With only 40 or so cases released to the entire state of Texas, it went really quickly.

[mamajuana]

It looks like spec's sells this for 68.99 a bottle in Texas but don't ship it. Can't seem to find it anywhere else, too bad! I really want a bottle or two, well two really.

I doubt Spec's really has it in stock. With only 40 or so cases released to the entire state of Texas, it went really quickly.

Are there other rum stocks aging at this time? Based on it going so quickly seems like there is a demand. Or maybe a white full pot still release at still strength, seems to be the rage recently.