Balcones Baby Blue

I’m going to open up this review with some production information, for those interested, otherwise you can skip further down. A big thanks to the customer service team and distillers at Balcones for answering my questions! All of the following quotes, except for the final quote, in this review are from my email with Balcones. Balcones’ Baby Blue corn whisky (without the E as is Balcones’ preference) starts its life as home grown West Texas hopi blue corn. (In earlier years, it was a mix of West Texas blue corn and New Mexico roasted blue corn. Though, in the beginning it was only New Mexico roasted blue corn.) It is then roasted, mashed, and fermented. Quoting the distiller: “Balcones does long/acidic 7 day fermentations, open to the Waco air, to encourage fruit character and to invite the microflora of Texas to get involved and put their thumbprint on our process.” American whisk(e)ys and Bourbons put a big emphasis on yeast whereas Scotch producers put their weight behind their water source, the island distilleries often emphasizing their peat-rich water. Balcones’ proofing water comes from the limestone rich Balcones Fault Line, as shown artistically rendered in their logo. This aquifer is otherwise known as The Edwards Aquifer, a water source serving many public and private institutions as well as almost two million individuals in south central Texas. Balcones uses two different types of yeast in their whiskys. Their single malt receives dry malt whisky yeast alongside dry ale yeast. Their corn and rye whiskys only get the dry malt whisky yeast. The reason behind this they noted was that “The malt whisky yeast honors the flavor of the base grain very well, making sure we get rich grainy notes that highlight our quality roasted blue corn.” I did not ask about the distillation process. I know more about Scotch distillation and was unprepared to inquire, not wanting to force a teaching moment for an already busy distiller. However, Balcones noted that Baby Blue is always “double copper pot batch distilled.” (Try saying that three times fast!) The off the still proof varies between 65-68% ABV and is then barreled around 57-60% ABV. However, please note that this number may vary as they “customize the entry proof of each fill to the estimated impact of the oak compounds remaining in a used barrel and the character of the new make in question.” This brings us to the barrels. Baby Blue would otherwise, I believe, have been considered a Bourbon except that it is aged in used barrels, which consist of a mix of Balcones’ own (225-240 liter capacity) as well as undisclosed used KY Bourbon barrels (200 liters). Balcones’ own used barrels (heavy toast char #3) appear to be the former homes of quite the mix of various distillates: “ex-rye, ex-bourbon, ex-malt, ex-corn.” My bottle of Baby Blue was aged for “at least 12 months.” Earlier bottlings were aged for “at least 6 months,” whereas, the distiller noted, the last two years they have consistently blended and bottled Baby Blue only at 24+ months. Now on to the bottle itself! Let it sit in your glass a little and experience as this wonderful whisky opens up. First/Second Pour Nose: Initially, in the neck pour, all I got was a bit of a metalic note when I stuck my nose in the glass, an experience unique to the first dram after opening. But with some time, the little robot bloomed out of my tulip glass, giving way to banana and cream, vanilla icing, caramel, along with a doughy, oat-like character. After a few minutes, a citrus note poked its head out. From there you can toe the line, dipping into the citrus, then the oats as you please. Given a little more time, a light toffee emerges distinct from the earlier darker caramel, providing a pleasant background hum alongside fully integrated notes, in which citrus turns to spice and the doughy oat gives way to roasted, creamy corn. Though the notes are still only a handful, the presentation, performance, and quality of those few are what hold you. Third Pour Initial Nose: The previous notes hold, with the difference that the metallic note disappeared; the whisky opens on the nose with an explosion of caramel and corn, which shift like billowing curtains to occasionally flash you glimpses of a crisp red apple behind them. Palate: The palate is filled with caramel and corn. The beginning to mid-palate is strung through with a ripe peach of sorts, giving way to more caramel and roasted corn on a lengthy finish, which linger like old friends. Overall, a lovely whisky and great value for the price! Another famous corn whiskey is Mellow Corn (4 years old, bottled in bond) which is, according to Heaven Hill “at least 80 percent corn,” whereas Baby Blue is 100% (hopi blue) corn—both corn whisk(e)ys are aged in used oak barrels. Though both are considered “corn whisk(e)ys,” don’t confuse these two as they share few similarities outside their categorical marker. This is not the most complex whisky. And though not a jack of all trades in the flavor department, what it does well, it does superbly. Please note, this is not like a bourbon. You will not find your usual bourbon notes making themselves known in the absence of the rye/wheat and barley. Instead, take this as an experiment in seeing what truly wonderful things corn can get up to when left to its own devices, with some expert supervision, that is. This is unlike any other whisk(e)y I’ve had and wholeheartedly recommend it. No coloring. Non chill-filtered 46% ABV Aged at least 12 months in oak batch: BB21-2 Bottle date: 11.18.21 Sources: •Balcones Customer Service •https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/distiller-profile-balcones-distilling/#:~:text=Our%20proofing%20water%20for%20our,the%20form%20of%20plate%20tectonics. •https://www.edwardsaquifer.net/ •https://heavenhilldistillery.com/mellow-corn.php •https://www.twdb.texas.gov/groundwater/aquifer/majors/edwards-bfz.asp

CORN WHISKEY SHOWDOWN: Balcones Baby Blue vs Mellow Corn In some respects, corn whiskey is bourbon’s “purer” older brother. The mashbill for corn whiskey has to be at least 80% corn (compared to at least 51% for bourbon), and there is neither an age nor barrel requirement. Straight corn whiskey has the same mashbill requirements, and must be aged in new or used oak barrels for at least two years. Balcones Baby Blue is labeled Corn Whisky (no “e”), while Mellow Corn is labeled Straight Corn Whiskey, with the addition that it is Bottled in Bond, which means that it’s also 100 proof and aged four years. Balcones Baby Blue (3.75): color of clear turbinado sugar. Breakfast nose serves up maple syrup, Jiffy cornbread, cinnamon, buttered toast, and a whiff of bacon. On the palate, there is some initial heat, followed by brown sugar and vanilla, with lingering vanilla on the finish. Balcones is a distiller that I’m paying more attention to; I recently reviewed their Texas Pot Still bourbon and liked it. Mellow Corn (3.25): bright gold color. Nose offers subtle green banana, summer grass, light butterscotch, light oaky and ethanol. There is a light glycerin mouthfeel, with a little more heat than the Baby Blue (consistent with the higher 100 proof), some vanilla, and white pepper and vanilla on the finish. I’m 80% done with this bottle, but it’s a nice change of pace to go downmarket and experience other American whiskies. I’ll keep a bottle on hand. I’ll bet it goes well with my pecan-smoked pork butts and Brunswick stew. And I love the 1940s-era label. Balcones Baby Blue is definitely the more complex and nuanced of the two, and is available for around $35; but Mellow Corn is a higher proof, and while not too complex, drinks well and is widely available at roughly $15. While it is usually found on the bottom shelf at the liquor store, it drinks far better than most bottom-shelf whiskies. And while it’s arguably monolithic, so is Compass Box Hedonism (reviewed yesterday) for 8-10x the price. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

Since I've found that I prefer my whisky straight, without water or "resting," I've abandoned my three regimes tasting method, and simply try it straight out of the bottle. This bottle - a fifth, or as close as makes no never mind - I got at Total Wine in Albuquerque for $39.99. The mash bill is 100% roasted blue corn, and according to the labels it's AGED AT LEAST 12 MONTHS IN OAK. I understand that the short aging period is the reason it's "baby" blue. It's 92 proof, and like Balcones Pot STill Bourbon, it doesn't drink like it has such a relatively high proof - I routinely got more alcohol burn from 80 proof whiskies, before I learned to prefer a higher proof. The COLOR is golden amber. The LEGS form quickly, are widely spaced, and run down long. The NOSE on this whisky initially gives notes of caramel and a very faint oak. Given the short aging period I wouldn't expect a lot of oak in the juice. Upon putting my nose fully into the glass, I discerned a smokiness, and then roasted corn. When I TASTED the whisky I got smokiness, caramel, and a slight bitterness as of hops. It was a pleasant bitterness, as the bitterness in beer is pleasant, but I've never gotten that from a whisky before and it surprised me. On the very tip of my tongue I tasted brown sugar. The FINISH of this Baby Blue whisky is medium in length, beginning with a smoky oak taste. This is where the alcohol comes in most strongly, and the hops bitterness is more pronounced here. This is a simple whisky, but it's one of the best I've ever tasted. Balcones has a reputation for producing bold, strong-flavored whiskies, which I found to be true of the Pot Still Bourbon. This whisky, which one would normally expect to be somewhat mild, given the short aging period, is also bold and definite. For a simple whisky it's surprisingly good - but I'm coming to expect nothing but the best stuff from the Balcones distillery. I give this whisky five stars without the least hesitation or doubt.

Nose: Popcorn, butterscotch, candy floss, burnt match, black tea. Palate: Sweet for a moment in the arrival but quickly bifurcating with sweet corn-based flavours on one side (popcorn, corn syrup, butterscotch, caramel) and a hard, acidic, bitter tannic note on the other (burnt sugar, burnt wood). The texture is good but overshadowed by the harshness of the palate and there is no nuance or progression at all. Finish: Medium/long. Bitter tannin and burnt grains with a ghost of sweetness in the background. Perhaps initial trials with untoasted corn produced a whisky that was too sickly sweet, so the distillery opted for toasted corn instead, or maybe it was an attempt to introduce a smoky quality to the mash. Whatever the reason for creating this whisky in my humble opinion the experiment is only marginally successful. This is very young, loud and simplistic. If the palate had developed a mild smokiness from gently toasting the cereal it may have worked but it’s been driven way past the toasting stage and tastes outright burnt. In addition, maturing the distillate in small active casks has not helped and there is far too much oak extraction. I’ve enjoyed the other Balcones whiskies I’ve tried but this one is not at all to my taste. Other palates seem to appreciate it, and admittedly it is well made from a technical point of view with no obvious distillation flaws. If you like your whisky to have a big oak influence than fine, but my taste is more towards distillate driven expressions. Consequently I’d strongly advise trying a taste of this before laying down the money for a bottle. I bought a whole bottle when it was on special and now I’m slowly trying to use it up as a mixer, but it’s heavy going and I’m not greatly enjoying the results. “Adequate” : 74/100 (2.25 stars)

An intense, Corn Whisky by Balcones Distillery in Waco, Texas made with roasted blue corn. It has an aromatic birth with notes of Cracker Jacks, melted butter, nutmeg & raw chocolate; while a rich & spicy life adds notes of blue corn tortillas, nuts, exotic fruits, spun butter-toffee & Ancho Chipotle peppers; that led to a death at the movies with notes of Popcorn, Wesson Oil, cedarwood, leather & bell peppers. August 2020 / 2022

The alcohol hits up front but instantly gives way to a beautiful cherry and vanilla creme. The heat gives way over time, leaving a lingering velvety sweetness. The finish leaves a hint of what strikes me as pepper. Not black pepper; more like jalapeño. Several Balcones have hit me the same way, so mauve is a Texas thing, i dunno. But overall, it's just very nice!