Balcones High Plains Texas Single Malt

Balcones High Plains 131 proof it brings the heat in typical Balcones fashion. In fact for a while after opening this just seemed overly hot like the Mirador. However air has helped this calm into another delicious Balcones malt. This splits the difference between the Peated, Single malt and Lineage. Its got the rich chocolate malted milk ball sweetness and thick raw honey alongside malty wood notes, baking spices, pipe tobacco and a flash of peachy fruit. Great depth and power its integrated very well, this is another home run for Balcones. If you cant find this no worries you will be just fine with the standard single malt/Peated /Lineage. This is kinda cool as the barley was grown in Texas making this State sustained single malt. I am not on the Balcones payroll but Im telling you these mofo's are bringing it.....lookout. As for High Plains yeah its real good if you let it breathe for a while...90/100

This is damn good. I’m usually a bourbon only kinda guy and have never found a Balcones I liked. I got the Spec’s store pick as a gift and it has really opened up over time. Not sure how to pick out some of these single malt notes, but nose is chocolate and sweet caramel. Palate confirms and it drinks below its proof. Pretty good juice. I use the rating scale below. Distiller uses a scale of 5 and I use a scale of 10, but I’m sure you’re not too drunk to do the math! 1. Disgusting - So bad I poured it out. 2. Poor - I wouldn't consume by choice. 3. Bad - Multiple flaws. 4. Below average - Not bad, but many things I'd rather have. 5. Good - Just average. 6. Very Good - Better than average. 7. Great - Well above average. 8. Excellent - In a league of its own. 9. Incredible - An all-time favorite. 10. Perfect

Nose: earthy in a good way. Like tobacco, caramel, vanilla, brown sugar and I get a candy hard shell like those caramel hard candies. Palate: a bit of coffee, slightly grassy which I often don’t like. It’s subtle here. A lot of Texas whiskey I find had that barn yard grassy funk in it that overwhelming. Definitely tobacco as well. This is pretty tasty Finish: lingers on the tongue and end with some sweet notes. Overall: for me it’s a 4.3/5 stars. This is stellar. As a native Texan I’m often disappointed in Texas dram. It’s often hay forward and leave this “funky” after taste. I’ve tried all the balcones and disliked them all however I was told the high plains malt is exceptionally good. It’s definitely a excellent pour.

Got my hands on a bottle of this from a friend that went to the distillery release. Big and bold as can be expected with most of the Balcones releases - some of the traditional house flavors with a bit of lighter fruit. I enjoyed this one, but prefer some of the other single barrels I have tried at Total Wine.

I tried a bottle of High Plains single barrel, so the ABV was a little over 60 and I added a few drops of water. This was definitely a Balcones, but the sherry dominated. Within the Balcones line up, I prefer their Peated Single Malt, Brimstone, and Lineage as they all have more enticing complexities.

It’s like smelling summer in the Texas Hill Country... spicy, woody, warming. It’s beautifully rich and full. Like drinking beeswax that’s been warming with baking spices in it. Some lighter notes in the background... zest. Finish is long and rich... the beeswax lingers.