Balcones Rumble

The Bottle: Fairly run-of-the-mill, especially for Balcones who does some really nice labels on their whiskies. There's some nice information on it with respect to what it's made from and the batch/date information that this specific bottle came from. This bottle, for example, was part of batch R13-3, bottled on 10/9/13 by the head distiller, Chip Tate. In the Glass: Apple Juice gold. On the Nose: This is where you really get a good sense of what this stuff is made from. The honey and turbinado sugar jump straight to the forefront. There's a layer of dried fruit underpinning it, which I'm assuming comes from the figs. It really smells like just those three things, and I don't say that to be disparaging. It's actually quite an accomplishment to have the ingredients come through on the nose in such a tangible fashion. Taste: Mead, this is Rum. Rum, this is mead... This stuff tastes like the offspring that these two spirits would give you. It comes in both sweet and astringent (chalk this one up to the 47% ABV). The finish is nowhere near as sweet as you might expect and it ends with a pleasant bitter note that balances out the nose and the arrival. The actual flavor here lives completely in the development. This is where you get the honey and rum-like notes. This isn't terribly complex, but I don't think that's what the distiller was going for. This is more of an homage to what's possible when you put local Texas ingredients together using a craft process. It's always fun to see what a talented team can come up with when their trying to have some fun outside of their wheelhouse, and this doesn't disappoint.

Bought two bottles for New Years. One to keep and one to save for backstock. The nose rambunctious and full of candied fruits, flowers and honey with a fair anout of cinnamon and pepper to balance. On the pallet is initially quite sweet with the floral honey notes presenting early and carrying into the mid pallet, at this point I got a slightly sour taste less than ripe black berries that lasted for only milliseconds and then the anise, cinnamon, and truck load of pepper come in. Finish is smooth and balanced with none of the flavors leaving before the others have had their say. To sum it up in one word....it was a rumble. I recommend it neat, with a little water to get closer to those floral notes or for a spicy and sultry old fashioned!

The nose remindeed me of anejo tequila.. With a few drops of water it brightens the nose up into a sweeter honey. The taste is like a sweet tequila mixed with whiskey. With that said, it is very delicate and find the longer you let it breath the sweeter it becomes. After about 15 min I began to taste liquored bannanas. Interesting as I did not expect these flavors after trying Brimstone. This is very different than the other lines. Not bad....just different. I guess that's true with all of the Balcones whiskeys.

Delicate and floral. The nose is somewhere between a rum and a tequila. Buttery, salty, honey. Not a terrible drink, but it took ages for my bottle to start opening up. It was fusty, and just not quite pleasant at first. After letting the bottle sit, it's drinkable now. There's enough complexity to keep it interesting, though it does run a bit sweet for my liking. If nothing else, it makes an excellent Rickey, or a sour (with lime).

This is somewhere between a rum and whiskey. Herbal and sweet. That’s the best way I can describe it. There’s honey and orange zest on the nose. Almost reminds me of a sweet blended scotch. The taste evokes is full of herbs, tannins, tobacco, and more honey. It’s interesting and enjoyable to say the least. I’m intrigued enough to try the cask strength version next!

Tried it last night and really enjoyed it. Peppery and sweet, it seemed like a great halfway point between Makers and TX Whiskey. Someone else described it as the love child of Makers and a good aged rum. However you describe it, Balcones has done a solid job with this bottle.