It has to be said that these are very exciting times for the
whisky industry as a whole. In addition to the continued boom and bounty that
pours out of Scotch-land, there’s an ever thriving throng of dramming delights
popping up from all four corners of the globe. Yes indeedy, from Tobermory and Tennessee to Taiwan and Tasmania we’re living within a wide and very wonderful world of whisky.
Over the last few years we’ve also seen a surge in new craft distilleries, such as the Balcones Distillery in Texas, which alongside a small army of others in the US is producing some amazing liquid Americana libations.
In only a few short years since opening its doors in 2008
and being the first to legally distil in Texas since prohibition, Balcones
thanks to the passion and drive of its founder, president and head distiller
Chip Tate, now boasts a real dramming bounty of delights. Including a dramspanking
single malt, which exudes all the qualities you could wish for from a whisky of
this style, whilst being a triumphant testament to Texan tenacity.
The nose kicks off with a deluge of dried fruit delights, in
the form of dates, figs and sultanas, followed by a warm toffee apple, an
overly ripe banana and a handful of chocolate covered coffee beans.
A slice of toasted granary bread smeared with vanilla infused honey
make for the next set of nasal niceties, along with a bag of pink foam shrimps
from the pick and mix, a single aniseed ball and an array of winter spices led
by some rather charismatic cinnamon.
Waves of something very demerara rum-esque then add a
defining level of balance, as does an edge opulent oak and something subtly
coastal.
The palate kicks off with an eclectic and energetic charge
of charred oak, autumn berries, plum jam and yet more of those dried dates and sultanas.
But it’s not long before they’re joined by a more restraining bowl of baked
pears and apples covered in a rich dark caramel sauce.
A big buttered slice of Soreen fruit malt loaf and a wave of
vanilla infused corn syrup make for the next set of palatable pleasures, along with
a drop of orange oil and the subtlest suggestion of Turkish delight.
A reappearance of those chocolate covered coffee beans and a
rousing infusion of white pepper, cinnamon and the lingering essence from a
Fisherman’s Friend lozenge, then lead this rich, confident and full throttle dramspanking
dramming affair to a finish that’s as long and lingering as a Texan summer
sunset.
