Balcones Blue Corn Bourbon Whisky Finished in Wine Casks

The aroma is bold and rich, starting with sautéed strawberries on buttermilk flapjacks with dark maple syrup, then dark chocolate mocha and light florals, followed by caramelized peaches, cherries jubilee, and mandarin orange zest that transitions to dusty cowboy boots, hay, and polished mahogany with a medium ethanol burn. The taste has a rich, syrupy mouthfeel, starting with whipped honey butter on top of freshly baked cornbread, sautéed strawberries, and hay bales, then dark chocolate mocha, candied pecans, and light florals, followed by caramelized peaches, cherries jubilee, and mandarin orange zest that transitions to dusty cowboy boots and polished mahogany with a high ethanol burn. The finish is long with dark chocolate mocha, cherries jubilee, sautéed strawberries, cornbread topped with honey butter, pipe tobacco, worn leather, and polished mahogany. This is a big, rich, and badass bourbon that's a decadent treat. The finishing was executed perfectly, adding red berries to the already fantastic blue corn bourbon without pushing it into overly tannic bitterness, which can sometimes happen with red wine finishing. It does have a slight youthful sourness that detracts from the overall experience, but it's still an incredible bourbon that can easily compete with and beat or hold its own against many of today's overhyped and overpriced bourbons. At around $70, I think this is a fantastic price for a premium, high-proof bourbon that should be a must-buy for any Balcones fans. Thanks to a generous sample from a friend, I'll have to order myself a bottle now.

Nose: Immediate and intense red wine notes, cherry and strawberry, corn, vanilla, caramel-covered cherries, dusty books, what I imagine a grain elevator smells like, surprisingly minimal ethanol notes. Really nice. Palate: Bourbon corn, cherry cola, vanilla, caramel, sweet, spicy, barrel, earth, oak, mint, tiny hint of black tea, lots of power, big boozy bite, cherry cough syrup. Finish: Cherry, oak, ethanol, barrel spice, lots of heat, mint, black tea bitterness, long-lasting cinnamon candy, menthol cigarette. Seems to last forever. Excellent bourbon. The wine cask finish adds a ton of heady, boozy fruit to an already nice Texas bourbon profile. The proof is powerful, but this can still be sipped straight. While some more traditionally aged bourbons are more complex, this is lovely, fairly priced, and readily available (for now, at least – who knows how much was produced or remains available). Well worth trying if you can. _______________________ Come join an unofficial community on Discord (now a whole year old!): https://discord.gg/4nfePCdyKM. We chat about spirits (and other things) in real time and are a great resource for each other for recommendations, finding deals, and generally enjoying the journey together. (If the link is expired, please post a comment, and I will gladly and usually quickly provide a new one. Lately, I haven't been able to tag people who have asked for the link, so please check back when you can. Or, better yet, look for a more recent review of mine that should have the most current link.)

Drinking whiskey from styrofoam cups while dressed in casual attire in a hotel room perfectly captures a certain image. I'm currently in this situation during a business trip. Thankfully, a friend provided several samples that arrived just in time. I was concerned that security personnel might confiscate my samples at the airport, and I was prepared to consume them all at once if necessary. Fortunately, they met the size requirements. Generally, I am a great admirer of this distillery. However, for reasons I can't pinpoint, this particular expression didn't resonate with me. I detected muddled flavors and a sharp bite, as if the red wine influence was used to mask its youth. While I acknowledge I might be in the minority, this is one of the rare instances where I didn't enjoy a product from this distillery. The initial taste offers red berries and a pleasant oak sweetness, but it quickly becomes harsh. Adding water only intensified the harshness. Ultimately, not every product is a universal hit. Nevertheless, I appreciated the opportunity to try it. I'm grateful to my friend for providing samples to keep me company during my travels.

As is typical with Balcones, this is big and bold. The characteristic Balcones roasted flavor is prominent. It then presents as strawberry jam on a tortilla chip, followed by sweet and salty kettle corn cooked in cast iron over a wood fire, and buttered cornbread with a hint of dusty lumber. Adding a little water reveals more caramel, and a touch more brings out a raspberry-like fruitiness. I was initially skeptical about this expression due to my general dislike of secondary finishes on bourbon, but it proves effective here. I might even prefer this to the standard Blue Corn Bourbon, though I unfortunately didn't think to save any for comparison after finishing my last bottle recently. It doesn't quite reach the level of their peated single malts, and I still consider the special releases from Ironroot and Garrison Brothers to be slightly superior in the Texas bourbon category, but this is very good, and I'm strongly considering purchasing another bottle.

Rich, dense molasses (almost like pomegranate molasses), with strong notes of baked berry pastries, earthy corn, and aged wood. It possesses a subtle berry tartness that nicely balances the earthy, spicy elements. The finish is lengthy and rich, reminiscent of a delightful raspberry pastry. Abundant cinnamon and clove are present throughout. Truly delightful.

The aroma consists of red wine, oak, toast, apple, berries, corn, caramel, char, honey, and oranges. The palate is sweet and spicy, featuring red wine, pepper, oak, char, caramel, vanilla, and orange peel. It finishes with a spicy, peppery wine barrel flavor.