Trinity Hall hosted a tasting of the collection of whiskeys from Balcones Distilling in Waco, TX. Chip Tate, master distiller, and Winston Edwards, brand ambassador, were both present. As we progressed through the entire collection, Chip gave some insight into the history and details of each one. It was thoroughly enjoyable (Mark and Ken were great company, as well as our new friend, Terry, from Cedar Hill) and each of the whiskeys was very good in its own right. The highlights of the evening were a tasting of Balcones 5th Anniversary Texas Straight Bourbon (only a single barrel produced), then (on the “down low”) a sample of Brimstone Resurrection with a complimentary Balcones-labeled Glencairn whisky glass (thanks, Chip!). The latter could quite possibly be the best whisky I’ve tasted. I’ll let you know when I get a bottle. 😉
Del Maguey Chichicapa
Mezcal, 14 Years,
47.8% ABV, $67
From the first whiff, this smells like whiskey, then you start smelling the vegetal agave. The smells are caramel, mild smoke, grass, barley, green pepper, black pepper, bamboo, cedar, turpentine, white grape and sandalwood.
The taste is very green, smoky and hot. The flavors are vegetal and spicy… green pepper, ginger, black pepper, white pepper, dry grapefruit, cedar and oak. Of course, there’s the smokey flavor as well.
This is some great stuff! Much more interesting than any tequila that I’ve tasted. I highly recommend it, even at close to $70.
Bunnahaiban Toiteach
Islay Single Malt, No Age Statement,
46% ABV, $79
Pronounced “Toch Chach”, here’s what the distiller says about the name:
Toiteach means smoky in Scots Gaelic, reflecting the seeming contradiction that this peaty paradox represents.
This is a great smelling whisky that I’ve been looking forward to tasting for a while. The smell is of sweet grass, butterscotch, malt, tobacco, smoke, candied ginger, pear, honey, dark cherry and lemon. It’s really great on the nose!
The taste is sweetly smokey, but less so than Ardbeg Ten (my reference Islay Malt to date). It’s starts out tangy, sweet and malty with notes of lemon, lots of ginger, butterscotch, toffee and straw. The pepper arrives quickly and lasts through to the finish of light wood, slight leather, mild smoke and a continuance of the toffee. A little water tones down the tartness, but not the spices. The wood becomes a bit more prominent and the smoke becomes subtle. Midway through, there’s a more pronounced arrival of toffee and vanilla with the addition of apricot and honey. I also notice a slight iodine finish that I didn’t notice before.
This is a really good whisky. There are aspects that I prefer over Ardbeg Ten (aroma, spice, fruits) and others that don’t compare as well (not enough smoke and too much wood, not to mention the iodine, which I’m not a fan of). Still, its one that I’m likely to buy and spend more time with (thanks for the sample, Mark) as there’s enough here to keep me interested and hoping for more… even at $80.
Glenmorangie Nectar D’or
Single Malt, 12 Year, 46% ABV, $50
This is Glenmorangie Original 10 Year Old that is finished for an additional 2 years in Sauternes “barriques.”
It has an aroma of straw and honey enveloped in a bit of tobacco, lemon drops and ginger. I find it to be sweet and malty and sometimes accented with a note of wood. There are also notes of cherry, toffee, grass and pear.
The taste is tangy and sweet while the finish is peppery and dry. Initially, I detect lemon, cherry, orange, honey, toffee and soft straw, then a hint of tobacco and ginger arrive next as a finish of white pepper, leathery oak, vanilla and lemon take over. The lemon fades fast from a burst of tangy heat that develops mid-palate. After a while, a bitter wood flavor develops in the background while the leather and tangy pepper linger on. There’s a lot of sweetness up front, but its thin a midst the tangy burn that develops quickly. A bit of water reveals more pepper and lemon (not what I was hoping for), along with cardboard, bitter white grape and a maltier flavor.
I’ll have to try their Original 10 Year Old again for comparison, but I think its probably better, which leads me to conclude that the Sauternes finish is not as good as sherry or port. I’ve tasted both of those (La Santa and Quinta Rubin) and both were better than this as I recall.
Willett Family Estate Single Barrel Bourbon (6 Year)
Single Barrel Bourbon
(Barrel 1307, Bottle 140/192),
6 Years, 61.3% ABV, $40
This bottle was from a barrel selected by Spec’s Wine & Spirits, Houston, TX.
Nosing reveals straw, caramel, honey, vanilla, maple syrup, lemon drops and charred wood. With a good amount of water, the smell of grass becomes more prominent along with notes of candied cherries, overripe banana and tobacco.
Flavors of lemon, green apple, ginger, honey, cherries, caramel and grass arrive early. The finish is tart and slightly leathery with a good amount of burn. Adding water reveals a bit of cardboard, graham cracker and light tobacco and transforms the finish into a long, spicy experience with plenty of burn and a remaining leathery tart mixture.
This is a decent whiskey, but not great… especially for the price. The flavor is reminiscent of Eagle Rare 10 with more fruit and spice, but not as well executed.
Corsair Triple Smoke
Single Barrel Malt, No Age Statement, 40% ABV, $50
This is Whisky Advocate’s 2013 Artisan Whisky of the Year. Here’s Corsair’s description of their unique whiskey:
We take three fractions of malted barley, each smoked by a different fuel – cherry wood, peat, and beechwood – to craft this deeply complex whiskey.
It’s a single barrel malt whiskey, not just a single malt (i.e. from a single distillery) or a small batch. This is the smallest of batches.
If you like peated malts, then the nosing is wonderful, rich and different, yet familiar. The aroma is a sweet mixture of rich, intense smoke, tobacco, hay, grass, toffee and overripe fruit, particularly peach, banana and dark cherry. I love the smell of this whiskey!
Wow! The flavors are huge! It starts with tart sweet fruit and transitions smoothly to wood and smoke without losing the sweetness, then introduces spicy ginger and white pepper that slowly fades along with the smoke. The finish is lightly woody with just a hint of smoke and a mildly lingering malt flavor. The fruit on the entry is cherry, banana and ripe peach along with sweet vanilla, honey and toffee. The vanilla and toffee carry through with the spices while the smoke dances around in the background. I’m falling short on the description of this fantastic whisky. It’s fabulous! If you can find it, then get some!
Redbreast 12 Year Old Single Potstill Irish Whisky
Single Pot Still Irish,
12 Years, 40% ABV, $45
My nose is a bit off due to allergic reactions to the Spring (this is Texas), but I’m trudging forward as best as I can. I may follow up with some additional notes. In any case, this whisky produces smells of creamy dark caramel, ginger, dark cherry, grass, ripe apple and malted dark chocolate.
I taste ginger, apple, lemon zest, vanilla, dried peach, creamy caramel and white pepper. The finish is mildly leathery with the white pepper persisting beyond everything else along with a bit of wood. This is a tasty, spicy whisky without too much sweetness or bitterness. The fruit and candy flavors work well with the overall flavor profile.
This is such a huge step up from Jameson Irish Whisky because everything seems to come together nicely in a way that livens up the experience. Jameson is thin by comparison. I’m definitely glad that I picked this one up and, of course, I’ll have another dram on St. Paddy’s Day.
Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2012
Bourbon, 12 Years, 48.5% ABV, $50
Nosing reveals butterscotch, toffee, sweet corn, orange zest, hay, cherries, peaches and tobacco. The taste is very tangy and peppery initially. There’s ginger, white pepper, orange, lemon, dry rhubarb and mild tobacco. About mid-palate, a charred, woody characteristic appears quickly followed by fruit… apricot, cherry and apple. The aftertaste is lightly woody with a leathery feel and a mild amount of pepper and bitter toffee. There’s a lot of flavor up front, but its bold and unbalanced. The finish is fairly long but uninteresting. Whatever interest is developed when the whiskey hits my mouth, is quickly diminished by disjointed flavors that just don’t work well together. I would pass on this one.
Eagle Rare 10 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon
Single Barrel Bourbon,
10 Year, 45% ABV, $22
The aroma is of fresh cut straw, honey, apple, tobacco, caramel and corn husk. As the aroma fades, the last thing I smell is dark ripe cherry. The initial taste is very different from other bourbons I’ve had. There’s a rough, earthy quality to it, yet its still delicate with a bit of sweetness. The flavors are molasses, honey, ginger, pine, candied cherry, white pepper and fig. The finish is woody and peppery with the rough flavors following through to the end… molasses, pine sap and honey. It’s leathery and spicy, but nicely in balance. This really is unique compared to other bourbons and I’m really enjoying it. Further sipping reveals a bit of tart green apple and sweet tobacco. I wish that I had tried this one much sooner. Now, I’m looking forward to a taste of the 17 Year offering in the annual Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.
Bowmore 12 Year Old
Islay Single Malt, 12 Years,
40% ABV, $39
Thanks to Mark E. again for the sample. He’s been sampling Islay Single Malts and sharing them with me. I don’t think that I ever would’ve ventured this far into the Islay region without his excitement and encouragement.
The sweetness is very forward with a mixture of smoke, peat, salt and grass in the background. The sweet aroma is caramel, butterscotch and just a hint of orange zest. After a while I start to smell fresh cut hay and a drop of maraschino cherry. The nose transforms to sweetly smoked peat to grassy smoke with more emphasis on the grass.
The taste is smoky orange, lemon, vanilla and ginger at first. The ginger and smoke linger through to the finish, where the smoke fades into a leathery charred oak with black pepper arriving midway through and lingering on with the wood. The tangy fruit fades quickly, while the vanilla is joined by a mild buttery toffee and fades slowly. The sweetness lasts quite a while and provides balance to the peppery, bitter finish. The experience is somewhat choppy as the phases are transitioned. The initial flavor is sweet, tangy and spicy, then sweet and spicy, then bitter and spicy. It’s hard to describe… not impressive, but not bad. It’s a mildly peated, fruity, spicy Islay with plenty of wood. I’m betting that an older expression would work much better.