Balcones – Texas Rye 100 Proof (50%)

Balcones Texas Rye 100 Proof is a rye whisky bottled at 50% ABV and made entirely on site in Waco, Texas. The mashbill is 100% rye, built on 91% Elbon rye grown in Northwest Texas, together with cara, chocolate and roasted rye. Distillation is in some of the tallest Forsyth copper pot stills in the world, and each recipe has a seven-day fermentation. The wide swings in Texas temperature between hot summers and cooler winters shape how the spirit works with the oak. The tasting notes describe warm sun tea, candied fennel and spruce tips on the nose, followed by mint chip ice cream and raspberry glaze. The palate moves from graham cracker crust, espresso bean and cardamom to carrot frond, cedar and apricot preserves, ending on Nutella and blackberry jam on rye toast.