Founded in 2008, with operations commencing in 2009, Balcones Distilling claims the mantle of first Texas whiskey on the market since prohibition. Located in Waco, TX, their operation began with the refurbishing of an old industrial space. (Side note, something about this type of arrangement “feels” right for whiskey production.) They’ve since expanded within Waco, re-purposing another old storage building and Balcones is now easily found nationally. Today, we look at their rye with the Balcones Texas Rye review. (Whiskey Rising also reviewed Balcones Baby Blue Corn Whisky, Texas Bourbon and Texas Single Malt.)

Balcones Texas Rye consists of 100% rye. Elbon rye from Northwest Texas forms the majority of the rye while also including crystal, chocolate and roasted rye. My bottle, batch RYE10020-1 dated January 29, 2020, states an aging period of at least 18 months in oak. This rye rings in at a healthy 100 proof (50% ABV). Certainly a thoughtful combination of rye here, so let’s see whether or not it all comes together.

Bottle and Appearance

In the bottle, this rye boasts a dark mahogany profile – much darker than the standard copper for most rye whiskies. In the glass it retains its color and demonstrates a light viscosity with widely spaced yet fast legs. The label, a grass green, seems to provide concealment rather than exposure. As a result, it doesn’t stand out on the shelf. Nevertheless, it provides a fair amount of valuable information regarding the juice inside.

Nose

This rye enters the nose with a pungent effect. Initially, strong notes of strawberry jump out with rhubarb quickly joining to form a notable tartness. Milk chocolate wafts in next and provides a level of softness. Hints of dark cherry also appear underneath. At the end, lactose sugar manifests and infuses a milk quality into the profile. The experience creates a sort of surface level decadence that is not particularly deep or complex. Though a bit of mystery would be nice, it’s nonetheless pleasant and enjoyable.

Palate

Lifting Texas Rye to the mouth produces an astringent entrance. Hazelnut coffee leads off upfront, and really sets the roasted emphasis that largely defines Texas Rye. Albeit a bit out of place, shiitake mushroom makes an appearance next but quickly fades away. Chocolate forms again and continues from the nose, with faint hints of peanut butter looming in the background. Toward the end, oat bran enters to allow for a bit of grounding. The palate delivers suitably overall, though it notably hits some rye notes in a profound way while leaving others inexplicably absent. Nothing wrong with that, but certainly interesting.

Finish

Moving into the finish many of the hitherto notes continue their prominence. The coffee comes through first, but this time it’s more grinds than drink in terms of taste and effect. Chocolate also resounds on the finish in both forms, milk and dark – mildly sweet yet touches of bitterness. Spice finally makes a meek appearance in what may described as approaching rye but not quite hitting it. On the way out, this rye hyper focuses on its predominant themes and lingers just enough to allow for a nicely timed farewell.

Drinkability

Drink Balcones Texas Rye on the rocks or with a splash of water. The water brings an otherwise distant and practically absent spice into the mix. It also tempers the chocolate, which dominates all phases of the drink. Feel free to drink this rye after dinner in the warm glow of a setting sun preferably near a crackling fire. Given its qualities, it’s as much digestif as it is whiskey.

Food Pairing

Chocolate Mousse. Rather than complement each other, the mousse and Texas Rye feel like the same thing in different form. They either go together as an extension of one another or could adequately serve as a substitute.

Facial Hair Rating

Balcones Texas Rye receives the Walrus Facial Hair Rating. The Walrus mustache fits an older, nice gentleman who likes to laugh and spend time with grandchildren. It also reveals a tough inner core. One may ask – was granddaddy a badass, an original Rough Rider so to speak? We may never know…

Overall

To conclude Balcones Texas Rye review – more of a derivative than a standard. This whiskey hits intensely on several standard rye notes, such as chocolate and coffee, to the point of exclusivity. In the process, it seems to forget about other standard rye qualities such as rye itself and its accompanying spice. The resulting drink feels as much like a liqueur as it does an aged whiskey. Not all rye whiskies need to do the same thing nor do they need to neatly fit in a box. However, most all of them do share a standard set of baseline flavors that they build off of. Having said that and maintaining that a broadening of the profile would do more good than harm, Balcones Texas Rye brings a unique, enjoyable rye to the table that allows the drinker to gain a keen appreciation of certain rye aspects.

Final Grade: B-

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