We are happy to announce that new editions of some of our most sought-after whiskies and spirits will be available this fall. Because they are only bottled in extremely limited quantities, we have decided to keep them all right here at home in our great state of Texas. Starting in October, the 2016 batches of True Blue Cask Strength, True Blue 100, and Texas Blue Corn Bourbon will hit retailers and bars in Waco, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio. Later this year, toward the holidays, we will also release Rumble Cask Reserve.
Made from the same 100% blue corn mash as Texas’ first whisky, Baby Blue, True Blue 100 and True Blue Cask Strength express a different end of the spectrum for our blue corn whiskies. Full of rich and decadent notes, they are big and bold, and bottled at high proof without chill filtering to preserve as much of the experience from the barrel as possible. This year’s True Blue Cask Strength came in at a staggering 65.7% ABV, the highest it’s ever been. Enjoy it full strength, straight from the barrel, or with a splash of water. True Blue 100 is always bottled at 50% ABV, and comes from the same hand-selected casks as True Blue Cask Strength, but at a milder strength. This small bit of dilution tames the spirit and allows more subtle notes to be expressed in the nose and palate.
This year, both True Blue Cask Strength and True Blue 100 have been bottled as Straight Corn Whisky, which marks the first time we’ve ever released these very special whiskies with any indication of age. It is also our biggest release of True Blue Cask Strength ever.
True Blue Cask Strength Straight Corn Whisky (65.7% ABV)
Nose: cookie dough, juniper, thyme, walnut shells, cinnamon, burnt sugar, cigar box
Palate: marmalade, burnt toast, dried apricot, caramelized sugar, carrot cake
Finish: long and lingering, brown sugar, tannin and oak
Availability: Texas only
True Blue 100 Straight Corn Whisky (50% ABV)
Nose: melted butter, pralines, toffee, pear skin, orange zest, ginger, vanilla
Palate: treacle, black pepper, fresh cut lumber, grilled poblano, agave syrup
Finish: medium long with char, citrus, ginger, eucalyptus
Availability: Texas only
Texas Blue Corn Bourbon is still a relatively new addition to the Balcones family of whiskies made from blue corn, and this year is only its second release ever. Unlike corn whiskies, which must be aged in used charred barrels, Bourbon whisky may only be aged in new charred oak. The use of new oak imparts intense aromas and flavors of oak, burnt sugar, smoke and char. At its natural cask strength of 64.9%, and also not chill filtered, it is massive and full of flavor, just the way Texas whisky should be. This year’s release also saw an increase in age, allowing us to label it as Straight Bourbon Whisky.
Texas Blue Corn Bourbon Straight Bourbon Whisky (64.9% ABV)
Nose: blue cotton candy, smoke, Mexican cola, burnt toffee, leather, sandalwood, milk oolong
Palate: spice cake, coffee, apple crisp, hot cinnamon candies, tobacco, tea leaves
Finish: long with mouth watering acidity, light tannin, dark cocao, burnt sugar
Availability: Texas only
We’re also very excited to inform our friends and fans that we are putting the final touches on this year’s batch of Rumble Cask Reserve. Made from the same turbinado sugar, mission fig and Texas wildflower honey spirit as Rumble 94º, Rumble Cask Reserve is allowed to mature much longer in the barrel, and is bottled at cask strength. We’ll make sure to update everyone on the upcoming release after it has been bottled and shipped to our distributor. This will once again be a Texas only release.
These special releases are all made in very small quantities and will be tightly allocated. To get your hands on them, speak to your preferred retailer, or request your favorite bar to carry them. While we wish we could promise everyone a bottle, it’s just not possible at these volumes. Thankfully, we’re laying down a lot more whisky these days in our new distillery, so in time we will have plenty to share with you!
We look forward to sharing these fantastic releases with our devoted fans over the coming months. A small series of events are in the works and we really hope you’ll join us. Follow us on Facebook for any and all updates. You’ll also want to stay tuned for the grand opening event we’re planning in November, where we may hold back a few cases of these fantastic whiskies for tasting and purchase.