Review: Balcones 5th Anniversary Straight Malt Rumble Cask Reserve Finish (57.5%, OB, 2014)

• Category: Texan malt whiskey
• Origin: Balcones Distillery
• Bottling: Official
• ABV: 57.5%
• Cost: £115 for 750ml
• Score: 92/100

What they say:

Released as part of the Balcones fifth anniversary, this Texas straight malt whisky was finished in a cask that previously held their Rumble Cask Reserve. These casks matured the Rumble (a unique spirit made from local wildflower honey, mission figs and turbinado sugar) for longer than usual because… Well, they had been all but forgotten about by Chip and the Balcones chaps. The finish has imparted a bright, fruity impression to the awesome Texan whisky.

181 bottles were produced.

Nose: Some initial molasses before spicy orchard fruits and blossom reveal themselves alongside rich figs, pepper and a whole stack of maple and pecan slices!

Palate: Heaped brown sugar in a pecan infused cup of coffee.

Finish: Big chunks of vanilla toffee. More please!

What I say:

Dram #3 from the Balcones Distillers Selection Private Barrel Tour Twitter Tasting. Barrel #2653

Colour:

Amber with ruby chestnut highlights

Nose:

Delicate, malty barley, creamy caramel/fudge/toffee, vanilla, banana & apricot and hazelnut latte

Taste:

like biting the top off a walnut whip, nutty, creamy, chocolate, little treacle, rum and mint, with water: almost goes a little rubbery/sulphuric and tannic drying – preferred straight

Would I buy it:

Another one sold out already but this was my favourite of the tasting, despite it being very hard to pick one as better than the others.

Thanks to Balcones Whisky, Chip Tate, Winston Edwards, Steve Rush (@TheWhiskyWire) and Emily Harris (@emilymayfox) for organising samples and tasting event.