Whiskey Review: Balcones Texas Bock Straight Malt Whisky

s with snacks and water, talked brewing versus distilling and then settled back down to try the Shiner Bock and the Balcones. Unlike the Rogue products, the Shiner Bock and the Texas Bock aren’t made in the same facility. If anything, though, we decided the sibling resemblance was stronger with this second pair than it had been with the first. When you pour them side-by-side, even the amber coloring of the Shiner Bock and Texas Bock is similar. But it’s after that that you realize how truly complementary they are. In the nose and in the mouth, both are sweet and refreshing – if not particularly complicated. Shiner Bock has long fit a niche in between mass-produced (cheap) beers and the burgeoning world of craft brew. Texas Bock, it seems, is tailor-made to fill the same kind of a niche among the brown spirits. It’s a significant step up from your bottom-shelf whiskies, but comes in at a price point that makes it more affordable than a lot of the whiskies farther up on the rack. Whether you drink it alongside Shiner Bock or not, this is a solid, mid-range whisky. Balcones Texas Bock (image via Scott Bernard Nelson/The Whiskey Wash) Tasting Notes: Balcones Texas Bock Straight Malt Whisky Vital Stats: Mash bill of at least 51% malted barley and aged in new American oak for two years; 50% alcohol by volume/100 proof; around $40 for a 750ml bottle. Appearance: Amber, almost red. Nose: Sweeter than you expect from whiskies; real maple syrup; charred oak; chocolate. Palate: Sweet; malty; a little smoky; hints of orange peel and maple bars; you really taste the Shiner Bock roots on the finish.