Balcones Adds Another Single Malt Whiskey To Its Line Up

Balcones Distilling, over its 10+ years of distilling existence, has established itself as a leader in the American single malt whiskey space. It maintains a growing stable of this style of whiskey, but perhaps one thing it has been missing is an entry level expression. It is changing that now with the introduction of their “most accessible Single Malt yet in both taste profile and price.”

The new Balcones Lineage Texas Single Malt Whisky, according to those behind it, is a marriage of the traditional Scottish single malt style that’s inspired the brand while also “innovating with new approaches to grain and maturation that celebrate Texas provenance.” To this end the whiskey is made “using a combination of Simpsons Golden Promise malted barley from Scotland as well as malted barley grown in the high plains of Texas.

“The spirit is then matured both in new oak barrels, as is the tradition with most American Whisky, and refill (or used) oak barrels, the more common approach with Single Malt tradition.”

“Whether it is unique flavor or process innovation, we are always striving to contribute something new to the whisky conversation,” said Jared Himstedt, head distiller at Balcones Distilling, in a prepared statement. “By combining new & old world ingredients, process, and maturation approaches, we have created something entirely new, and in doing so, we are hoping to push the American Single Malt category forward.”

Plans call for Lineage, bottled at 47% ABV, to price around $40 per 750 ml bottle. It will be available across Texas beginning in August, and then also this year in California, Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Oklahoma.

Official tasting notes for this whiskey indicate that “on the nose, Lineage is sweet and indulgent with notes of mulled cider, cream soda, bruised bananas, and peaches. On the palate, the whisky features carmalized sweetness, soft oak, manuka honey, chestnuts, and a hint of red wine reduction.

“The late palate transitions into a finish of tea tree, black tea, and a hint of cinnamon.”