Balcones 4 Year (2016), SMWS 140.4 “Throws you curve balls”
Whisky: Balcones 4 Year (2016), SMWS 140.4 “Throws you curve balls”
Country/Region: United States/Texas
ABV: 67.8%
Cask: New European Oak Barrique
Age: 4 Years (Distilled 27 May 2016)
Nose: Rich and woody, lacquered antiques, cinnamon, candied nuts, brown sugar, caramel, stone fruit pits, cola.
Palate: Medium-bodied, tannic, wood, leather, stone fruit, cola, chocolate, candied nuts, menthol, cinnamon.
Finish: Medium-length and drying with almond and brown sugar.
Score: 6
Mental Image: John Wayne Cola
Narrative & Notes: Rich and woody, the aroma was loaded with lacquered antiques, hazelnuts, candied almonds, and brown sugar. Caramel confectionaries danced with cherries, cinnamon, stone fruit pits, and cola as wood careened in the background with licorice candies. Medium-bodied and tannic with notions of rich lacquered antiques, leather, stone fruits, and cola— handmade sodas in a steakhouse. Chocolate, licorice, and candied nuts arrived as menthol and cinnamon lingered in the background. The finish was medium-length and drying with almond and brown sugar.
I tasted this blind the first time as part of our online whisky group’s holiday advent calendar. I would have been shocked to discover this was not the second bottle I contributed to the advent calendar; a 4-Year Balcones bottled by SMWS (140.4 “Throws you curve balls.”) I tasted the bottle a few years ago and never got around to opening mine, but this is pretty much what I recall it tasting like and there were elements of the cola and sarsaparilla notes I often find from Balcones.
I was correct! I am a bit thrilled I successfuly identified my bottles this year, and last year, I missed both of them (though one of those I had never tried). While this was not my favorite Balcones of all time— it was a touch too woody for my taste— I submitted it for the group to see what others might make of it, especially fans or enthusiasts of American Single Malt who do not get a chance to try many of the casks SMWS bottles.
Overall, a treat to share and particularly tasty on the rocks, though a fine sipper neat as well.
Theme: End-of-Year Favorites
The theme this December 2023 is cleaning the house, and the reviews posted this month are either things I did not get a chance to slide into a theme week earlier this year, drams I have poured to celebrate the holidays and end of the school year, or as part of our online whisky group’s mystery dram advent calendar. These are posted in no particular order!
