Balcones Rumble

Surprisingly, for a domestic creation, the nose is like something between a cachaca and a tequila, but not in a rough way. There’s also a lot of honey fragrance, which gives it a competing smoothness and sweetness. This is going to be an unusual spirit. It doesn’t really fit in any of the standard categories.

On the taste, there’s a more than a bit of a burn at the tip of the tongue and back of the palate, and then you can almost taste the flowers that the bees made the honey from. After that, it opens up and you a get a lot fruit from the figs and also what seems like a trace of citrus. Then a malty-molasses feel on the finish coats the tongue, amid that persistent burn, and makes you think you’ve just had a mix of dark and overproof rum.

Overall effect is quite flowery, with a little sweet, some savory earthiness, and a bit of woodiness from the aging. But it does burn the throat. No surprise considering the 94 proof.

The site describes it as made from the finest local wildflower honey, mission figs and turbinado sugar and aged in small oak barrels. All of that is in there. The effect comes closest to a rum, and could have similar uses, I suppose. But other than the burn, the flavors and scents make it something more delicate. It’s a unique, and interesting spirit, so either enjoy it straight, or at least be careful and don’t hide it with too many other ingredients.

$35.78 [750ML] Specs Online.