Though Balcones has a very wide portfolio with many takes on traditional American spirits staples like bourbon and rye, they are also don’t neglect one of the first things that put them on the map: their single malt. Having clearly invested in an American single malt from the beginning, time and continued experimentation has allowed them to craft various expressions of this cornerstone offering. For the distillery’s tenth anniversary in 2019, they released two single malts only available at the distillery store, both with cask finishes. The Balcones Brujeria, which approximately translates to “witchcraft” or “witchery”, is finished in a mix of ex-Oloroso and PX sherry casks.
Caol Ila 15 Year Unpeated
Caol Ila is the largest distillery on the island of Islay, producing over 2 million liters every year. The vast majority of that goes into Diageo-owned blends like Johnnie Walker Black Label, but there still remains some for eventual release as single malts. While the 12 Year is their single malt cornerstone, the distillery has been releasing a yearly series of unpeated whiskies over the past several years, including the 17 Year. The Caol Ila 15 Year is the first of a reported thirteen releases in the series.