Balcones “1” Texas Single Malt received Gold and Bronze medals at the 7th edition of the International Whisky Competition
Waco, TX – Results are in and Balcones Distilling has once again won big awards for its whiskies. On Monday, May 16th The International Whisky Competition committee announced their anticipated 2016 results. The Waco Distillery's “1” Texas Single Malt received a Gold medal for Best Texas Whisky and a Bronze medal for Best American Single Malt.
The 2016 International Whisky Competition was conducted in Chicago over three days, from April 20-22, featuring a world-class panel. These judges range from whisky, spirit, beer and wine experts, each blind tasting each whisky on an individual basis. The scoring process uses a comprehensive 100-point scale system making the International Whisky Competition one of the most professional competitions of its kind.
“The “1” Texas Single Malt whisky is made with very flavorful and traditional Scottish barley, but the way we age it gives it a more American wood profile and our climate adds Texan terroir,” said Head Distiller Jared Himstedt. “This is our first time participating in The International Whisky awards and we are grateful for the recognition on an international scale.”
Judges underwent a blind tasting, where each whisky was scored individually based on four main segments. This world-class scoring system developed numbers based on sight, noise, taste-mouth feel and finish. The International Whisky competition acclaims their honors as one-of-a-kind. They are the only competition that provides three medals for each category making each win unique and not duplicated with generic awards of lesser value.
“Balcones Distillery really caught our eye with their authentic “1” Texas Single Malt craft whisky. This product embodies every aspect of what we look for in our competitive Best Texas Whisky category,” said Sylvain Allard, Managing Director at International Whisky Competition.
Balcones Distilling has recently moved operations to a stunning new distillery site in downtown Waco, Texas. Formerly the old Texas Fireproof Storage Building, the new location provides Balcones with the capacity to meet growing demand, while maintaining the quality and authenticity that their loyal followers demand. The new site also provides Himstedt and his team the flexibility to create new styles of Texas whiskies and spirits. Brand-new copper pot stills from Forsyths of Scotland are a standout feature at the nearly 100-year-old structure of steel, concrete and brick. Additionally, Balcones has four times the spirit still capacity in the new location, with room to grow. The Waco Distiller held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, April 20th, 2016 and will be opened for tours in the near future.
