Waco, TX – The international accolades continue for Balcones Distilling and their award-winning spirits. The 2016 New York World Wine and Spirits Competition, held in New York on August 24-25, continues Balcones' winning streak, bringing home numerous top medals from this year's competition.
Topping the winner's list with Double Gold Medals in their categories were Balcones' Texas No. 1 Single Malt, True Blue 100 Whisky, and Texas Blue Corn Bourbon. To continue its stride, Balcones' popular Baby Blue Corn Whisky and Texas Rum brought home Silver Medals.
“We are honored to receive such high marks from this year's New York World Wine and Spirits Competition. It is always gratifying and humbling to have our whiskies recognized at an international level,” said Head Distiller Jared Himstedt.
The New York World Wine and Spirits Competition is one of the largest competitions for the retail beverage industry in the world. It attracts top professional judges from restaurants, bars and clubs, food and beverage buyers, USBG mixologists, educators, beverage directors, columnists, writers, sommeliers, and chefs. These judges have a wide variety of experiences and backgrounds that facilitate a true, unbiased quality of judging for all brands entered. The competition prides itself on integrity and transparency. It is the only wine and spirits competition in the world that is associated with the Triple Crown of Competitions (The San Francisco International Wine Competition and The San Francisco World Spirits Competition).
“The Balcones brand is one of excellence as evidenced by this year's awards. It is an accomplishment for any distiller to achieve Double Gold, and Balcones has taken home three of them this year, in addition to two Silver medals. We are excited for them and proud of their achievement,” said Steven Wesler, Competition Director for the New York World Wine and Spirits Competition.
Earlier this year, Balcones Distilling 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 expect. 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 celebrated the end of commissioning of the building on April 20th in a special ribbon cutting ceremony and production has begun in the expanded facility.
