Balcones '1' Texas Single Malt

This bottle is dated 2-13-12. Nose: Following an initial burst of sour flower petals, there is a steady stream of cake frosting and confectionery sugar. Lightly dusty and smoky, trace amounts of the sourness remain. Vanilla (clearly in the 'frosting' element) with some anise, nutmeg (and a pinch of semi-sweet brown spices). Pressed orange zest?

Palate: Very rich on entry. More dust and smokiness with more frosting (creamy sweet, not saccharine or granular). Sour orange blossom flower. Honey and tight wood, somewhat drying. A few drops of water draws out the sweet and dry, and dilutes the sour.

Finish: A continuation of the palate. I'm not really sure what the source of the sourness is, and it's more pronounced than it was in the Baby Blue, so I would guess that it's from the tight wood. Admittedly, this is not a great comparison because this is a malt and the Baby Blue is from corn, but the type of sourness is the same. The dustiness is also similar to the 'Baby Blue,' delicious, but quieter here. Strong flavors, not overwhelming. The sour note just throws me a bit.

I will be interested, at some point, in trying the True Blue to compare it both to the Baby Blue (for the corn/dustiness element) and the "1" Texas Single Malt (for the wood/sourness). It's good, though I slightly prefer the Baby Blue.

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