Balcones Baby Blue

Today, Balcones operates from two sites in Waco, Texas. The original distillery, which was practically hand-built by founder Chip Tate, was established in 2008 before being superseded by a new location in 2015.This allowed Balcones to increase its limited product to meet rising demand. The origin site was little more than an old welding shop that was fitted out as a labour of love with stills imported from Portugal. The stills sprung into life in 2009 and it didn’t take too long for demand to exceed supply. Investment flowed and the team purchased the Texas Fireproof Storage Co. building in 2011. Built in 1923, it is approximately 25 times larger than the original distillery. Initially, it was used solely for warehousing, before work commenced in 2014 to start distilling. The rugged and determined character of Balcones, fuelled by passion and the heat of Texas has helped create some distinctive whiskies. Regardless of the distillery, this feature is at the heart of what makes Balcones popular today.