A spirited Lone Star State first is within reach, thanks to a partnership between a malthouse and a distillery.
What is the result of a partnership between the first malthouse in modern Texas history (Blacklands Malt) and the first Texas whiskey distillery since Prohibition (Balcones Distilling)? The result is another first: High Plains Texas Single Malt, the first all-Texas single-malt whiskey.
The collaboration between the two companies has roots going back to 2012, when the founder of Blacklands Malt dug into researching brewing and distilling grains at Texas A&M University. Four years later, the malthouse harvested the first Texas-grown barley suitable for malting. Balcones Distilling was Blacklands Malt’s first client, and plans to create a Texas single-malt whiskey from the ground up began in 2016.
And now High Plains Texas Single Malt is available for purchase exclusively at Balcones Distilling in Waco, Texas.
The whiskey has a bouquet of stewed apples and honeycomb with notes of tree nuts and suede and goes for $80 at the distillery. Once you pick up your own bottle, try your hand at the refreshing but mouth-puckering cocktail recipe below.
High Plains Drifter
1½ ounces High Plains Texas Single Malt
1 ounce pear juice
½ ounce lemon juice
¼ ounce agave nectar
For more information on Balcones Distilling, visit balconesdistilling.com, and for more information on Blacklands Malt, visit blacklandsmalt.com.
Photography: Madison Buchanan/Courtesy Balcones Distilling
