Whisky · United States · brand
Balcones. Two whiskies.
From the shelf
Everything we have from Balcones
Click on a bottle for the rest of the details.
Blue corn, and why it is not called whisky here
Baby Blue is made from roasted blue corn instead of the usual yellow. It was the house's first release and is presented as the first Texan whisky on the market since Prohibition. In Europe the label says Corn Spirit and not whisky.
That has to do with the European rules. To be called whisky, a distillate must have spent at least three years in wooden casks of no more than seven hundred litres. Baby Blue carries no age statement and matures briefly in small used casks. Balcones gives no explanation of its own; this is the rule it runs up against.
The bottles we have in stock
The blue corn, and the Texas rye at cask strength.
Scottish stills in Texas
- The distillery in brief
- 2008Founded in Waco, Texas.
- 2015Moved to an old cask warehouse.
- November 2022Taken over by Diageo.
- ForsythsThe Scottish builder of the stills.
Balcones began in 2008 in Waco, in a converted welding shop, and moved in 2015 to an old barrel warehouse in the same city. Distilling is done on copper pot stills from Forsyths of Rothes, a Scottish still maker that you rarely come across in the United States.
In November 2022 Diageo took over the company. The Eclipse Texas Rye we have in stock was bottled just before that takeover, on 21 October 2022, at sixty-four percent and with an unusual double fermentation using both ale and whisky yeast.
In August 2025 Diageo paused distilling and cask filling in Waco until the end of June 2026. The visitor centre stayed open and the team stayed on; the brand has therefore not disappeared, the stills are standing idle temporarily.
Roasted blue corn, and stills from Rothes.
What to look out for
In Europe, Baby Blue is called Corn Spirit and not whisky; that is a consequence of the European ageing rules.
The Eclipse is at sixty-four percent. A splash of water makes a big difference.
Call 0570 541 278 or drop in at Brink 2 in Bathmen.
Frequently asked questions about Balcones
How many Balcones does ’t Bockje have in stock?
Two bottles.
Where does Balcones come from?
From Waco in Texas, where the company started in 2008.
Why does it say Corn Spirit on Baby Blue and not whisky?
In Europe a distillate may only be called whisky after at least three years in wooden casks of no more than seven hundred litres. Baby Blue carries no age statement. Balcones gives no explanation of its own; this is the rule it runs into.
What is special about the corn?
It is roasted blue corn instead of the usual yellow. The house’s own statements differ on the exact origin of that corn, so we do not name a state.
Who owns Balcones now?
From Diageo, which took over the company in November 2022.
Can I collect these bottles in Bathmen?
Yes. You can always order online or collect at Brink 2, or simply walk in.
Order, collect or drop by
- In stock in our shop at Brink 2 in Bathmen
- Available to order online and have delivered, including abroad
- Order online or collect in Bathmen
- Personal advice via 0570 541 278 or info@bockje.nl
- Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 09.00–18.00, Saturday 09.00–17.00. Closed Monday and Sunday
Wij verkopen geen alcohol aan personen onder de 18 jaar. NIX18.
The bottle on this page
Each bottle shows the details from the label.
Keep browsing
Brink 2, Bathmen
All our stock is in the shop, not in a warehouse somewhere else. If you walk in with a name you couldn't find anywhere, it is often simply here on the shelf. You can also call: 0570 541 278.
Wij verkopen geen alcohol aan personen onder de 18 jaar. NIX18
- Tuesday to Friday 09.00 – 18.00
- Saturday 09.00 – 17.00
- Monday and Sunday closed