Balcones Distilling

Started in 2008 in a repurposed welding shop under a bridge in Waco by Chip Tate and a small team. Baby Blue, their first release made from roasted heirloom blue corn masa, was the first Texas whisky legally sold in the state. The use of roasted specialty malts and atole (blue corn masa) in place of standard unmalted grain is a defining production characteristic. Extended low-temperature fermentation (nearly twice as long as most distilleries) produces a denser wash. Acquired by Diageo in November 2022 while maintaining its Texas identity and production team.