It’s hard to be a first in a state like Texas. Balcones Distilling in Waco has produced the first legal whiskey in Texas since prohibition.Owner Chip Tate built his distillery system from scratch with his two-person crew in an old warehouse in the shadow of the 17th Street railroad bridge. He started distilling after getting his license late last year. Tate has been a dedicated home brewer for 18 years and has spent the past two years learning the science of distilling, including an apprenticeship in Scotland.