This is my pieced together history:
Prior to the sale of the rights to the Balabushka Signature Cues to the Balabushka Cue Company around 2011, Competition Sports were importing the Balabushka Signature Cues from Adam Japan. Adam Japan was subcontracting the cues from China (Universal Cues). Although at the time, Don Spektar owned Competition Sports, the Balabushka Cues’s rights were owned by Patty Vorliss, who had worked for the late David Forman (founder of Adam Cue).
When the Mallens bought the rights from Vorliss, Universal decided to continue to make the same cues, but without any signature. I suppose that keeps them out of trouble. And that is what I believe the vintage of the OP’s cue.
The Mallens (and now Peggy Mallen only) have the Balabushka Signature Cues built in Taiwan. Those cues feel and play very good, as do the previous vintage made in Universal .