Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon Review

Distillery: Garrison Brothers Distillery – Hye, Texas

Proof: 140.2 (70.1% ABV)

Age: Six years

Mashbill: 74% Corn; 15% Red Winter Wheat; 11% Malted Barley

MSRP: $250

Website: https://www.garrisonbros.com/

Who They Are

Google Hye, Texas and you will find it is a hub for vineyards and wineries AND the proud home of Garrison Brothers Distillery, the first and oldest legal whiskey distillery in Texas. Pay a visit to the Distillery and you will find it operating with the same authentic virtues as when Dan Garrison started it back in 2006. That’s quite a statement, considering the numerous awards they have garnered from their many unique expressions.

What’s cool about Garrison Brothers is their meticulous production process. They still distill in small batches with high standards. Custom-made barrels with thick staves that can withstand the Texas heat are used in the aging process.

Their production process includes the use of a sweet mash process, meaning they use fresh grains and water for each fermentation batch instead of reusing a portion of a previous batch. Using food-grade #1 white corn grown in the Texas Panhandle, along with soft red winter wheat and two-row malted barley. Grains milled on-site and mashed using pure Hill Country rainwater.

The Texas climate creates a challenging environment for aging bourbon as the heat and humidity swings can be extreme, causing high evaporation rates. But the rewards of those extremes can be a rich, complex flavor profile.

In addition to Cowboy Bourbon, Garrison Brothers offers a range of other exceptional spirits, including their Small Batch, Single Barrel, Honey Dew, Guadalupe, and Balmorhea twice-barreled bourbons.

If you give Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon a try, have questions or want to suggest an expression for a future review, please drop me a note. I would love to hear from you! mike@bourboninspector.com

Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon: Tasting Notes

Nose – 4/5

At a proof of 140.2 and a hue resembling a long-steeped tea, I fully expected this expression to overwhelm on the Nose. It does not. Instead, Cowboy is inviting, with prominent aromas of oak and chocolate cherries. If you have stepped into a rick house with an angel’s share lingering so thick that you can swat it in the air; that’s what you get. A deep mixture of oak with the sweetness of escaping wheat alcohol — the aroma is amazing.

Palate – 3.75/5

Your taste buds will stand up and take notice…in a good way. The high proof makes for a bold, intense enhancement to the flavors. If your taste buds could talk, they would be chanting “next sip, next sip.” Initially, it is hot, but quickly fades, yielding to a warm fruity sweetness mixed with a brown sugar and cinnamon pecans.

Finish – 4/5

The initial warmth of the oak spice gradually fades, giving way to notes of caramelized marshmallows that adds a smoky quality. As the finish concludes, there is a bit of a cinnamon kaboom that adds a wonderfully pleasant aftertaste. The combination of these flavors creates a satisfying and memorable conclusion to the tasting experience.

Value – 3.25/5

Visions of sitting fireside on a slow evening while enjoying this sipper resonate with me. At $250, Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon is a premium offering. It is an amazing sipper and if you are an enthusiast that is looking to add a premium and limited offering bourbon to your collection, Cowboy may be worth the investment.