Garrison Brothers, my neighbors down the street in Hye, Texas, launch Cowboy Bourbon yearly. This annual drop is often drawn from 8- and 9-year previous barrels and bottled uncut and unfiltered, its full-proof presentation making it one of many distillery’s most prized expressions.
We’ve encountered three Cowboy Bourbon releases thus far, and we’ll preserve updating this web page as we see extra.
Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon (2022) Evaluate
The reddish-hued spirit is spicy and racy on the nostril, and there’s clearly tons occurring up entrance. Huge aromas of cloves and cinnamon pink hots are complemented by a gritty barrel char and a daring stewed fruit character that hits nearly like a mulled wine.
All of this comes collectively explosively on an immersive and blazingly scorching palate, notes of chocolate, cherry juice, dried raspberries, and loads of barrel char. Sharp, fruity, spicy, and woody suddenly, it’s a whiskey that appears to know no boundaries, and it by no means lets its foot off the fuel. Whereas sipping this at full power is manageable, one shortly will get the impression that it’s not the neatest concept ought to one have plans for the next day. Certain sufficient, water’s a smart but additionally a flavorful alternative, bringing out notes of candy tea, a powerful vanilla thread, and extra fruit. These clove and char notes — laced with touches of chocolatey mocha — hit the end with much more spice, however the entire above are welcome.
All advised, it’s one among my favourite Garrison Brothers releases thus far. Can’t wait to see 2023’s providing. 134.8 proof. A / $250 [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon (2024) Evaluate
The nostril is engaging and wild — kicking off with thick prune and date notes, alongside the extraordinary essence of candy, dried figs. The entire affair has one thing of a Maderized high quality, showcasing an oxidized wine overtone backed by heavy layers of spices, significantly cloves, plus black tea. A peppery char is more and more evident the longer it spends within the glass.
On the palate, the identical fruit bomb high quality hits first, then these spices and a heavy layer of char. A well-cooked, nearly burnt beef high quality makes for a basic Garrison Brothers expertise that pours on taste whether or not you need extra of it or not. With all that fruity sweetness, once more the whiskey hits a bit like a mixture of mulled wine and consuming chocolate. Considerably hotter than the 2022 launch, you’d anticipate that water would assist to tame the beast right here, however I didn’t actually get an enormous profit from the tempering on this spherical. I’d suggest dosing with a dropper fairly than willy-nilly splashes. The end sees a wholesome reprise of these dried figs hitting alongside enduring, throat-scarring creosote notes, making for a conclusion that’s each candy and savory, practically in equal proportions.
A variation on a theme compared to the 2022, it is a acquainted but barely totally different expression of one of many boldest whiskeys you’re more likely to come throughout. 140.2 proof. A- / $280 [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon (2025) Evaluate
Is it getting scorching in right here? At 73.2% abv, that is probably the most blazing Cowboy Bourbon we’ve seen but. (11 have now been launched thus far.) The nostril is extremely spicy and deep, providing intense aromas of burnt wooden — blackened, actually — and black pepper, set towards a backdrop of boysenberry jam and well-dried raisins. There’s no mistaking this for the rest, that “Texas funk” a continuing.
The palate is equally aggressive, starting fairly vegetally, with overtones of dill and mesquite, earlier than lastly relenting and permitting some sweetness into the combination. Once more the fruit is well-dried and raisiny, and it struggles to compete with the smokier wood-driven notes on show. Cocoa and occasional and a few complementary qualities, however they’re drying and a bit tannic in a time when what the whiskey actually wants is extra sweetness.
Water helps to a level, taming a number of the warmth however not the tannin, which dries up the end practically utterly. I tasted this aspect by aspect with my 2022 bottling and the expertise was night time and day, that figgy, nearly jammy character extremely obscured on this drop. That mentioned: Hazmat followers will rejoice, naturally. 146.4 proof. B / $250 [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon (2022)
USD250
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