Garrison Brothers Balmorhea Texas Straight Bourbon

I have sung the praises of the Garrison Cowboy whiskey as my top bourbon(at top price too). This is closely related with a double barrel treatment in new oak for a year. I checked out the accolades across the web this is a well regarded bourbon. Poured neat(don't water it unless you want to unleash the full barrel wood fury), deep pungent waves of dark caramel wrapped oak with brown sugar, marshmallow cream, baking spice and pretzel dough. You can conjure up some dark fruit, maybe blackberries if you try. Tobacco and leather ride shotgun. Palate is blast of brown sugar/maple fudge and milk chocolate combined with an explosion at the saw mill. Singed caramel dipped 2x4 s are whacking you upside the head. Some smoky spice flutters about then oiled leather and tobacco leaves usher in. Its not the proof overload of Cowboy so you can decode more easily. Finish has a mild underlying bitterness tempered by the confectionary palate. Its lasting turns of oak, dark caramels, leather, vanilla crème and pipe smoke with the barrel notes winning out. If you like sweet oaky bourbon you better lawyer up cause you'll kill for this. The tannic/ bitter side may turn some off but the creamy dark sweetness provides balance. The Cowboy is better but this is still fantastic........98/100........Has the Garrison funk throughout as well....I would describe as a floury musky note I have not encountered anywhere else.

Nose - salted caramel, dark chocolate, coffee, vanilla ice cream, creme brûlée, chocolate turtle, cinnamon, nutmeg, peanut, pecan, black pepper, clove, leather, tobacco, brown sugar, toasted marshmallow, graham cracker, brownie, mint, black cherry, rich oak, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - cinnamon bun, clove, dark chocolate, toffee, vanilla cream, nutmeg, tobacco, toasted marshmallow, powdered sugar, brown sugar, leather, pecan, walnut, black pepper, spearmint, black cherry, baked apple, graham cracker, sweet tannic oak, moderate to high alcohol bite, finishing medium long with dark chocolate, baking spice, tannic oak, and black cherry flavors. Sweet baby Jesus! This truly is bourbon candy, as Garrison Brothers quotes on their website. It’s extremely rich and sweet, but not cloying. I’m immediately overcome with memories of being at the Golden Corral dessert bar as a child and adding every single topping to my chocolate and vanilla swirl ice cream. Balmorhea is by far the best new oak finished bourbon I’ve tried. This is what Woodford Double Oaked wants to be when it grows up. Balmorhea is not something I’ll drink everyday, but I know I’ll crave it from time to time. Absolutely fantastic. Not quite as fantastic as Cowboy bourbon, but those are some big shoes to fill. I paid $160 for this and I would do it again in a second. For reference, this is the 2021 bottling. This completes my week of Texas whiskey reviews. I’m so pleasantly surprised how wonderful each of these Garrison Brothers and Balcones expressions have been. I’ve even identified a few that will become permanent additions to my collection. And I’ll definitely be on the lookout for new Texas offerings to try in the future. Starting tomorrow, I’m crossing the pond for a week of Compass Box reviews.

smokey/char oak, burnt corn candy

Color: deep brown, one of the darkest GB I’ve seen other than maybe Cowboy Nose: Cinnamon, toffee, brown sugar, and leather Palate: Cherries, dark fruit (dates), but also bakers chocolate. This is so complex, and was my first pour from the bottle, can’t wait for this to open up!

Great. Thick dark in color, smooth char roasted molasses finish