Garrison Brothers Balmorhea Texas Straight Bourbon

Double Oaked

God bless Texas! I have become quite the fan of the Garrison Brothers line of bourbons, particularly their Cowboy Bourbon. That's why I immediately grabbed this off the shelf when I saw it—I truly felt like I hit the lotto in that moment. Most will have a tough time justifying spending $140 for a bourbon that is only 4-5 years old, but that is only because they haven't tried them some Cowboy Bourbon or Balmorhea. Like their Cowboy Bourbon, Balmorhea is incredibly dark in color. It's not quite the deep dark purple that you see in the Cowboy Bourbon, but it still looks great in your glass with its super dark crimson red appearance. N: Not much burn here. Lots of oak, caramel and brown sugar. P: VERY oily/chewy palate, which I love! This thing is very creamy and full bodied. Like their Cowboy Bourbon, the pallet is oily, almost like a maple syrup. Flavors include caramel, pecan, and hints of oak. F: Medium finish with no burn, which I was expecting/hoping for given its proof. The finish is sweet like a cotton candy with hints of oak and pepper. I don't know if I fully buy into Garrison Brothers claim that 4 years in the Texas heat equates to 23 years in Kentucky, but I will say that this juice tastes a lot more mature than what one would expect from a 4-year-old bourbon. While I love their Cowboy Bourbon (clocking in at 134-139 proof), Balmorhea's lower proof is a nice change of pace and a fun one to sip on a warm summer day. This does not drink like a 115 proof bourbon (I can't decide if that's good or bad yet) as there is absolutely no alcohol burn present. What you've got is a very smooth, flavorful experience from start to finish. I highly recommend. Don't let the price tag cause you to miss out on a great bourbon from an awesome craft distillery. #TexasForever

The 2019 tastes great!

Like breathing in through an oxygen mask waiting for an anesthetic on the nose. Better taste with a nice burn throughout.