Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey

Nose: Hello Texas heat! Loads of dry, new charred oak character. But because this isn't super high proof, there's a waxy nut quality to it as well. Almost furniture polish. Biscuits sans gravy. Dusty corn. Hiding behind that wall of oak you find the vanilla and brown sugar, as well as some blueberries and blackberries. This is not a sublte or toned down experience - this is big, bold, and forward. Palate: The oak is a little more tempered here, though still front and center. Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, black pepper. Smoked paprika. Dusty leather and cigar tobacco. A little tinge of chocolate and citrus, maybe even a little mint. A total wall of flavors. Maybe not the most complex, and there's still a touch of new-make funk hiding in there, but the balance of flavors in this context is pretty good. Medium mouthfeel, with a barrel bite and burn that helps it from being an oil slick. Finish: This is going to be shocking, but there's loads of oak here. Barrel bite, tannin, and char. The ethanol is a late comer, and is followed by Play-Doh, vanilla, clove, and mint also swirl in while that oak just doesn't stop. Berries and cream with honey eventually get revealed, and we ride out with ash and that slightly sweet, bitter oak wave for a long time. Other notes: If you need help understand what people are talking about when they say they're getting "oak", just pick up something from Texas, maybe a Garrison or Balcones. You'll know EXACTLY what it is from then on. Texas is almost the inverse of Scotland, in that the barrel impact is almost too fast. This can lead to not enough time letting new-make funk "age out", though I would assume that'd push a distiller to craft a new make that's a little more approachable. It's no secret that Texas is home to some kick-ass distilleries doing some kick-ass work. I might not seek out another bottle of this, but this is another one I'm glad I'll have tried. Fun adventure, this one.

Just not a fan

Very corn forward. Sweet. Lots of caramel and cinnamon. Breakfast bourbon. Tastes like cinnamon crispix. Long finish and good mouthfeel. I use the rating scale below. Distiller uses a scale of 5 and I use a scale of 10, but I’m sure you’re not too drunk to do the math! 1. Disgusting - So bad I poured it out. 2. Poor - I wouldn't consume by choice. 3. Bad - Multiple flaws. 4. Below average - Not bad, but many things I'd rather have. 5. Good - Just average. 6. Very Good - Better than average. 7. Great - Well above average. 8. Excellent - In a league of its own. 9. Incredible - An all-time favorite. 10. Perfect

Corn. If you like corn based whiskey, you will love this stuff. The corn variety used in this batch is food grade #1 White from South Texas. This was aged three years in Oak and released in 2020. 94 proof, The bottle reads as follows: “Every bottle of Garrison Brothers is overflowing with the finest gourmet grade ingredients on the planet. The nectar inside was made from sweet mash-bill and heat forged in the scorching Texas sun, extracting all the flavor possible from our new American white oak barrels, yielding a darker richer and fuller bourbon than any out there.“ My personal take, this stuff is goooooood. My novice tasting notes: The nose is sweet corn and not full of alcohol. It drinks smooth. stays warm after sipping. On a rock it gets sweeter and smoother.

This is a controversial bourbon in my area, but I side with the fans on this one. The quick review: it was great! The nose: full of leather with subtle baking spices and oak. The pallet: full mouth feel, a mid spice that lingers on the tongue but not super strong. Very balanced subtle sweetness and spice, but the creamy buttery mouth feel was extraordinary. The finish is lingering and mid spice. Favorite notes: the leather on the nose and the creamy mouth feel. Very good stuff. Definitely recommend! We got it around $70

Sweet but dry finish, unique and very nice