We love all the hard toiled, passionate, craft distillers of the world. But the Garrison Brothers stand out in that crowd a bit taller than most. They don’t farm out anything. Every step from cooking the mash to bottling happens right there on site at their distillery in Hye, Texas. They make Bourbon in a range of ages and finishes, but it all started with the famous barrel #6 that yielded their signature Texas Bourbon Whiskey.
So let’s talk about that famous barrel. Back in 2007 and 2008 the Garrison brothers were experimenting to find the perfect recipe for their Bourbon. In 2008, they popped open barrel #6, took a sip, and instantly knew that they had found Texas Nirvana.
This magic combination is the platform they built their business on. These boys are proud of their accomplishment, and they should be. They recommend that you drink it neat… a splash or a bit of soda water is fine too. But when it comes to colas and fruity mixers they say, "If you're mixing it with something like that, you really shouldn't be buying our Bourbon."
What does Garrison Brothers Texas Bourbon Whiskey taste like?
The Flavor Spiral™ shows the most common flavors that you'll taste in Garrison Brothers Texas Bourbon Whiskey and gives you a chance to have a taste of it before actually tasting it.
We invented Flavor Spiral™ here at Flaviar to get all your senses involved in tasting drinks and, frankly, because we think that classic tasting notes are boring.
Dog Dogson's
Smartass Corner
Straight Bourbon must be matured for at least 2 years. If a bottle has no age statement, it’s at least 4 years old.
I had a hard time convincing myself to shell out ~$70 for a bourbon whiskey this young, but I'm very glad I did. The nose is heavy brown sugar, caramel, and a little cinnamon; on the palate it's bursting with butterscotch and vanilla, with a little funk that I struggle to describe as anything other than yellow sponge cake; the finish is a cinnamon bomb, in a good way.
Igor,
Impressive. It's rich and the flavors are complex. It has that Texas bourbon funk to it that's earthier that usual bourbon and a lot of chocolate and baking spices. I also taste peach/apricot in it. The story about Garrison Brothers Bourbon is nice too and I can see why they charge a bit more for their bottles.
Rob,
I expected more for this price point. The taste was not pleasing at all.
Peter,
A hint of sweet, but not sugary. Great smoky flavor with wonderful after tastes. Definitely high alcohol in flavor. My local place refers to it as the bourbon for guys who have a set.
Alex,
Get a strong flavor hit from the cinnamon. It’s really good, has a nice sweetness on the tail and isn’t too harsh.
Anthony,
Love it!
Hugh,
I really like this. The first experience is of high alcohol, which is not unpleasant but is certainly prominent. This quickly shifts to I get smoke, leather, and a sweetness that gives me a strong desire to eat BBQ. The finish is long and complex.
Josh,
The smell is nothing more than a typical Kentucky bourbon. The start is a very smokey and tobacco flavor with a strong corn finish. This has become a new favorite!
Chris,
So as a native Texan, I was expecting an degree of delivery that it just didn't deliver. My expectations where that this would be a bourbon as I'd experienced from the traditional bourbon, but with a bit of Texas flair (kind of like the Wild Turkey Longbranch collaboration with Matthew McConaughey).
I will say that I haven't had a lot of experience with the wheated bourbons, but what I had tried prior to this was okay.
First, it failed to produce that nice "Kentucky Chew" that most bourbons produce, so it was a little thin comparatively. Neither sweet, nor spicy, just kind of there. The back taste is what really threw me off though. To be honest, it tasted like alfalfa hay.
So it might fit some folks, but for me it just missed my expectations. Not one I would recommend for the price point for sure.
Jason,
If you’re looking for something different and complex this is it. You can taste the quality in every sip. It smells way different than it tastes, which I can appreciate. Very corn and burnt sugar heavy on the nose and smooth caramel on the tongue. I can see why ppl love this but not my favorite especially at $80-$90. You can find great bourbons for $45-60 range. Still an exceptional whiskey.
Christopher,
Being from The Philly area I wanted to hate everything about a Texas spirit
But Damnit I couldn't
Love everything about this
The buttery vanilla and caramel up front Smokey finish with some berry flavors
Thick on the tongue
Pairs well with a Cheesesteak wit or all by itself
My Favorite
William,
Weak initial hit followed by a spiced taste I didn’t enjoy. I need to try over ice but that isn’t how I like to drink bourbon. Will probably get mixed in a cocktail if I even finish it at all.
Rory,
Initial burst of spicy. Not a fan of the taste.
Val,
Very young...needs to age some more. A lot of burn with very few flavors on the pallet at this time.
JARED,
favorite. Only drink neat.
Brian,
Not a fan of it neat. First sip kind of hits you with a strong spicy peppery flavor. The chew gives you an odd mix of flavor that felt a bit oily in the mouth. Very smooth though. Over ice, the flavors mellow out a bit and is much more enjoyable. On the rocks is the way to go with this one. Price is a little high for what you're getting in my mind. It's good but not $90 a bottle good.
Joann,
Odd flavor - not for me
Brian,
Really liked this. A great bourbon.
Todd,
Aroma has a bit of sweet along with some wood. Taste is good overall, you get the bourbon sweetness, along with some nice pepper and wood. It's got some kick, seems stronger than the 47% ABV. A dash of water seems to bring the pepper to the front, along with a bitter finish. Probably better neat, overall, pretty good
guest,
My second favorite bourbon! Well worth the price. So smooth it’s frightening!
guest,
Every bar should have it. Great bourbon with all the flavors of Texas.
Sam,
Buttery smooth caramel orange creamy mouth feel one of the best bourbons I have ever tasted
Brittany,
Bold, intense flavor and an insanely smooth finish. The aftertaste is totally different from the sip itself. Marvelously complex, quite sweet (which I like), and intricate.
William,
There's a distinct taste to this whiskey. If you don't like it, it's "waxy." If you do, it's a "thick mouthfeel." It's a more complex whiskey than most, about two steps past a young Buffalo Trace.
Kendra,
Very smooth with wonderful smoky notes
guest,
Love it
Graham,
I got a bottle of this for a gift a few years ago, and it was outstanding. One of the most complex bourbons I've ever had. I love the caramel and spice notes.
Carl,
I keep waiting for it to grow on me, I’m still waiting. I have had worse, but for the price I have had many that are far better.
Debrenee,
It’s good, but the finish is lacking. If I hadn’t bought this bottle on a mega sale I would be a little disappointed.... Especially for the regular price. However, with that said, it is still a good whiskey. Just not as strong as the regular price would suggest.
Nick,
Sooooo Good!
Brock,
Tastes like christmas- nutmeg, cinnamon, clove. warms your mouth and your soul
Lance,
Good, but a strong finish that feels a bit incomplete.
Cameron,
Amazing!
Kyle,
Very smooth!
Caitlin,
Best whiskey ever
Matthew,
Good small distillery bourbon. Corn is exceptionally strong.
Michael,
Another prime example of an excellent bourbon from a newly epic distillery that is a little easier on the wallet than cowboy. If this was a choice for the desert island question, it would be a lock.
Allen,
Surprisingly smooth for a high proof whiskey. Spicy and sweet. Complex. A little water or ice cube helps.
TJ,
Nice
Russell,
Smooth and very good carmel taste. Needs a little more flavor for me.
Russ,
Texas bourbon is as smooth as it gets
Scott,
Spicy Texas bourbon that finishes like a Rye.
Glenn,
Bought as a gift, but have had it before. Overpriced Texas whiskey, but hey, it is from Texas. And I am a Texan. Will always have in my locker.
Royce,
This is not a Kentucky bourbon. Not near as smooth as a finish as I would have imagined. In my opinion this is a $35 bottle of bourbon not $90.
Steven,
At first I did not care for it but after a week or so it started to grow on me and now it's one of my favorites.
Justun,
Sublime. HotteSt whiskey on the market.
Michael,
One of the fantastic Texas bourbons!!
Marc,
Very disappointed in this. Harsh,almost petroleum taste up front, burnt aftertaste. Might be ok to mix, but after trying it neat and on the rocks, I haven't tried to mix it.
Reginald,
Not Barrel #6 but an nice Bourbon with a young finish
Kevin,
We have tried around 60 different bourbons so far and Garrison Brothers is by far the worst bourbon that we've ever had. 7 of us agreed upon this. We all thought that it lacked any flavor profile except for acetone. Not sure if we got a bad bottle or something, but wow, I would never suggest anyone spending this kind of money for this. Definitely not worth it. I can name 40 other Bourbons that are half of the price that are far far superior.
Gerrit,
I opened this and shared with four friends - all of us felt that something was off and it just didn't taste right. I am usually okay with different style bourbons and like to try new whiskies on a regular basis. I won't go back to this one.
Chris,
A really young tasting bourbon, probably due to the seasons, temperatures, and humidity of Hye, TX: the barrels probably didn't expand and contract like they would have in Kentucky. You can really taste the corn in this.
Cris,
Wow what a great tasting Whiskey. The bottle said aged 3 years, it tastes way smoother than that. This Whiskey has some great flavor notes wit a long finish. Just bought three more bottles. Expensive but worth it!!!!!!!
Fred,
Smooth and delicious
William,
Last year at the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival, I went to a tasting presented by Garrison Bros. I'm not really a bourbon drinker, I love The Macallan, I was pleasently surprised. They gave us 2015 Spring, Fall, and Cowboy varieties. Cowboy was over 120 proof and too strong, Spring and Fall were quite good. First bourbon I've ever liked.
Steven,
16 Years living in Kentucky, hours of distillary tours with friends and family visiting, hundreds of Whiskey Bars... but a trip to the Driskill Hotel in Austin and a glass of this in a Texas sized leather chair: and I am a full convert. Don't hesitate- this is an incredible, genre bending bourbon that I want to drink on my deathbed. Unbelievable, original, smooth as butter.