Drink of the Week: Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey

Each of Garrison Brothers’ handcrafted bourbon expressions tells a unique story, but they all begin with the legendary small batch bourbon whiskey.

Master Distiller Donnis Todd uses only the finest ingredients when crafting this foundational spirit. He starts with gourmet grains, including corn, wheat, and barley. Using a higher percentage of corn, he achieves a more well-rounded sweetness than other bourbons on the market.

The key factor that sets Garrison Brothers apart from other bourbons is the extreme Texas heat that matures their whiskey. Unlike the gentle warming and cooling cycles experienced in places like Kentucky, Texas weather swings wildly and severely throughout the year. These temperature fluctuations push and pull the whiskey into the barrel wood more forcefully, resulting in a deeper and richer taste. To withstand this stress, Garrison Brothers uses custom barrels made from stronger and thicker staves than those typically used in bourbon making. As the spirit matures in these new American white oak barrels, it cycles through the wood’s pores and crevices, absorbing sugars from the sap.

Upon the first sip, fruity notes dominate the palate, accompanied by hints of butter, whipped cream, angel food cake, and oak.

Small Batch is aged in new American white oak barrels for at least three years, but Donnis lets his palate decide when a cask is ready, relying on his senses for the perfect spirit. He carefully selects barrels with aromas of butterscotch, nutmeg, and vanilla before blending them to create Small Batch. Upon the first sip, fruity notes dominate the palate, accompanied by hints of butter, whipped cream, angel food cake, and oak. The finish is smooth, featuring flavors of chocolate and espresso.

Sipping this Small Batch bourbon is an experience to savor. Cooked, distilled, barreled, aged, and bottled entirely at the Garrison Brothers distillery in Hye, Texas, this is a truly distinctive bourbon to add to your spirits collection. Head to garrisonbros.com to find out where to find a bottle near you.