Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon (2021 Release)

Rating: 22/23. Recently sampled my own bottle of Cowboy 2020 and was quite pleased. Eager to see how this newer bottling compares. Nose: Similar polished wood notes to the 2020, but with less sweet baking spices and more mineral thinness. The orange peel is also less pronounced. There's a definite sawdust aroma, yet it avoids being over-oaked. Overall, a pleasant aroma, though I favor the 2020. Palate: Rich, decadent fullness. Offers polished wood, caramel, maple, cinnamon, ginger, clove, a hint of chocolate, and some woody sawdust. This is excellent. The alcohol is less apparent than in the 2020, though it lacks the same citrus presence or fullness. The complexity feels greater here, and the balance is superb. It's more reserved and unified. I detect a slight herbal bitterness, including a whisper of mint that leads into the minerality. Finish: More bitter and dry with increased minerality, yet the rich chocolate, sawdust, subtle maple and caramel, faint corn, light wood polish, and subtle baking spices still come through. - Conclusion - Based on the aroma, I didn't anticipate it matching the 2020, but the palate exceeded expectations. This is essentially everything I desire in a Garrison Brothers release. It's decadent with robust, full-bodied flavors, boasting solid complexity, excellent balance, and subdued alcohol. I'm considering a 22 or 23, a surprising starting point. Elijah Craig A121 (21/23, borderline 22) presents more complexity with a traditional bourbon profile and rye nuances. This is richer and fuller with less burn. I can understand ranking the 2020 Cowboy above Elijah Craig, as they are very close. I'm starting to question if the 2020 Cowboy might only be a 21. Therefore, the Elijah Craig is definitely a high 21. Compared to it, this isn't quite as intricate, but it possesses a decadent richness that combines well with a surprisingly mature (though not exceptionally so) profile, offering fullness and decadence. The balance here is very effective without making it seem flat. I lean towards placing this above the 2020 Cowboy, which lacks the same balance or complexity. However, I may have overestimated the 2020 Cowboy. This is likely on par with Elijah Craig A121, placing it in the 21 to 22 range. I believe this one edges it out, making it a 22. A 23 is conceivable, but I'll hold back due to the somewhat unclear outcome of these comparisons. It's a 22. So, my final impressions from this tasting: pure decadence! It's incredibly rich, full, balanced, sweet, and surprisingly mature. While it might not be the most assertive Garrison Brothers Cowboy release, it is exceptionally bold by most other standards, including Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. It truly doesn't need to be any bolder. I opened one of my bottles of Lost Lantern Balcones 2020 Single Cask #8 (22/23) for comparison. I rated that a 22 based on a sample presumably not drawn from the neck, so if this surpasses it, it's not a definitive sign of a 23. The Balcones is certainly less full-bodied, but it's rich and sweet with delightful complexity. Even from the neck, it rivals the Elijah Craig. The alcohol flavor is more prominent here but doesn't burn. Oddly, the Balcones reminds me of A De Fussigny XO or El Dorado 21 with its fruity complexity. Quite good. Why did I only get 3 bottles? Now, how does the Garrison Brothers stack up? Side-by-side, it's tannic and overly oaky, but I suspect that's the Balcones' sweetness providing the contrast. Revisiting the 2020 Cowboy, this version has less polished wood but more complexity and smoothness. I now detect a slightly more bitter, tannic profile, which I hadn't noticed before. I was seriously considering a 23, but I've changed my mind. I still believe it surpasses the 2020 Cowboy, earning it a 22, but after this final Cowboy showdown and the Balcones comparison, a 23 isn't justifiable. Honestly, I'm fortunate to have so many 22s right now. Thanks for sharing this wonderful dram, a friend! This marks the conclusion of my high-proof bourbon series.

Nose: Sticky plums, cocoa powder, ground coffee, honey, mint and dried herbs, freshly cut wood and sawdust, pencil shavings, honey-roasted peanut, milk chocolate (or perhaps chocolate milk?), vanilla, and maybe some bread pudding. A subtle yet solid hit of ethanol eventually causes numbness. Taste: Rich cocoa, sticky toffee, honey, oak and earth, bread, followed by the unwelcome taste of wet cardboard. Some people refer to it as the Garrison funk and quite enjoy it. My palate apparently differs. Once I detect that wet cardboard, it dominates my perception. Pushing it to the sides of my tongue, I do detect some plums or raisins, a dusty book, a little more earth, but also more wet cardboard. Finish: Plenty of heat - a hot ethanol burn going down with oak and cinnamon spice, caramel, a touch of vanilla with dark, dried red fruit, and then some wet cardboard. Well, I suppose I wish I could appreciate this as another reviewer does, but that's simply not the case for me. None of the Garrison Brothers I've tried have really worked out. I think this will likely be my last one. More for the rest of you...

The aroma is dense and rich, beginning with figs, brandy-soaked cherries, dusty old leather-bound books, and dark maple syrup, then dark chocolate-covered candied pecans, followed by cinnamon apple crumble, orange-flavored crème brûlée, and baked pears that transition to ginger, cloves, and a moderate amount of sawdust with a low ethanol burn. The taste has a rich mouthfeel, starting with apricots, cherries jubilee, and dusty old leather-bound books, then dark chocolate pecan pie, followed by cinnamon apple crumble, orange zest, and baked pears that transition to ginger, cloves, and a moderate amount of sawdust with a medium ethanol burn. The finish is long with a spicy mocha, candied pecans, apple fritters, crème brûlée, honey-covered cornbread, leather-bound books, and moderately ashy oak. There's no surprise that this expression has remained true to itself with those intense traditional bourbon flavors, while also bringing in notes reminiscent of old Armagnac. It's an incredible bourbon that is nearly perfect for me; its only imperfection is those dusty sawdust notes that slightly disrupt the balance. Since I still have some of my previous year's bottle left, I decided to compare them side-by-side and found that the current year's release surpasses the older one with a slightly richer mouthfeel and a better balance of flavors. Thanks to a friend for the generous sample of this one.

2021 release, bottle number 4833. I intended to save this for a special event, but it ended up being a special occasion to open it on a boring Saturday afternoon with no college football and my 3-year-old son napping. While I enjoy Balmorhea, it doesn't inspire me to keep returning for more like my preferred spirits do. Given its steep price, I was somewhat anticipating disappointment with this release. Wow! This truly lives up to the hype. The nose, palate, and finish are all exceptional. While the Balmorhea has a nose like sticky maple wood, this shares a similar sawdust element with maple syrup, brown sugar, and cedar, but also evokes notes of another spirit, perhaps cognac. It's less viscous than the Balmorhea, but that's relative, as the Balmorhea is like motor oil. Where the Balmorhea leans heavily on wood notes, this appears much more balanced. The wood and dark brown sugar notes harmonize with a doughy sweet bread and again, well-aged brandy. Like my favorite whiskies, this makes me want to keep drinking it, although the proof and price encourage moderation. This is truly special whiskey that will be thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended if you can find it.

Nose: Cinnamon, vanilla cake, brown sugars. No ethanol detected on the nose. The aroma is lovely. Taste: Barrel spice, caramel, vanilla frosting, orange zest. Finish: Long and lingering. A tingle on the back of the tongue. Overall: This recent release is bottled at 131.3 proof, yet it drinks like it's 90 proof. Very little to no burn. I dislike using the word "smooth," but that's precisely what it is. Complex, delicious, and very smooth. Rated 9/10. The issue is its price range of $250-300. I likely won't purchase another simply due to the cost, but it is exceptionally delicious. My bottle is #3843.

I've experienced the excellence of this bourbon with the 2020 release. This year's bottling is again an absolute explosion of flavor. The dense concentration and lingering taste are magnificent. This might have slightly more barrel influence than the 2020 version but could be more balanced. It doesn't matter which you find; buy it... oh wait, no, my apologies, this bourbon is terrible and should be poured down the drain, yes, yes... If I had to choose, I'd give the edge to the 2020, but both are outstanding (full tasting notes are in my 2020 review, close enough not to repeat).... Thanks to sooner for the sample.