Chocolate | Heavy charred oak | Roasted marshmallow | Campfire | Leather | Dark berry jam | Pleasant

Rye spice | Mexican chocolate | Cinnamon spice | Dry charred oak | Tobacco leaf | Brown sugar | Burnt molasses | Dense

Wave of heat | Chewy oak | Leather | Chocolate brownie batter | Rye spice | Dry & chewy | Lingering

Garrison Brothers Distillery is located in Hye, Texas, which is northwest of San Antonio and Austin. They are known for their incredibly bold whiskeys, which has a lot to do with the hot climate in the Lone Star State. Their standard Balmorhea Bourbon is a double barrel bourbon that is bottled at 115 proof. For this latest one-off release, Garrison Brothers is adding a slight twist to their standard Balmorhea Bourbon.

The company states that they will be “releasing 1,000 bottles of limited edition Balmorhea Cask Strength for sale, hand selected by Master Distiller Donnis Todd, from 11 single barrels, only available at the distillery.” Proceeds from the sale will be used to raise funds for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. The bottles from this special release will retail for $50 more than the standard Balmorhea Bourbon, however, that $50 will go to support the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. Each of the 11 single barrels chosen will be bottled at cask strength for this release, and while no age is provided for this bourbon, it was originally distilled and barreled in 2017.

After the insanely dark color, the next noticeable trait of this bourbon is its lack of noticeable ethanol on the nose. For just over 130 proof, the aroma of the bourbon is balanced with scents reminiscent of a camping trip, along with a pleasant dark berry jam. The palate explodes with spice as rye spice, Mexican chocolate, and cinnamon spice collide with dry notes and dense brown sugar. The spice kicks off a wave of heat in the finish, which quickly transitions to dry and chewy, highlighting oak and leather along with an intriguing chocolate brownie batter note.

Garrison Brothers Balmorhea Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon contains similar traits to the standard Balmorhea Bourbon, but with the unique flair that single barrels can often bring to the table. The additional proof is nice, adding depth yet never being overpowering or trying to be the star of the show. Double-barreled Texas bourbon can easily go too far past the point of no return, thanks to Texas’ extreme aging climate, but Garrison Brothers Balmorhea Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon embraces its roots and delivers a really nice sip for those who will be able to get their hands on a bottle. The ability to help out a charity in the process is only the icing on the cake for this limited distillery-only release from Garrison Brothers.

‍The bourbon in review is bottle number 98 from barrel 1439.