Maple syrup | Brown sugar | Ovaltine powder | Charred oak | Light smoke | Cinnamon | Unique

Malted chocolate milk shake | Baking spices | Baking chocolate | Leather | Faint vanilla powder | Toasted oak | Delicious

Spiced chocolate | Baking spices | Dried tobacco leaf | Leather | Black peppercorn rub | Lingering charred oak

Garrison Brothers Bottled in Bond Bourbon is the company’s 10th release and closely follows up last year’s Sonora Bourbon release. For their Bottled in Bond Bourbon, Garrison let the bourbon age for 6 years, during which it experienced six hot Texas summers. Proofed down with pure Hill Country rainwater, the bourbon follows all of the rules and regulations to allow it to be labeled a bottled in bond bourbon. The question on all consumers' minds will be whether upping the time in the barrel and the proof, compared to the company’s Small Batch Bourbon, truly makes that big of a difference.

The bourbon opens with a unique note that is much sweeter than expected, thanks to a rich aroma full of maple syrup, Ovaltine powder, brown sugar, and the pleasing scents of charred oak, cinnamon, and light smoke. Heavy chocolate notes carry over to the midpoint and are joined with baking spices and faint vanilla powder. Earthier leather and toasted oak join in and carry through to the finish, which, aside from spiced chocolate, focuses less on sweet notes and more on dry flavors. The sip ends on a charred oak note that lingers for an incredibly long time.

While the sip delivered is great, consumers may be leery of Garrison Brothers asking price. A 6 year old bottled in bond bourbon for $100 will certainly be on the high end of the spectrum for many people. While similarly aged products from Kentucky, such as Heaven Hill’s 7 Year Bottled in Bond, cost a fraction of the price, those distilleries also have economies of scale going for them.  A more suitable comparison would be Still Austin Bottled in Bond Bourbon or Still Austin Bottled in Bond Red Corn Bourbon, which are priced only $15-$20 less.

Similar to Still Austin’s line, Garrison Brothers Bottled in Bond features large amounts of sweet notes. While oak is also an ever-present factor, I found it to be more controlled and honed in comparison to some of Garrison Brothers other releases. It's this controlled boldness, along with its wheat mashbill, that makes Garrison Brothers Bottled in Bond Bourbon one you start the night with rather than end it with, so you can truly appreciate the flavors it delivers, unimpeded by influence from prior pours.

Garrison Brothers whiskey often delivers a distinctly unique drinking experience, and Garrison Brothers Bottled in Bond Bourbon is no exception. Six years can be a long time to sit in oak through hot Texas summers, yet this latest release from the distillery manages to blend grounded earthy notes with sweeter ones into an incredibly full-flavored sip. The only thing holding it back from greater heights is the fact that the finish leans too much into these earthier notes compared to the rest of the sip. For those who may hesitate to try bourbon from Texas, Garrison Brothers Bottled in Bond Bourbon is a great place to start.

The bourbon in review is bottle number 1629.