Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon 2022 — a bourbon that merits close attention.
Nose
The Texas heat had its impact on color as well as alcohol content. This is dark whiskey, roughly the color of the classic brown crayon.
Palate
It’s sweeter than you’d expect. Red wine, fingernail polish remover, port, mesquite, orange zest, caramel, dark cherry, bran muffin. The Cowboy comes packaged in a wooden box lined with a white satin pillow, and the bottle has a medal around its neck listing the release year. It looks like it should be expensive bourbon. The question is whether the liquid inside the bottle lives up to the hype.rnrnOn that score, I’m not sure I love the 2022 release quite as much as I did the 2019 version, but it’s close. This is good, idiosyncratic bourbon. Kentucky bourbons have a distinctiveness to them, and the Cowboy is a reminder that Texas whiskeys are developing their own flavor profile, too. This is one of the higher-end Texas releases each year.rnrnIf you have a chance to get a pour of the Cowboy, take it. Drink it neat, and after a sip or two, add a little water. Work your way up the sweetness ladder while the alcohol drops. Then, if you can afford it, pour a second one. You won’t regret it.
Finish
Comes on like a soft, leather jacket. It’s velvety and spicy. It does, as you’d expect, taste a lot like the Garrison Brothers Small Batch – only stronger. With water, the Cowboy becomes sweeter and more dessert-like. Think chocolate and cherries, with maybe a hint of Dr. Pepper. The more splashes of water you add, the sweeter it gets. Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by Whiskeyful or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.
Verdict
Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon 2022 delivers a thoroughly accomplished whiskey that justifies its price point. It is well-crafted, balanced, and worthy of a place in any considered collection.
