Editor’s Note: This whiskey was 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.
When one thinks of Texas bourbon, the name Garrison Brothers immediately jumps to the front of one’s mind. This distillery introduced the first bourbon whiskey legally made in that state in 2010 and, subsequently, has released several bourbon-focused expressions from its small farm and ranch located in the Texas Hill Country. A rabid fanbase, in part, supports this, with, among other things, a waitlist of more than 18,000 to volunteer on bottling days.
One of the more unique yearly releases from here, and what’s being reviewed today, is the Guadalupe bourbon whiskey finished in a port wine barrel. Named after a Texas river, this spirit started in 2015 when Garrison Brothers procured a local winery’s decades-old port casks to age 4-year-old bourbon. Shortly after, Garrison Brothers Master Distiller Donnis Todd began sourcing for a more expansive port cask bourbon project. The maturation combination now comes from four years in white American oak casks and two years in tawny port casks sourced from Portugal.
“Garrison Brothers Guadalupe 2024 release is a bold beautiful bourbon that demonstrates the symphony of amazing Texas sized temperature swings in Hye paired with four years in white American oak casks then two more years in port casks,” said Todd at the time of its release.
Garrison Brothers 2024 Guadalupe is bottled at 107 proof and made with a sweet mash of number-one food-grade corn, soft red winter wheat, and barley, all sourced from Texas. It is proofed down with naturally sourced rainwater captured at the distillery. Every bottle is numbered and hand-dipped in bronze-colored wax to finish. The bourbon is priced at $149.99.