The Texas Whiskey Festival has revealed its 2026 must-have Texas whiskeys, with Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon earning both the Best Bourbon and overall top whiskey honors through the event’s annual blind tasting program. The awards were announced in Austin, Texas, following a judging process in which entries were grouped by style and evaluated blind.
The festival’s awards program highlights top bottles across multiple categories, including bourbon, rye, malt whiskey, light whiskey, and cask-finished whiskey.
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“Texas whiskey reflects where it’s made and who’s making it—the heat, the grain, the independence,” said Jake Clements, founder of the Texas Whiskey Festival. “What we’re seeing now is a category coming into its own, with distillers writing their own playbook. That’s what makes it so compelling.”
Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon, aged at least six years and bottled at 146.4 proof, took the top spot in a competitive bourbon field. The expression is released annually and has developed a devoted following among collectors and enthusiasts.
In the rye category, Koopers Family Barrel Reserve Rye earned the must-try designation. The bottling is a blend of straight rye whiskeys aged between four and seven years in a mix of first and second-fill barrels, finished with toasted oak staves and bottled at barrel proof.
Andalusia Whiskey Co. claimed two category wins. Its Cigar Malt, a peated, wine-cask-finished American single malt created with master blender Irene Tan, was named the top malt whiskey. The distillery’s Madeira Cask Stryker, an American single malt distilled from grains smoked with oak, mesquite, and apple woods and finished for six months in ex-Madeira casks, won the cask-finished category.
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Austin Craft Spirits earned the light whiskey award for its Austin 121, a cask-strength release that varies in proof barrel by barrel.
Milam & Green Whiskey won the People’s Choice Award, which was determined by festival attendees. The festival noted that an error during the event led to an incorrect initial announcement, and final results were subsequently verified.
“This tasting is about what people actually enjoy drinking, not just what checks technical boxes,” noted Clements. “Each of these bottles earned its place in the glass and reflects where Texas whiskey is today—bold, diverse, and continuing to evolve.”
Judging for the Texas Whiskey Festival occurs annually, with all entries evaluated through a blind tasting process. Judges prioritize criteria focused on drinkability rather than purely technical benchmarks.
