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Garrison Brothers Lady Bird Bourbon 2026 Review

Can a bourbon infused with honey avoid becoming an overly sweet mess? Garrison Bros Lady Bird pulls off a floral, Cognac-cask balancing act that surprised us.

OVERALL RATING

9
$179.99
  • Jeffrey Nitschke is a Portland-based attorney passionate about whiskey and cigars, with deep ties to the American whisky community and culture.
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Tasting Notes

About:

Like the state itself, Texas bourbon is known for their big, bold, and intense flavors. Much of this is due to the state’s temperature. With massive fluctuations in the summer, the bourbon ages very rapidly, evaporating with the angel’s share at more than twice the rate of their Kentucky counterparts, though it depends on the part of the state aging takes place in. Garrison Brothers, Texas’s first legal distillery, struggled at first with the rapid aging, their first barrels being destroyed by the Texas heat. A frequent recipient of awards for the products, the brand is as feisty as their founder Dan Garrison, who has said “[a]round here, bourbon is sacred and we will fight like hell to defend it…” .

Today at the Whiskey Wash, I have the privilege of tasting and reviewing Garrison Bros. Lady Bird, named in honor of Lady Bird Johnson, former first lady to President Lyndon B. Johnson and a Texas native. At 114 proof, it is 74% corn, 15% wheat, and 11% malted barley, the expression combines the already sweet profile of Garrison brothers signature Texas Straight 4-year-old bourbon with an infusion of Burleson’s wildflower honey (a Texas company), and a finishing of 8-9 months in a Cognac XO cask.
Appearance:
Dark amber, with hints of dark charred oak infusion.
Nose:
Clover honey and vanilla pop over dry oak. Notes of popcorn and black pepper intermingle with molasses.
Palate:
Lavender presents strongly with sweet wood notes of maple. Fruit in the form of apricots floats over bitter cacao.
Finish:
Honeycomb and dry cigarbox create a sweet and woody end. The cognac appears as sauteed pears and marmalade.
Comments:
While I’m unclear exactly how Garrison Bros infuses the honey into the whiskey, I was concerned it would turn it into an overly sweet, flavored whiskey. My experience couldn’t be farther from that concern. Somehow, the honey only lightly colors the expression, adding only a hint of sweetness while bringing out the underlying floral notes of lavender. The cognac is also easily detectible. To somehow balance and emphasize all of these flavors in a bourbon, which typically overpowers more subtle notes, is nothing less than a coup d’état.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash 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.

Jeffrey Nitschke

Jeffrey Nitschke is Portland area attorney whose career has dovetailed with a love of fine spirits and cigars. His hometown is rich with microdistilleries, which has afforded him the opportunity to learn the nuances of whiskey tasting and whiskey making. His writing and enthusiasm for the hobby has led to lasting friendships with other whiskey aficionados and connisures across the United States.

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