Bourbon Review: Garrison Brothers 2024 Laguna Madre

[@BrianVaughn]

I've heard mixed thoughts on Garrison Brothers. Maybe if I see it at a bar, I'll give it a try. That cost is a little problematic.

[@Nokomisclub]

Sounds good. I’m having high priced bourbon fatigue though

[@robertharper2158]

As a Texas man and a Whiskey man, I have every available bottle from Garrison Brother's. That being said.........Laguna Madre is my favorite.

[@scottg1999]

GB pricing always scared me off but I picked up a Cask Strength Store Pick (in MN) and was blown away. Killed bottle in less than a week (with a little help from my friends). $160 ($20 off) + MN tax = $180. Worth every penny.

[@Buc5054]

Garrison Brothers is making some good stuff but their pricing is out of control.

[@austinhamilton1234]

Good to see GB getting some respect! It's an expensive product for their special releases, but their process and craft is amazing on all levels, and all their different whiskeys are great. It's a bit of an acquired taste from your typical TN or KY whiskies, but I encourage everyone to try it. Definitely give their campus in Hye Texas a visit someday, it's a fun little tour.

[@GarrisonBrothersDistillery]

Thank you Fred for the great review! Salud 🥃

[@big_whiskey7376]

... I am happy you reviewed this. Texas has been putting out some great stuff for a while. $350 price tag, who cares, I know it's worth it now when I come across it at Total Wine or another higher end liquor store.

[@ryanfox9461]

In total wine now! I just got 2

[@noworldforeric]

One of the sites had the Small Batch, the Honeydew, and this for 500$ for all three. I feel like that's a solid deal if you didn't have all three of them especially with this being 350$ MSRP and their offerings in general being expensive. Usually their products are very polarizing from what I've heard.

[@rdiamond655]

I’ve had one of their limited releases a friend shared. It was very nice. This sounds tempting indeed

[@KurtFogleman]

I loved hearing you mention Whiskey Acres. You’re the second influencer I’ve heard today mention them. 5:36 I went to the distillery a few years ago and liked their stuff. I thought I was the only one.

[@AlwaysChamps]

The only GB I have tried is the small batch and I didn’t like it. VERY corn forward and farmy. Not boring but unpleasant imo?

[@thumperjdm]

Agreed. The only GB I've bought was a 94-proof Single Barrel. After giving it 5-6 tries, it became a drain poor. To me, it tasted like hot wood, and nothing else.

[@javieracosta3439]

Not boring is certainly on the mark. Enjoyability is another matter. Especially at their asking prices.

[@jabdelsayed]

This review is fantastic! The LE reviews are where Fred shines. If I see this one I’ll definitely try a pour now!

[@marcremington7375]

GM Master Distiller Donnis Todd is a genius and an awesome guy. Glad to see this getting such great response from Fred. The Balmorhea is fantastic.

[@alanpawlowski1202]

I have always wanted to try Garrison but I'll be damned if I'm shelling out for it. That Woodinville 8yr though.....👀👀

[@ehtater]

There is another Madre word I use when I see the price on this one.

[@jaldis1968]

Despite being in Texas, never purchased Garrison Brothers. That just changed based on this review. It was expensive, but hope it will be worth it.

[@Ryan-dc6lj]

Start with a Balmorhea.

[@markcalhoun8219]

8 years in the TX heat has got to be nearly impossible to pull off without over oaking so I get a big premium but $350 is way too high for me.

[@tlberg]

What can you compare the flavor profile too? Lady bird?

[@allanc.3265]

Wow: very interesting review. Not too often are you THIS impressed.. I’ll drink my Garrison Brothers tonight..

[@wadewoodard9805]

8 years in Texas in barrels is a long long time. And it's an actual bourbon because only aged in new charred oak barrels.

[@eventyoursofspirits]

Sounds like I need to try it!

[@Stain83]

if I had the spare coin, in this economy, i'd be drinking it. $1500 if I want it here in Australia. Count yourselves lucky Murica

[@DaShowBiz1]

Thanks for giving Garrison their props. Their pricing is kind of crazy but their special finishes are outstanding. 2023 Cowboy Bourbon is phenomenal! Unfortunately I wasn’t able to go to their release this year for the Laguna Madre but maybe I’ll come across it in a store!

[@bendejo10]

Did you spit some of that whiskey back in the pink cup??

[@thomascrompton7775]

Yeah people go crazy because you are crazy if you spend 300 plus for a bottle

[@TastemanHere]

That MSRP is way out of my tax bracket. Would love to taste in a blind though.

[@kevinernst6424]

I've had the "Cowboy" after a friend raved about it. He pays 280 beans for it. I've had better bourbons for under 50. This is my opinion, but I've been drinking bourbon over 50 years now and I'm yet to have one priced over 300 that I would say was worth it.

[@mistermom310]

Happy belated birthday 🎂🥃 What part of Oklahoma did you grow up in?

[@FredMinnick]

thank you. Jones :-)

[@mistermom310]

​@@FredMinnickI'm just S of Tulsa.

[@kerryroot7497]

What part of Oklahoma did you grow up in?

[@FredMinnick]

Central, in a little town called Jones

[@kerryroot7497]

@@FredMinnick I know where Jones is. Used to sell some Cat engines to an oil well service company in Jones. Family was from the Shidler, Kaw City area.

[@spitefulbumm]

Thanks for the review. Heading to OKC for business this week. Any liquor stores you like in that area?

[@bobschannel1844]

I have had most Texas whiskey and Still Austin and Nancy do it best. GB is a hard pass for me.

[@ZapataGuajardo]

GB is king in Texas. Period. Love everything Still Austin And have you really had “everything” Texas whiskey and ONLY like one distillery? 🤔🤔

[@bobschannel1844]

@@ZapataGuajardo, yes, I have had Ironroot, GB, Balcones, Still Austin, and a few other smaller distilleries. Texas whiskey is not good. GB is your opinion, their stuff even the LE's sit on our shelves. Still Austin does it best.

[@ZapataGuajardo]

@@bobschannel1844 as someone who has been involved in all facets of the spirits industry, people who “don’t like” Texas whiskey are either uneducated on the spirit, unwilling to learn and explore, or are naive to the spirit as a whole. Funny you say Texas whiskey “isn’t good” but multiple distilleries have won double golds, multiple distilleries, including some you’ve listed, have had whiskeys in ‘Whiskey Advocate’ top 20 of the world, IronRoot has been named best Craft Distillery multiple years in a row, Still and Garrison Brothers are neck and neck as some of the best whiskeys in the entire US, and GB, Balcones, Still, Milam and Greene have all placed in Fred’s top 100, and Andalusia is clear and across the board been considered the best single malt in the US. YOU as an individual are choosing to come into the Texas Whiskey community with a closed mind and not willing to educate yourself nor anyone around you about the community and spirit, just admit that. It’s totally fine, everything is subjective right, but don’t say “Texas whiskey isn’t good” when the awards and accolades are just piling up and proving you extremely wrong.

[@ZapataGuajardo]

@@bobschannel1844did you delete my comment? 😂 Look Balcones, Garrison, Milam & Greene, Giant Texas, Still all have landed on Fred’s top 100, multiple places have double gold, Andalusia is touted as the best American Single Malt, and multiple Texas Distilleries have landed in the whiskey advocate top 20 of the world. You’re blatantly approaching the Texas industry and community with a closed mind and don’t want to be educated on the matter, admit that. The accolades are stacking up and Texas whiskey is gonna be a huge part of the future You are allowed to have your preferences but don’t speak blasphemy. It’s as if someone said “everything Buffalo Trace makes is trash,” Laughable and Ignorant Come learn and experience but don’t talk out the gutter

[@bobschannel1844]

@@ZapataGuajardo bro, no one deleted your comment...🤡 It is as your palate is almost as bad as your KZbin/interweb skills......non-existent. I get why you are all in defense of Texas whiskey tho. Cause you, like me have probably heard how often people refer to Texas whiskey as hot garbage. Relax man, there will a lot of Texas whiskey for you to buy as it will be sitting on shelves.🤣

[@donknott]

Had to stop the video and move on to something else. Way out of my price range.

[@eventyoursofspirits]

😮😮😮😮😮😮

[@christinecamley]

Single malt scotch all the way!

[@TastemanHere]

all the way where?

[@christinecamley]

@@TastemanHere All the way into a fabulous Glen Cairn glass to sip neat!

[@TastemanHere]

@@christinecamley What’s your go-to? Lagavulin? Compass Box? Ardbeg? You like stateside stuff like Balcones?

[@christinecamley]

@@TastemanHere Lagavulin 16 was my gateway into scotch - lved peat immediately!! Love, love, love Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Kilchomen, Kilkerran, Ardbeg and any good peated scotch!! I do like Balcones! Fabulous!!:

[@edwinglandon2277]

Come on Fred. Who cares about a 349 product we will never see. Give us something we might buy for a review. Very disappointed 😢

[@69CamaroSS]

Agreed!!!! When my bourbon “hunting list” got longer than my ARM, I quit even watching videos on unicorns and allocated overpriced juice! There are LITERALLY HUNDREDS of available bottles in dozens of stores in my area. DONE HUNTING!

[@JonBlankman]

I wouldn't pay $80 for ANY Garrison Brothers bottle again, let alone $349! No way even if my life depended on it.

[@Ryan-dc6lj]

Then you're missing out, man 😭​@@JonBlankman

[@tylerstoddard6734]

I would buy it so don’t say nobody cares. Maybe we want to know if a high priced bottle is worth it before we blind buy it….also these have been sitting at total wine here in Florida for months so they are findable.