‘The Flavor Overpowers the Proof’: Texas Distillery Garrison Brothers’ 2023 Cowboy Bourbon Contains More Than 70% ABV

Cowboy Bourbon

(Photos: Garrison Brothers)

On Tuesday, Texas’ first legal bourbon distillery announced the release of a hazmat-proof whiskey that clocks in at a scorching 70.45% ABV.

Garrison Brothers’ 2023 Cowboy Bourbon will debut Sept. 23 at its annual distillery event in Hye, Texas. The first 1,000 bottles of 2023 Cowboy Bourbon will be available at the distillery, and the remaining 8,600 bottles will be released to liquor retailers and bars across the U.S. starting Oct. 1.

“It holds true even at 140.9, I truly believe the flavor overpowers the proof,” Garrison Brothers Master Distiller Donnis Todd said in a news release.

Cowboy bourbon is bottled from a selection of barrels Todd calls his “piggy bank” — casks that he considers “too flavorful on first taste to bottle.”

Each barrel used in this year’s Cowboy Bourbon blend is at least 6 years old. The final blend will sell for a retail price of $249.99. Each bottle is hand-signed and numbered by Todd and comes in custom gift box lined with a satin pillow.

Cowboy Bourbon

Garrison Brothers 2023 Cowboy Bourbon Tasting Notes, Via the Brand

Nose: Alluring bourbon perfume blending scents of fresh lumber and honey wheat bread, potent enough to stir the senses

Taste: Warm plums, rhubarb, cocoa powder and cherry juice, balanced by the earthiness of roasted pecans and a touch of white chocolate and clove honey

Finish: A delightful mix of cinnamon candy, burnt marshmallows, chewy caramels and apple cider, leaving behind a warmth akin to spicy citrus cinnamon and comforting apple pie

In June, Garrison Brothers teamed up with Irish distillery Clonakilty to release a 7-year-old Irish single malt whiskey that was finished in Garrison Brothers Balmorhea Bourbon barrels.

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