Garrison Brothers, Texas’ first legal bourbon distillery, released its rarest, oldest, and most coveted expression, Laguna Madre. Hundreds of Garrison Brothers fans and bourbon aficionados lined up in the early morning hours outside the distillery gates in Hye, Texas, to be among the first to gain access to this year’s release. In its fifth year, the 2024 release of Laguna Madre yielded a total of 3,000 bottles, with the first 1,000 released during Saturday’s event.
Garrison Brothers Laguna Madre matures eight full years before its release. It is first aged for four years in hand-selected white American oak barrels and then transferred into very rare Limousin oak casks for another four years of aging in the Texas hill country heat. Limousin oak is sourced from the central forests in France and is prized for its powerful vanilla and lignin content. Trees from the forest can only be harvested when they are 120 years of age or older. Quantities of these special casks are extremely limited. At 101 proof, this year’s Laguna Madre shares tasting notes of root beer, vanilla bean, hazelnut, saltwater taffy, chocolate gems, and an “adults only” candy bar finish. This rare bourbon has a creamy mouthfeel, much like almond butter.
“This year’s release, enjoyed correctly and respected, is as spectacular and unique as the Laguna Madre Bay,” shares Donnis Todd, Master Distiller at Garrison Brothers.
The first release of Garrison Brothers’ Laguna Madre in 2020 was dedicated to raising funds for Team Rubicon and the local hospitality community in hill country through an initiative, Operation Crush COVID-19. Garrison Brothers was able to raise over $400,000 for those affected during the pandemic from the sales of this special new bourbon release and other fundraisers. Laguna Madre has won notable spirit awards, gaining national attention. Most recently, it won a Double Gold from the 2024 TAG Global Spirits Awards and Gold from both the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the 2024 Ascot Awards.
The 2024 Laguna Madre release is also helping spread the mission and fundraising needs for the non-profit organization FlatsWorthy through in-package messaging and special events support. A charity that Garrison Brothers’ Donnis Todd and his son are involved with, FlatsWorthy, Inc., is a coalition of diverse anglers practicing mutual respect while sharing the same resource. Formed in 2015 in Aransas County, Texas, their focus has been Texas’ coastal area with reach across the state and south. Their mission is accomplished through public awareness and education, participation in habitat restoration, and involvement with state and federal agencies in resource protection. Each bottle of Garrison Brothers Laguna Madre is housed in a custom-built wooden display case, framed by a photo of the Texas Gulf Coast and accompanied by informational assets about FlatsWorthy.
Laguna Madre will be available at limited bars, restaurants, and retailers in the beginning of August. The suggested retail price is $349.00.
For more information on Laguna Madre and Garrison Brothers, visit the Garrison Brothers website.
About Garrison Brothers Distillery
Garrison Brothers Distillery is a small farm and ranch located in the beautiful Texas Hill Country that authentically produces straight bourbon whiskey. Garrison Brothers introduced the first bourbon whiskey legally made in Texas in 2010 and has since developed a rabid fan base. They currently have a waitlist of more than 18,000 just to volunteer on bottling days, and their Cowboy Bourbon normally sells out within hours of its release. Garrison Brothers is the first legal bourbon distillery in Texas history and the first distillery outside of Kentucky to produce authentic, handmade bourbon whiskey—and only bourbon whiskey. Every expression of Garrison Brothers bourbon is made from a sweet mash bill and barrel-aged in the intense Texas climate. The extreme heat creates multiple aging seasons in a year, resulting in a darker, richer, and fuller bourbon, bolder than almost any other bourbon on the market.
In 2023, Garrison Brothers Distillery was named Distillery of the Year and presented with the prestigious Bubble Cap award by the American Distilling Institute. Garrison Brothers’ Guadalupe was awarded Platinum at the 2022 ASCOT Awards as well as at the Monterey International Wine & Spirits Competition, also taking home the 2022 Spirit of the Year. Guadalupe continued to take home Gold awards in 2022 including: San Francisco World Spirits Competition, San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge, Spirits International Prestige Awards (SIP), Denver International Spirits Competition, and TAG Global Spirits Awards. At the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2021, Garrison Brothers’ Laguna Madre was awarded a Double Gold Medal along with one Silver Medal for Single Barrel and three Bronze Medals. At the Denver International Spirits Competition, Garrison Brothers won Best of Show in 2021, taking 1st place for their Cowboy Bourbon.
Garrison Brothers is a proud and active member of the communities of Blanco, Fredericksburg, Hye, Johnson City, and Stonewall. The distillery and its barrel barns are open to the public for tours in Hye, Texas. Anyone interested in learning more about Garrison Brothers Bourbon or in taking a tour of the distillery should visit the Garrison Brothers website or follow @garrisonbros on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.