Garrison Brothers‘ Laguna Madre is considered (by it and by others) to be its most prized whiskey, the mash of 74% corn, 15% wheat, and 11% barley aged for four years in white American oak barrels and then transferred into French Limousin oak casks for another four years of aging in the Texas Hill Country heat.
Per GB: “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.” In general, the whiskey sees 2000 to 3000 bottles released each year.
Laguna Madre is always bottled at 101 proof and invariably includes a charitable angle to support its oversized price tag. The charity has changed over time, ranging from a Covid-19 charity to (of late) one called FlatsWorthy, which supports Texas fishing resources and ecosystems.
We are at long last consolidating our Laguna Madre review coverage into one post, with all reviewed expressions covered on a single page. We’ll update this page as we sample additional bottlings in the years to come.
Garrison Brothers Laguna Madre Bourbon (2021) Review
The nose is rather creamy and screams blondies (with a generous dose of nuts and burnt caramel bits) and Werther’s hard candies. Raisins punch threw occasionally. Given the introduction in the nose, the palate starts out surprisingly dry and chalky; a sawdust note that makes one think you’ve crashed through the door of an old abandoned shed made of sun-dried driftwood left untouched for years at the far end of an overgrown prairie. Cocoa powder accentuates this woodsy note as well. The woodiness and earthiness comes close, but just shy, to being smoky or peaty. The familiar cinnamon and white pepper eventually come through but are always riding side-saddle with the woodiness. Eventually it settles into the more familiar range of leather, oak, vanilla, peanuts, and popcorn. At the back end of the finish, a surprisingly mild prune note coasts along, which is a rather elegant landing for something that starts out with guns a-blazing.
This release is a fascinating nose-palate journey that demands your committed attention. Otherwise, at any turn it risks presenting itself as unbalanced and abrasive. Some elements can be hard to place because of the outsized wood profile that can mask the whiskey’s other characteristics, but the woodiness always seems to pull back just in time to let the softly creamy and sweet nut- and vanilla-forward notes come through.
I hesitate to suggest drinking this other than neat given its interesting character, but for the very same reason, my hunch is that it would add an edginess to familiar cocktails such as Manhattans and old fashioneds. At the MSRP though (and realistically at a much higher price point if you can find it at all), I dare not risk sparing a drop to an untested cocktail experiment. If you have a chance to try it, I encourage it. Whether it’s worth the market price, let alone the secondary, to each their own. 101 proof. -MU
A- / $299 [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Garrison Brothers Laguna Madre Bourbon (2022) Review
In the glass, the whiskey opens with lively fresh apple, white chocolate, and freshly sanded oak on the nose while toasted wheat bread and the slight chalkiness of chocolate sugar wafer cookies find their way forward, after allowing this pour to rest a while.
Next up, coffee beans and cocoa powder meet the lips before dissipating quickly and allowing space for baking spice and stewed apple ensconced in milk chocolate to pool in the middle of the palate. This whiskey has a pleasurable mouthfeel and a moderate albeit enjoyable finish to accompany those hearty flavors. It does become a touch drying, though that’s a welcome counterweight to the sweet flavor that lingers which is reminiscent of a chocolate mocha latte with white chocolate flakes.
Overall this feels like a sumptuous experience, even at the relatively restrained 101 proof point. Chewing the whiskey a bit coaxes forward some bitter oak indicating that there’s still a bit of those harsher aspects prevalent in Texas whiskey buried under the surface but when enjoyed in a straightforward manner this is a pour that is pleasing and even borders on being rich. With a taste of flat Dr. Pepper and a touch of cinnamon raisin rounding out the finish, there’s no shortage of interesting notes to reward repeat pours.
Concluding on a trifle of a matter, I loathe the fanciful copy that accompanies this bottle – though the copy is not to be outdone by the lavish package this comes in. Encased in a thick plastic cylinder with faux-aquatic accents underneath and a beach in the background, you’ll find phrases like “lovingly caressed from custom Limousin oak casks” appear on the side of the bottle as we’re told this expression “shines like an aquamarine temptress beckoning us to come out and play.” While my eyes threaten to roll right out of my head, the aromas and flavors presented in the glass force me to overlook such excessively ornate flourishes. When allowing this whiskey to speak for itself, I believe any enthusiast would be inclined to listen. -FD
101 proof. A- / $300 [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Garrison Brothers Laguna Madre Bourbon (2024) Review
Rarely is a Texas bourbon, particularly Garrison Brothers, shy about anything, and Laguna Madre is no exception. That big lumberyard quality is quick to hit the nose, but it’s countered by notes of coffee grounds, dark chocolate, and a soulful prune character that adds just the right amount of sweetness. The whiskey is smoky, with plenty of punchy creosote and chimney ash character, fading with time in glass to approximate burnt pie crust and well-toasted baking spices.
The palate strays minimally, with intense notes of coffee and chocolate leading the way, all filtered through a persistent note of sawn lumber and crushed cocoa pods. A sweet butterscotch note adds a more fanciful element, pairing nicely with notes of vanilla custard and, digging deeper, lighter elements of ginger, raspberry jam, and fresh, black figs. Providing time to rest in the glass is a great idea here, the finish rumbling its way toward a bold outro that Frank absolutely nailed: Flat Dr. Pepper.
Perhaps there’s a reason why my favorite cocktail when visiting the bar at the Garrison Brothers distillery is the frozen Dr. Pepper, spiked with Garrison Bros. Small Batch. Imagine the decadence if you made it with Laguna Madre… 101 proof.
A- / $349 [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Garrison Brothers Laguna Madre Bourbon (2025) Review
Juicy prune and coffee bean notes lead off an undulating, wood-heavy whiskey that simmers with aromas of cloves, dark chocolate, and plenty of freshly milled wood. As with many a Garrison bottling, the initial impression is of a rather savory whiskey, a traipsing through the lumberyard en route to meet the chimneysweep. Baking spices emerge with time in glass, heavy on allspice and nutmeg.
The palate of the whiskey is more surprising than in previous renditions, the dried fruit notes more insistent and tempered by a surprising note of toasted coconut. The woody barrel note steps back, just a bit, enough to let in some herbaceous mint and sage, slowly opening the door to fresh cherry, plum, and fig notes (the lattermost a hallmark of many Garrison Bros. bottlings). The finish cleans things up with vanilla and a reprise of coconut, pairing with a bite of cocoa to give the whiskey a German chocolate quality. While it’s not particularly Dr. Peppery this year (I tasted it side by side with 2024’s release), it’s at least in the wheelhouse. Different, but I ultimately liked the 2025 about the same. Four in a row! 101 proof.
A- / $350 [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
The post Review: Garrison Brothers Laguna Madre Bourbon (Updated 2025) appeared first on Drinkhacker: The Insider’s Guide to Good Drinking.
