Texas’ Oldest and Rarest Straight Bourbon Whiskey Shines a Light on Texas Waters
HYE, TX (July 25, 2023) – Garrison Brothers, Texas’ first legal bourbon distillery, released their rarest and most coveted expression, Laguna Madre, on Saturday July 22, 2023 at a special distillery event in Hye, Texas. This exclusive expression yielded 2,100 total bottles for 2023 with one thousand bottles of the beloved whiskey having been taken home by aficionados and dedicated fans at the release event.
A full eight years of maturation makes Laguna Madre the oldest bourbon released by Garrison Brothers—and the oldest made in Texas. It is aged four years in white American oak barrels and another four years in Limousin oak casks. It is the first bourbon ever finished in the extremely expensive and rare casks which are imported from France. The result is a vanilla content that is simply off the charts. The 101 proof bottle features tasting notes such of root beer, vanilla bean, hazelnut, saltwater taffy, chocolate gems and an “adults only” candy bar finish.
“This is one an experienced bourbon drinker won’t ever forget” shares Dan Garrison, Founder Garrison Brothers.
Built into the ethos of this bourbon expression is social impact and giving back. Laguna Madre was first released in 2020 as the launch pad for Operation Crush COVID-19 driving donations to Good Bourbon for a Good Cause, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to help support the Texas hospitality industry so bartenders, servers and cooks could rebuild their lives after massive industry-wide layoffs.
The 2023 release, will continue the tradition of supporting worthy causes as it is being used to drive awareness and recognition to the non-profit organization FlatsWorthy. FlatsWorthy, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization, is a coalition of diverse anglers practicing mutual respect while sharing the same resource. Formed in 2015 in Aransas County, Texas, the organization’s focus has been Texas’ coastal area with reach state and south-wide. They accomplish their mission through public awareness and education, participation in habitat restoration, and involvement with state and federal agencies in resource protection.
Ahead of the release, in June 2023, the Garrison Brothers Distillery team joined forces with FlatsWorthy for a three-day fishing trip on the Texas Gulf Coast in the very waters for which the bottle was named – the Laguna Madre. The organization holds a special place in the heart of Garrison Brothers’ Master Distiller Donnis Todd, especially, as his son Calvin is a proud FlatsWorthy volunteer.
“Blessed to be associated with such a wonderful group of people who are as passionate about the Laguna Madre as I am about the bourbon” shares Donnis Todd, Master Distiller Garrison Brothers.
On release day, FlatsWorthy had an informational tent set up at the distillery with founding members Chuck Naiser and Billy Trimble in attendance.
“We appreciate the unique opportunity to partner with Garrison Brothers Distillery who share our concern and dedication to conserving the resource for future generations. Together we can make a difference on the Laguna Madre and adjacent waters” shares Chuck Naiser, Founding Member FlatsWorthy.
Each bottle of Garrison Brothers Laguna Madre is housed in custom-built wooden display case, framed by a photo of the Texas Gulf Coast and accompanied by informational assets about FlatsWorthy. All bottles are hand-signed and numbered by Master Distiller Donnis Todd.
Laguna Madre will be available at limited bars, restaurants and retailers by the end of July 2023. The suggested retail price is $349.00.
For more information on Laguna Madre and Garrison Brothers, go to www.garrisonbros.com.
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.
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 garrisonbros.com or follow @garrisonbros on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About FlatsWorthy
FlatsWorthy, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization, is a coalition of diverse anglers practicing mutual respect while sharing the same resource. We accomplish our mission through public awareness and education, participation in habitat restoration, and involvement with state and federal agencies in resource protection.
FlatsWorthy, Inc., was formed in 2015 in Aransas County, Texas. While the focus has been in this coastal area, the reach of FlatsWorthy, Inc., has been statewide. The Advisory Board consists of members from around the State of Texas who represent academics, state agencies, and successful men and women engaged in enterprise.
The Code of Angler Respect (COAR) is the guiding document of FlatsWorthy, Inc. The 3 tenets are: Respect Fellow Anglers, Respect the Resource, and Respect the Law.
FlatsWorthy, Inc., volunteers represent countless years of experience dealing with coastal issues. With the help of our members, we have participated in habitat restoration projects on the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. These volunteer opportunities build a greater sense of stewardship.
Our educational efforts have created a robust public dialogue, bringing different opinions together to settle issues through self-regulation. The involvement with state agencies in this dialogue has promoted an appreciation for the important role these agencies play in working together toward a common goal.
We recognize what happens now will have lasting effects in the future. FlatsWorthy, Inc. welcomes new challenges and opportunities to serve and make this a better place than it was going to be.
flatsworthy.com, @flatsworthyTX on Instagram.
MEDIA CONTACT: Di Moda Public Relations | 310-288-0077 | garrisonbros@dimodapr.com