Limited Release on May 22 at the Distillery Drive-Through and Nationwide Starting May 25
AUSTIN, TEXAS (April 28, 2020) — Garrison Brothers Distillery, the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas, announced today the third release of its multi-award-winning twice-barreled bourbon, Balmorhea. The limited release will kick off on Friday, May 22 in Hye, Texas, at the distillery. The team will have a drive-through purchasing experience for the first bottles available. Balmorhea will then be available nationwide in limited quantities beginning May 25. First released in 2018, the twice-barreled bourbon’s 2020 release equates to just 6,000 bottles total. Named after the iconic West Texas Park that is home to North America’s largest spring-fed swimming pool, the initial release of this bourbon raised over $250,000 to help keep Balmorhea State Park open.
Garrison Brothers’ Balmorhea has won the most awards to date in the distillery’s portfolio of grain-to-glass bourbon whiskies. Most recently, Balmorhea won a Double Gold medal at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Awards. Double Gold distinctions are only awarded to entries that receive a Gold medal rating by all members of the judging panel; these are noted to be among the finest products in the world.
“The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is considered the top dog of spirits competitions,” said Dan Garrison, founder and proprietor of Garrison Brothers Distillery. “I could not be more proud of the team that made this bourbon or the bourbon itself. Together we have raised the bar.”
Balmorhea is the only twice-barreled bourbon in the Garrison Brothers family released on an annual basis. It’s aged four years in new American white oak barrels made from wood grown, yard-seasoned, and dry-aged for 25 months in the Ozarks. Then, the liquid is transferred to a second new American white oak barrel (custom designed by Master Distiller Donnis Todd to highlight specific flavors and qualities), and aged for another year. The bourbon is bottled at 57.5% alc/vol or 115 proof and comes from a sweet mash bill, like all of Garrison Brothers’ releases. Todd’s tasting notes for Balmorhea include a litany of what he calls “Dairy Queen toppings” including bourbon candy, frozen fudgesicle bars, amaretto coffee with cream, sticky buns and pecan brittle.
“Earning a Double Gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits competition means the world to our team,” said Garrison Brothers Master Distiller Donnis Todd. “We truly believe that Balmorhea is the byproduct of friendships—and I mean that. Yes, there is a great deal of craft involved, but what makes this product shine is the friendships we have with our cooperages, our purveyors, and our team. All are essential to what goes into that bottle, and it wouldn’t be nearly as good without them.”
Garrison Brothers will celebrate the third release of Balmorhea Twice-Barreled Bourbon with a drive-through purchasing opportunity at their distillery in Hye, Texas, on Friday, May 22, 2020. Distillery gates will open at Hye Noon (12:00 p.m. CDT) and remain open until 2 p.m. All bottles allocated to the distillery typically sell out within one hour, so the Garrison Brothers team encourages early arrival. The purchase limit is two bottles per person.
One lucky attendee will win the chance to join Master Distiller Donnis Todd as he tastes his way through the Garrison Brothers’ rickhouses to find the perfect barrels for the 2021 release of Balmorhea. Seventy-seven barrels went into making the 2020 release. One special bottle will be secretly labeled with “#77” and placed on gift shop shelves. The patron who purchases it will win barrel selection rights for the following year. Balmorhea lovers are encouraged to keep an eye on Garrison Brothers’ Instagram page for teasers and more info.
Only 504 bottles of Balmorhea Twice-Barreled Bourbon will be available at the distillery in Hye, Texas, for $159.99 beginning May 22. The remaining 5,496 bottles will be distributed to select liquor stores, bars, and restaurants throughout Texas and the other 26 states and military bases where Garrison Brothers is sold. Bottles will be available for purchase nationwide the week of May 25.
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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 15,000 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 is one of the first distilleries in America outside of Kentucky to produce authentic, handmade bourbon whiskey—and only bourbon whiskey. The business was founded in 2006.
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.
At the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2020, the Garrison Brothers team was awarded a double gold medal for its Balmorhea Twice-Barreled Bourbon, a silver medal for its Single Barrel Bourbon, and a bronze for its Small Batch Bourbon. Garrison Brothers was voted Best Craft Whiskey Distillery in America by readers of USA Today in 2017.
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.
MEDIA CONTACT
Bryan Gonzales | 512-797-8579 | bryan@giantnoise.com | garrisonbros@giantnoise.com
Diana Bianchini | 310-288-0077 | diana@dimodapr.com | garrisonbros@dimodapr.com
