Garrison Brothers Balmorhea Double Barreled Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Garrison Brothers Balmorhea Double Barreled Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the twice-barreled bottle from Hye: six years in new American white oak, then four more in a second new barrel toasted and charred for a different set of sugars, ten years in Texas heat, bottled at 115 proof. Named for Balmorhea State Park, it began as a Donnis Todd experiment in 2017 and is now the permanent double-oak expression. The second barrel is what you taste as dessert oak on top of the first barrel's char. Wheated sweet mash, 74% corn, 15% wheat, 11% malted barley, proofed with Hill Country rainwater. Bring it out when you want the whiskey in front, not the mixer.

Amaretto coffee, sticky buns, and fudgesicle lead a dense, coating sip, with pecan brittle and thick white chocolate behind them. Maple candy and baking spice linger on a long close, cinnamon and toasted oak keeping the second new barrel from turning into pure dessert.