Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon has always been a tough one for me, and not because the whiskey is bad. Quite the opposite. When I reviewed the 5th Release, I liked the dark sweetness, heat, oak, and barrel-proof excess of it. I remember enjoying the 2020 version as well. Cowboy Bourbon usually does what it promises: big Texas bourbon, uncut, intense, and built for drinkers who want proof with a pulse.

The 2025 release keeps that identity intact. Made from Garrison Brothers’ 74% corn, 15% wheat, and 11% malted barley mash bill, this is still the jewel in the distillery’s crown and still a genuinely good Texas bourbon. At 146.4 proof and just over six years old, it certainly looks the part, deep mahogany in the glass, heavy and dark, with the kind of color that seems to arrive wearing boots with opinions.

What surprised me is that it does not hit quite as hard as the proof and color suggest. The nose is dense and familiar for Cowboy: dark fruit, thick wood lacquer, black licorice, and honey pushed right to the edge of burning. The palate brings burnt sugar, pomegranate molasses, mint, ginger, brown sugar crème brûlée, black licorice, and that extra-toasted baklava quality, but the whiskey is more controlled than feral. It is hot, absolutely, but not as explosive as 146.4 proof might imply.

That balance is a point in its favor. This is not a wrecking ball dressed up as a limited release. It carries its wood influence well, stays coating without becoming syrupy, and lets the heat settle into caramelized wood sugars, molasses, dark leather, dried strawberries, clove, and something close to an unmedicated Ricola.

Still, I wanted more raw power. Cowboy 2025 is heavy, flavorful, and well-built, but for a hazmat release at this proof, I expected a little more thunder in the room.

And then there is the price.

A $249.99 MSRP is insane. I am not sure what a six-year-old bourbon, even a hazmat six-year-old bourbon, would need to taste like to justify $250, but this does not get there. It is good. At times, very good. It is recognizably Cowboy, recognizably Garrison, and recognizably Texas. It just cannot outrun the sticker shock.

So yes, Cowboy Bourbon 2025 is a strong release. I would happily drink it again. I would not happily pay $249.99 for it.

At some point, the question shifts from whether the whiskey is good to whether being good is enough when the bottle is priced beyond what most drinkers can reasonably reach.

Thank you to Garrison Brothers for the opportunity to taste this. All opinions are my own.

Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon 2025: Specs

Classification: Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Producer: Garrison Brothers Distillery

Mash Bill: 74% Corn, 15% Wheat, 11% Malted Barley

Proof: 146.4º (73.2% ABV)

Age: 6+ Years Old

Location: Hyde, Texas

Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon 2025 Price: $249.99

Official Website

Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon 2025: Tasting Notes

Eye: Deep mahogany. Film on the glass. Barest rims, thin legs, tiny drops.

Nose: Almost burnt honey, sweet with a bitter edge. Proof is restraining the nose a bit, but you can tell the intensity is underneath. I remember the nose from other Cowboy Bourbon releases - dark, dried fruit, thick wood lacquer, black licorice.

Palate: Tamer than I expected (this is hazmat, after all), if still quite hot. Focused on the front tongue, burnt sugar and a hint of menthol. Drying, baklava extra toasted. Tip of the tongue piquancy continues to grow. Pomegranate molasses, some mint, brown sugar creme brulee, ginger and black licorice. Heavy without being filling, stays coating.

Finish: Coating, heat dies away to reveal more diverse wood sugars caramelized and almost burnt. Medium length, the molasses lasting longest.

Overall: I like this, but I want more of the raw power promised by the proof and color. Flavors are familiar, spiced honey warmed and almost burning. This reminds me of an unmedicated Ricola, dark leather, dried strawberries, and a touch of clove. Well-balanced with wood influence, even if I want more power.