Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon

Garrison Brothers Small Batch is a bourbon from a distillery that makes whiskey in Texas, and the label tells you what to expect: a straight-style American whiskey built on a corn-heavy mash. The product details don't list a proof, age statement or mash bill, so the notes below describe what bourbons in this style usually offer. They aren't measured figures for this bottle. Expect a nose of caramel, vanilla and toasted oak. On the palate, look for sweet corn, brown sugar and baking spice, with a char-driven finish that runs from dry to warm. For a first pour, try it neat at room temperature in a Glencairn glass. The tulip shape concentrates the aromatics, so you can pick out the oak and vanilla before tasting. Let it sit for a minute after pouring. Then add a few drops of room-temperature water if the alcohol feels sharp, because a little dilution often opens up the grain and fruit notes in bourbon. If you prefer it cold, one large cube in a rocks glass chills it with little dilution. The sweetness stays prominent that way, and the spice gets quieter. In cocktails, a small-batch bourbon like this suits drinks where the whiskey is the main ingredient. An Old Fashioned is the obvious choice: two dashes of Angostura bitters, a bar spoon of sugar or a small measure of demerara syrup, 2 ounces of bourbon, and an orange peel expressed over the top. A Manhattan works too, with sweet vermouth in roughly a 2:1 ratio and a cherry garnish. Bourbon's corn sweetness sits well against vermouth's herbal bitterness. For a Whiskey Sour, shake 2 ounces with three-quarters of an ounce each of fresh lemon juice and simple syrup. Add an egg white if you want a silkier texture. For a long drink, pour 1.5 ounces over ice and top with cold ginger beer or soda water. A lemon wedge brings out the vanilla and keeps the oak in the background. For food, the caramel and char suit smoked brisket, grilled pork, pecan pie and dark chocolate, since each echoes or contrasts the whiskey's sweet-and-toasted profile.