Garrison Brothers and TCMA team up to support a unique cave …
Cheers, y’all, to an exciting partnership between TCMA and Texas’ first and oldest legal whiskey distillery, now supporting The Caverns of Sonora through sales of its new signature bourbon. Simply called Sonora, this seven-year aged Garrison Brothers bourbon is finished in rye whiskey barrels and bears the name of the famed commercial cave and city in Southwest Texas.
The first 1,000 bottles of Sonora are available at the Hye, Texas distillery’s release event on October 18, according to a news release. The remaining 5,000 bottles will be on sale at Garrison Brothers’ e-commerce store and at other key accounts nationwide beginning early November – with $5 from every bottle to be donated to the Texas Cave Management Association for safeguarding The Caverns of Sonora, helping preserve this natural wonder for generations to come.
Besides being Texas’ oldest whiskey distillery, Garrison Brothers is the first outside of Kentucky to produce authentic, handcrafted, corn-to-cork bourbon whiskey—and only bourbon whiskey.
Thirty barrels filled
In March 2022, Garrison Brothers filled thirty 53-gallon rye whiskey barrels with four-year-old Garrison Brothers Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Three years later, the exceptional bourbon in those barrels matured into Sonora — drawing its name from the awe-inspiring Caverns of Sonora. “Just as the Caverns of Sonora took millions of years to form, Sonora is the product of years of careful aging,” the Garrison Brothers statement said. “Sonora is the culmination of years of craftsmanship, passion, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.”
How will Garrison Brothers and TCMA benefit the caverns? Charitable funds raised by the distillery through bourbon sales will be gifted to a nonprofit, Good Bourbon for a Good Cause, which will then earmark funds for restoration efforts at the cave, to be monitored by TCMA.
“Sonora celebrates the natural beauty of Texas.”
– Nancy Garrison
“This is an incredible opportunity for TCMA and its conservation work to become known to a new audience as we support a world-class commercial cave and become involved with ongoing restoration activities there,” said Rachael Lindsey, TCMA president.
Women whiskey crafters
Samantha Olvera, a leader within the Garrison Brothers distilling team for the last seven years, is also the first Latina in Texas to craft bourbon from grain to glass. Master Distiller Donnis Todd guided Olvera to help manage the project alongside Nancy Garrison, the distillery’s co-founder, and other team members.
Nancy Garrison explained, “Sonora celebrates the natural beauty of Texas, the legacy of Garrison Brothers Distillery, and the women who are shaping the future of handcrafted bourbon.”
Caverns of Sonora was a natural choice for what has become the ninth expression in the award-winning Garrison Brothers portfolio. One of nine commercial caves in the state, The Caverns of Sonora was named a National Natural Landmark in 1966 and is world-renowned for its helictites and other speleothems. Other Garrison expressions include Balmorhea, Guadalupe, Lady Bird, and Laguna Madre.
At 108 proof, the autumn amber Sonora batch has a shared profile and tasting notes including rich aromas of sweet corn, oak, and rye spices that mingle with vanilla and butterscotch. These are followed by a bouquet of citrus zest, almond tea, and wildflower honey. The palate bursts with black pepper and cinnamon, then softens into a lingering finish of brown sugar and crème brûlée.
Garrison Brothers has a long history in the Texas Hill Country, remaining active in the communities of Blanco, Fredericksburg, Hye, Johnson City, and Stonewall.