Garrison Brothers Distillery, the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas, has launched Operation Crush COVID-19, a fundraising campaign to help American communities recover and rebuild. The campaign, launched in partnership with Good Bourbon for a Good Cause, the distillery’s 501(c)3 public charity, aims to raise more than $2 million dollars for veteran-led disaster response organization Team Rubicon, which is currently serving in communities across the country, leading efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Good Bourbon for a Good Cause will also be naming a secondary beneficiary that is helping with the immediate needs of hospitality industry professionals and their families. (Garrison Brothers Distillery, 2020)
Until recently, Garrison Brothers had planned to release Laguna Madre, a special project over 10 years in the making, later this summer through traditional liquor retail channels. Laguna Madre is the oldest bourbon Garrison Brothers has made to date; an eight-year-old, top-shelf release named after the beautiful blue waters along Texas’ Gulf Coast. The ultra-premium bourbon was aged in new white American oak barrels for four years and aged secondarily for four more years in Limousin oak from France, which is prized for its vanilla content. Limousin oak wood imparts spirits with distinct flavors of vanilla, sweet candy, cacao and thick, white chocolate that an experienced bourbon drinker will never forget.
The original plan was to release just over 2,000 bottles to the distillery’s original supporters, then to close friends, then to bars and restaurants who have always championed the brand. But in light of COVID-19, Laguna Madre will now be available only to donors who contribute $1,000 or more to Good Bourbon for a Good Cause in partnership with Team Rubicon, a global disaster response organization composed primarily of military veterans and first responders who are deploying teams to areas heavily affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
The first 2,004 people to contribute $1,000 or more will receive a bottle of Laguna Madre. Everyone is invited and encouraged to donate whatever they can. “If you donate $100, you will forever have our respect and you can choose to take home any clothing item from our gift shop for free,” adds Rob Cordes, marketing director at Garrison Brothers Distillery. “If you donate $500, we’ll reserve one bottle of Boot Flask (375ml) and one bottle of Honey Dew (750ml) for you.”
There will be 4,008 bottles of Boot Flask, 4,008 bottles of Honey Dew and 2,004 bottles of Laguna Madre available.
“At Team Rubicon, we know we’re only as strong as our volunteers, partners and donors, as we fight this invisible war on COVID-19, we must all work together. During this unprecedented time, we are entirely grateful to have Garrison Brothers Distillery and its customers by our side, supporting our efforts in response to this deadly virus. This generous donation will help us continue to prepare, respond and aid community recovery efforts across the country.” – Jake Wood, co-founder and CEO of Team Rubicon.
SA Examiner 