Given the increasing popularity of Bourbons, especially among our cowboy friends in San Juan Capistrano, we recently introduced a new Bourbon list including flight tastings and the introduction of a line of of Texas produced Garrison Brothers Bourbons. They have an interested story that I thought I’d share with you.
The Garrison Brothers is the story of one stubborn Texan, a scorching Hill Country Ranch, and a dream to make the first great Texas bourbon….long before anyone thought it was possible. What began as a financial collapse and a wild idea turned into one of the most respected craft distilleries in America.
Last year I had a guest come into my Tumbleweed Bar and ask if we had Cowboy Bourbon. Welp, I had never heard of it but I started researching it and was introduced to the history of Garrisons Bourbon. As a result I developed a new Bourbon list featuring 5 of their different bourbons including the rare, hard to get, ‘Cowboy. Several months later, I was told that founder Dan Garrison was going to be in Orange County and was asked if I’d like him to come by and talk to my staff about his history and their delicious bourbons…I jumped at the chance.
When he visited us he explained that he didn’t know anything about how to distill so he spent some time in Kentucky touring distilleries and asking questions. He then returned to his small ranch in Hye, Texas, built a barn and started with Texas grain, rainwater and scorching heat. He said the heat became both his enemy and the secret to his success. Barrels exploded, bourbon evaporated, and he ran out of money four times. But….the same heart also accelerated aging…it took one fifth the time that it does in Kentucky.
The Cowboy bourbon started out actually as an accident. Early on, several barrels weren’t meeting their distillery standards. They were high-proof, wild, and inconsistent. Dan instructed that they dump them into a stainless-steel tank and that they would “figure it out later”.
Months passed and one day Dan pulled a sample….everything had changed. The bourbon had mellowed, transformed, and become something quite extraordinary….rich, sweet, powerful and shockingly smooth for its proof (140+). That accidental blend became the first Cowboy Bourbon. Since then is has developed a cult following among collectors and whiskey nerds. It is unfiltered, uncut, and bottled straight from the barrel. Most bourbons at 140 proof taste like jet fuel. The Cowboy tastes like dessert with a kick.
- It has a limited annual release often selling out immediately.
- A collector’s item with bottles sometimes line up for days
- A symbol of Texas whiskey’s bold identity.
- A multi-award winning spirit earning Platinum and Gold Medals across major competitions.
In closing, we have a half bottle left of this year’s allotment so it won’t last long but if you’re willing to part with $80 for a glass, it’s an experience you won’t soon forget…strap in and step up!
David 2.0
