A Saturday to Remember: Unveiling Cowboy Bourbon, The 10th Anniversary of this Beautiful Brand
September 21st, 2024, will go down in history for the lucky few who gathered at Garrison Brothers Distillery in Hye, Texas. The excitement in the air was as thick as the heat, with fans, collectors, and bourbon enthusiasts lining up to get their hands on this year’s edition of Cowboy Bourbon. There’s something special about these release days that feels different from the usual bourbon launch—the palpable sense of anticipation, as if each bottle holds a small piece of Texas history in its heavy, wax-sealed frame.
This year’s release was especially momentous. After all, Cowboy Bourbon isn’t just any bottle. It’s a bourbon forged in the fire of Texas, born from stubborn determination, and immortalized in the annals of whiskey lore. But to truly appreciate the moment, you must understand where this story begins. To do that, we have to go back to the early days, when Cowboy Bourbon was nothing more than a risky idea in a stainless-steel tank.
The Origins: Born Out of Necessity
In 2010, Garrison Brothers wasn’t quite the name it is today. Dan Garrison and his small team—including Donnis Todd, the master distiller with a palate as sharp as a rattlesnake’s bite—were still experimenting with the art of bourbon. Small Batch Bourbon had just started hitting shelves, and the world of Texas whiskey was still figuring out what it was going to be. There were hits, there were misses, and sometimes, there were barrels that just didn’t make the cut.
Those barrels—23 of them to be exact—sat in Barrel Barn Uno, full of high-proof bourbon that hadn’t quite lived up to the Garrison Brothers’ standards. Different corn varietals, different barrel sizes, and different cooperages from all over the country had contributed to a mishmash of flavors. At 136 proof, the bourbon was powerful but raw and wild, like an unbroken wild horse.
So, in 2013, with barrel storage space becoming scarce and no immediate solution in sight, Dan told Donnis to dump all 23 barrels into a stainless-steel tank, put a lid on it, and leave it there until they figured out what to do with the dregs. It was, in a sense, the first step toward creating something legendary—though no one knew it at the time.
The Accidental Discovery
Months passed, and that tank sat in the still house, quietly holding what seemed to be a failed experiment. But curiosity got the best of Garrison one day. He wandered over, pulled a sample from the tank, and let the bourbon breathe in a glass for a while. Then, in what would become one of the most significant moments in the distillery’s history, he took a sip.
The bourbon was nothing like they expected. It wasn’t just drinkable—it was extraordinary. The stainless steel had mellowed the nectar. The harshness had melted away, leaving behind layers of rich, bold flavor. White chocolate, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla—it was all there, dancing in the glass with a sweetness and complexity that could only come from time, heat, and a little Texas magic.
Donnis and the rest of the team tasted it, too, and the consensus was clear: they had something special on their hands. This wasn’t just bourbon; this was Cowboy Bourbon—a white chocolate lightning bolt bottled straight from the heart of Texas.
The First Release: Lightning in a Bottle
With that first batch of Cowboy Bourbon, Garrison Brothers filled 604 bottles, uncut and unfiltered, just the way it came out of the tank. No watering it down, no polishing the edges. It was raw, potent, and beautiful. In 2014, that first release took the bourbon world by storm.
But with success came challenges. The name “Cowboy” drew the attention of a San Francisco lawyer representing a probably fictitious brand called “Cowboy Little Barrel.” A cease-and-desist letter arrived at the distillery, demanding that Garrison Brothers stop using the name.
Dan, being Dan, wasn’t about to roll over. He fought the lawsuit, spending years in court and hundreds of thousands of dollars to defend the name. The battle was long and exhausting, but in the end, Garrison Brothers won the right to keep calling it Cowboy Bourbon. Ironically, the woman who sued them ended up in jail as part of the Varsity Blues college bribery scandal—a karmic twist that we chuckle about to this day.
The Legacy Grows
Over the years, Cowboy Bourbon has become a symbol of Garrison Brothers’ relentless pursuit of excellence. Each release is a little different—always uncut, always unfiltered, always straight from the barrel. The bourbon’s journey from tank to bottle is as authentic as it gets, and each year’s batch carries the unmistakable signature of the Texas heat that shapes it.
The barrels selected for Cowboy Bourbon are the ones that stand out from the thousands aging in Garrison Brothers’ rickhouses. They’re the barrels that defy explanation, with flavors that are richer, bolder, and more complex than anything else on the property. Once selected, the bourbon from those barrels is blended in small stainless-steel pots and allowed to breathe for weeks. It’s a process that feels more like an art form than a science, and the results speak for themselves.
This Year’s Release: A Toast to Ten Years
The 2024 edition of Cowboy Bourbon is special for many reasons. First and foremost, it marks the tenth year since that first fateful sip from the stainless-steel tank. This year’s batch is one of the most powerful releases yet, clocking in at a jaw-dropping 140.2 proof. But don’t let the high proof fool you—this bourbon is as smooth as it is bold.
The flavor profile is as rich as ever, with snickerdoodle cookies sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, dipped in maple syrup. There’s a strong hit of melted chocolate brownie, paired with the warmth of pecan wood, brown sugar, and hot Saigon cinnamon. As the bourbon opens up, you’ll find layers of vanilla, fudge-covered raisins, and white chocolate-dipped strawberries that bring a surprising sweetness to the mix. The mouthfeel is bold, coating the palate with dried fruit, licorice, and melted chocolate fudge.
For those lucky enough to get their hands on a bottle, this year’s Cowboy Bourbon is a reminder of everything that makes Garrison Brothers so unique—powerful, nuanced, and unforgettable.
A Saturday to Savor
As the sun set on September 21st, the crowd at Garrison Brothers raised their glasses in a toast. The day had been long, but the reward was more than worth it. Cowboy Bourbon had once again proven why it’s more than just a bottle of whiskey—it’s a testament to what happens when you refuse to give up, even when the odds are stacked against you.
The 2024 release was one for the history books, and for those who missed out, the photos will tell the story. Faces lit up with excitement, bottles clutched in eager hands, and the Texas sky stretching out endlessly above it all.
For Dan Garrison, Donnis Todd, and the rest of the team, it was another chapter in the ever-growing legend of Cowboy Bourbon. A legend that started with a few barrels of misfit bourbon and turned into something so much more—something distinctly Texan, undeniably bold, and worth every damn penny.
Relive the Day
For a closer look at the 2024 Cowboy Bourbon release, check out the full gallery here. If you missed it this time, don’t worry—there’s always next year. Just be sure to mark your calendar early, because Cowboy Bourbon waits for no one.
