Lance Avery Morgan
From A Hill Country Gamble To An Award-Winning Bourbon Powerhouse, Dan Garrison, Nancy Garrison, And Charlie Garrison Turned A “Whiskey-Soaked Dream” Into Texas’s Most Legendary Distilling Story… Built On Family, Grit, And Unapologetic Ambition
Photography courtesy of Garrison Bros. Distillery
In the quiet, rattlesnake-dotted expanse of Hye, Texas, something improbable was born in the early 2000s: the Garrison Bros. Distillery, which would go on to redefine American bourbon outside of Kentucky tradition. At the center of it all are co-founders Dan Garrison and Nancy Garrison, joined by Dan’s brother and brand storyteller Charlie Garrison, a trio whose chemistry is equal parts family bond, frontier ambition, and relentless belief in Texas whiskey, as their decades-long friend Lance Avery Morgan learned more about when he caught up with the trio in this exclusive look at their hard-won success.
Dan is quick to correct the myth of accidental success. “Most folks don’t believe it,” Dan said, “but there actually was a plan behind Garrison Brothers Distillery. Our mission… was to produce the highest quality, finest tasting bourbon in the world.”
That mission, unusually disciplined for what many assumed was a frontier experiment, was shaped by deep reading, strategic thinking, and what Dan calls his “BHAG,” or “big, hairy, audacious goal.”
“I love reading,” he said. “One of my favorite business books is Built to Last by Jim Collins. I reread it, as well as Keys To The Vault and The E-Myth Revisited, before writing our business plan… and my BHAG was to sell our bourbon nationwide.”
Today, that vision has expanded far beyond Texas borders. “We’re doing that now,” Dan said, “and are exploring numerous international opportunities as well.”
A Dream Nancy Never Doubted
While Dan brought the blueprint, Nancy brought conviction.
“Dan has always had a remarkable creative spirit; he’s a true visionary,” said Nancy. “So, when he wrote the business plan… I believed it wholeheartedly.”
What emerged, she explained, was more than a startup ambition. It was identity.
“Yes, it was a whiskey-soaked dream,” Nancy said, “but it was also a dream with purpose. A commitment to respect and honor the legacy of bourbon… It’s rooted in tradition, built on values, and deeply connected to family. And that’s exactly what Garrison Brothers Distillery is… family.”
Her perspective is shaped by lineage and legacy, including roots in Central Texas dating back to the 1800s and early experience in a family retail business, the tony Scarbrough’s department store, which was a part of the city’s growth for almost a century, that taught her the fundamentals of building something enduring from scratch.
The Voice Of The Brand: Charlie Garrison
For Charlie Garrison, self-described “Whiskey Peddler,” the mission is less about spreadsheets and more about storytelling.
“Peddling whiskey is a dream job,” Charlie said. “Peddling the best whiskey in the world is just silly. Everyone loves a good story, and Garrison Brothers is full of them. The fact that they are usually true makes it much easier. My job is to tell those stories and find partners that appreciate them.”
In other words, he doesn’t just sell bourbon…he sells the mythos of Texas whiskey.
The Moment It Stopped Feeling Impossible
For Dan, belief arrived not in a boardroom but on raw Texas land, in a single conversation.
“The first time I believed it had a shot was when my longtime friend and business partner, Rob Cordes came out to tour the raw land,” Dan said. “He said, ‘Only you could do this, Dan, and I want to help.’ That was a shot in the arm even before we put a shovel in the ground.”
That early encouragement would eventually help fuel one of America’s most recognized craft whiskey brands.
“In 2024, Garrison Brothers Distillery was named Distillery of the Year by the American Distilling Institute, and in 2025… Cowboy Bourbon was named Best in Show,” Dan said. “It meant a lot to my family and me. There were tears of joy flowing.”
Risk, Reinvention & Texas Grit
Dan’s leap from corporate tech life to copper stills wasn’t a straight line, it was a rupture.
“My dad lit an entrepreneurial fire under my tail,” he said, “by giving me books about Ross Perot, Henry Ford, Michael Dell, and Richard Branson. All I needed to do was believe in myself.”
That belief was tested when he lost his tech job mid-career.
“I’ve faced many tragic situations while running this business,” Dan said, “but the good Lord has given me the bullishness necessary to get us through the little wars.”
Nancy On Building The Engine Behind The Brand
For Nancy, the success of Garrison Brothers isn’t a behind-the-scenes story; it’s an open-door one.
“We’ve always had an open door,” she said. “We’ve welcomed people in… just as Kentucky welcomed us in the early 2000s when we were learning how bourbon is truly made.”
She emphasizes collaboration over hierarchy.
“We each bring different experiences, perspectives, and strengths,” she said. “We work in different areas of the business, but we also come together collaboratively on key decisions.”
Turning Texas Heat Into A Competitive Advantage
Few distilleries would choose the unforgiving Hill Country climate as an asset, but Garrison Brothers did exactly that.
“Can’t take credit for Mother Nature and I won’t,” Dan said. But after conversations with Kentucky distilling veterans, he realized something others overlooked: heat changes everything.
“I suspected I’d stumbled into a beautiful situation,” he said. “Five years later, I got to taste nature’s miracle, and I loved every drop of it.”
Texas Whiskey Philosophy
At its core, Dan argues, Texas whiskey is not geography; it’s attitude.
At a storm-soaked industry event, he saw distillers refuse to retreat despite hail and lightning.
“We wear boots, Wrangler jeans, and Poncho shirts,” Dan said, “and we look damn good in them.”
Built On Family, Not Formula
After 25 years, the foundation remains unchanged.
“The Garrison Brothers team is still a tight-knit family,” Dan said. “We get to drink good bourbon every evening and tell stories with new friends. It’s a pretty good gig.”
Nancy agrees but adds structure beneath the sentiment.
“We work in different areas of the business,” she said, “but we also come together collaboratively on key decisions and projects.”
Cowboy Bourbon & The Long Line of Believers
On release days, the brand’s cult following becomes visible in real time.
“To turn onto Hye Albert Road and see truck taillights stretching for over a mile… makes me awestruck every time,” Dan said. “I truly do get tears in my eyes.”
Nancy sees those moments as shared experience.
“I feel incredibly blessed to share a glass of bourbon with new friends every day,” she said, “nearly 50,000 friends every year.”
But Dan frames it more philosophically.
“They’re chasing the beauty of humanity,” he said. “Good bourbon brings good people together… and creates legendary stories.”
The Future Of The Garrison Legacy
Growth won’t mean dilution; it will mean expansion with edge.
“We cherish our independence,” Dan said. “We will continue to take bigger and more dangerous choices.”
Nancy is equally direct.
“We’re not a group that wants to do the same thing over and over,” she said. “That’s a little boring.”
And at the center of it all remains a non-negotiable standard.
“Our Master Distiller Donnis Todd upholds that standard every day,” Nancy said. “Not a drop goes into a bottle until it’s ready. We will never cut corners, never take the easy path, and always honor what is called the ‘honest spirit’ bourbon.”
What Makes The Garrison Brothers Distillery Tick? Here Are 8 Defining Elements…
1. A Mission Built Before The First Barrel
Dan’s original goal was never small. “Our mission… was to produce the highest quality, finest tasting bourbon in the world.”
2. A Family-First Operating System
Nancy emphasized, “We are family,” describing a business where children, spouses, and generations are woven into its DNA.
3. The Hill Country As A Secret Weapon
Extreme Texas heat isn’t a challenge; it’s a catalyst for flavor.
4. Storytelling As A Business Model
Charlie puts it simply: “My job is to tell those stories.”
5. Independence Over Imitation
“We cherish our independence,” Dan said. “We will continue to take bigger and more dangerous choices.”
6. The Cowboy Bourbon Phenomenon
Dan described release days where “truck taillights stretching for over a mile” signal a loyal, almost mythic following.
7. A Commitment To The “Honest Spirit”
Nancy reinforced their guiding principle: “Never cut corners… always honor what is called the ‘honest spirit’ bourbon.”
8. Growth Without Compromise
“We’re not a group that wants to do the same thing over and over,” Nancy said. “That’s a little boring.”
