Garrison Brothers Distillery Signs with Empire Merchants and Empire Merchants North for New York Distribution, Texas’ First Legal Whiskey Distillery Aims to add Considerable Business through New Partnership

Hye, Texas (May 7, 2024) –Starting today,  Garrison Brothers Distillery, Texas’ first legal whiskey distillery, is proud to announce a new partnership for distribution in the state of New York with Empire Merchants and Empire Merchants North. First introducing its bourbon whiskey to the market in 2010, Garrison Brothers entered the New York market officially in 2013.

“With over 10 years in the New York market, the entire Garrison Brothers family is thrilled to begin working with the incredible team at Empire Merchants and Empire Merchants North. It is clear that our values align in route to market and overall expectations to ensure that Garrison Brothers is available in the right accounts at the right time. We are humbled to begin working with Empire, and their incredible team across the state. The runway for our brand is immense with this new partnership,” says Drew Pennington, National Sales Director, Garrison Brothers.

Garrison Brothers portfolio includes eight expressions that are handcrafted, distilled, and bottled in Hye, Texas. Master Distiller Donnis Todd and the Garrison Brothers distilling team makes straight bourbon whiskey year-round from corn to cork using a sweet mash of premium #1 food grade corn, soft red winter wheat from local farms and two row barley.

Garrison Brothers’ investment in New York includes a sales team with boots on the ground statewide. In early 2024, they added Scott Unruh as Northeast Regional Manager. He began his spirits career almost twenty years ago in New York and will be working hand in hand with Empire to grow the on and off premise business. The Garrison Brothers team also hosts ongoing public-facing happy hours and special bourbon dinners/events in New York at key accounts.

“We are thrilled to bring the bold flavors of Garrison Brothers bourbon whiskey to New York, introducing a taste of Texas craftsmanship to the Empire State. We are equally excited to partner with Garrison Brothers, joining forces to deliver exceptional spirits to retailers and enthusiasts across the state,” Eric Pfeil, President/CEO, Empire Merchants, and Empire Merchants North.

Garrison Brothers is an ultra-premium bourbon whiskey that is currently available 48 states.

About Garrison Brothers Distillery

Garrison Brothers Distillery is a small farm and ranch located in the beautiful Texas Hill Country that authentically produces straight bourbon whiskey. Garrison Brothers introduced the first bourbon whiskey legally made in Texas in 2010 and has since developed a rabid fan base. They currently have a waitlist of more than 18,000 just to volunteer on bottling days, and their Cowboy Bourbon normally sells out within hours of its release. Garrison Brothers is the first legal bourbon distillery in Texas history and the first distillery outside of Kentucky to produce authentic, handmade bourbon whiskey—and only bourbon whiskey.

Every expression of Garrison Brothers bourbon is made from a sweet mash bill and barrel-aged in the intense Texas climate. The extreme heat creates multiple aging seasons in a year, resulting in a darker, richer, and fuller bourbon, bolder than almost any other bourbon on the market.   

In 2023, Garrison Brothers Distillery, was named Distillery of the Year and presented with the prestigious Bubble Cap award by the American Distilling Institute. In January 2024, American Craft Spirits Association named Cowboy as Best Bourbon in the world.  At the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2024, Garrison Brothers earned Double Gold for Lady Bird, Double Gold for Guadalupe, Gold for Laguna Madre, and Gold for Small Batch. Garrison Brothers’ Guadalupe was awarded Platinum at the 2022 ASCOT Awards as well as at the Monterey International Wine & Spirits Competition also taking home the 2022 Spirit of the Year. Guadalupe continued to take home Gold awards in 2022 including: San Francisco World Spirits Competition, San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge, Spirits International Prestige Awards (SIP), Denver International Spirits Competition and TAG Global Spirits Awards. At the Denver International Spirits Competition, Garrison Brothers won Best of Show in 2021, taking 1st place for their Cowboy Bourbon.   

Garrison Brothers is a proud and active member of the communities of Blanco, Fredericksburg, Hye, Johnson City, and Stonewall. The distillery and its barrel barns are open to the public for tours in Hye, Texas. Anyone interested in learning more about Garrison Brothers Bourbon or in taking a tour of the distillery should visit garrisonbros.com or follow @garrisonbros on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

MEDIA CONTACT:  Di Moda Public Relations