Kooper’s Whiskey Releases New Bourbon Aged in Texas Wood

Non-Distiller Producer (NDP) Kooper’s Whiskey has introduced a new tweak to Texas whiskey by finishing bourbon in Texas-sourced oak. Regional oak variations have been a thing in craft whiskey since its earliest days, especially with wood sourced from Wisconsin and Minnesota, which have shorter growing seasons and tighter wood grain that restrict the whiskey’s access to the wood. Similarly, Irish new oak has come into vogue on the Emerald Isle, and Irish oak has a very open grain that grants abundant access to the wood.

Now on Saturday, August 22, Kooper’s Whiskey will put 360 bottles of an 8 year old bourbon finished in Texas white oak barrels on sale. The Texas-grown white oak finishing barrels were produced by Standard Cooperage in Blanco, Texas, the state’s first cooperage. The partnership gives Koopers Whiskey an opportunity to explore not only how the distinctive Texas climate shapes whiskey, but also how the influence of oak grown in Texas and coopered in Texas can contribute to its character.

“Texas Oak Bourbon was conceived as a showcase for oak, not as an afterthought to the whiskey,” said Master Blender Troy Kooper. “We selected barrels of mature 8-year-old bourbon with a strong sense of identity, including a solid core of sweetness, structure, and grain character that we wanted. We transferred the bourbon into toasted Texas-grown white oak casks to amplify what was already working and to add a distinctly local voice. Our goal was finding the point where the traditional American oak and Texas-grown oak complement rather than compete with each other. The final blend is expressive but not overwhelming, assertive without becoming harsh, and unmistakably shaped by the place where it was finished.

Kooper’s Whiskey Texas Oak Bourbon is an 8 year old cask strength whiskey, bottled at 114.8 proof, originally sourced from MGP’s 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley stock. The whiskey is priced at $70 a bottle.