Koopers Whiskey blending house is introducing its limited release, Texas Oak Bourbon, a first-of-its-kind expression for the brand, finished in Texas-grown white oak barrels.
The expression is a barrel-proof 8-year-old Straight Bourbon Whiskey that reflects its Texas roots. While the 114.8 proof bourbon, featuring a mashbill of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley, begins in traditional charred American white oak barrels, its character emerges through a second maturation in toasted Texas-grown white oak, where craftsmanship and the Texas climate combine to create a more expressive whiskey.
The Texas-grown white oak finishing barrels were produced by Standard Cooperage in Blanco, Texas, the state’s first cooperage. The partnership gives Koopers an opportunity to explore not only how the 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.”
A limited number of 360 bottles of Koopers Whiskey Texas Oak Bourbon will be available for $70.
