Review of Koopers Whiskey Texas Oak Bourbon

 

Founded in 2012 by Troy and Michelle Kooper in Ledbetter, Texas, Koopers Whiskey came about despite neither having an inside edge in the spirits industry. Troy had a background in design. Michelle was a full-time homemaker and mother of two, who made everything for the family that she could, including soap and toothpaste!

 

The idea came while they were sharing a pour of whiskey at the kitchen table. Troy made his first two stills in that family kitchen. He tinkered with them until he discovered the “right” way to make whiskey. However, for the quantities required, he found that task daunting and, instead, he and Michelle decided to become blenders and leave the distilling part to the seasoned pros.

 

Making their dream happen required a ton of money and time. Tim kept working his regular full-time job and also acted as a whiskey maker. Michelle did the same. In 2015, Koopers Whiskey’s first batches were available for purchase.

 

Here we are, 11 years later, and its newest release, called Texas Oak Bourbon, is now available.

 

“Texas Oak Bourbon was conceived as a showcase for oak, not as an afterthought to the whiskey. 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.” - Master Blender Troy Kooper

 

The finishing cycle took place in two Texas-grown white oak barrels, built by Standard Cooperage in Blanco, Texas, the state’s first cooperage.

 

Packaged at its cask strength of 57.4% ABV (114.8°), a 750mL bottle of Texas Oak Bourbon can be acquired for $70.00 from its online store or at the distillery’s tasting room. There are only 360 available.

 

Should you run out and order Texas Oak Bourbon right now? To answer that, we’ll have to #DrinkCurious. First, however, I must thank Koopers Whiskey for providing me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s do that now!

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Distiller: MGP of Indiana
• Age: 8 years
• Mashbill: 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrels, then finished in two toasted casks from Standard Cooperage, Blanco, TX
• Alcohol Content: 57.4% ABV (114.8°)
• Price per 750mL: $70.00
• 360-bottle yield

 

Appearance: I poured Texas Oak into my Glencairn glass to explore it neat. It had a rusty color and produced a medium rim with thick, fast, crazed tears.

 

Nose: I let the Bourbon breathe for about 15 minutes before approaching the nose. As I began sniffing, I detected caramel, roasted pecans, oak, cinnamon, and leather. When I brought the aroma into my mouth, I found what tasted like Nutella with a kiss of smoke.

 

Palate: I took my first sip. There was a thick, creamy texture, with a palate-shock of toasted oak and allspice. My next draw unveiled flavors of cocoa nibs, allspice, and cinnamon on the front, followed by baked apples, caramel, and nutmeg on my mid-palate. The back included heavily toasted oak, clove, and ripe plums.    

 

Finish: Ripe plums, caramel, vanilla, allspice, toasted oak, and clove lingered. While it was quite spicy, it still allowed the sweeter notes to shine, and the finish was level. The duration ran 1:04, placing it in the longer half of medium.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I definitely felt Texas Oak Bourbon’s proof. It wasn’t so much in my throat as it was in my skull. To clarify, there wasn’t really an alcohol burn because the intense spice notes took care of that.

 

I was hopeful that Texas’ brutal climate didn’t overpower this Bourbon, especially at barrel proof. It was an influence for sure; however, it wasn’t overpowering. I’ll chalk that up to the 53-gallon barrels used to age the MGP distillate. Their 21% rye Bourbon is regularly a solid performer, and I could pick up on that quality during today’s tasting session.

 

Asking $70.00 for an 8-year-old cask-strength Bourbon is quite fair. If you enjoy bold, characterful whiskeys, Texas Oak Bourbon won’t disappoint. If that’s not your jam, you may want to look elsewhere. Because of that, it earns my Bar rating. Cheers!

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.