A Story of Texas Defiance

Koopers Whiskey was born in the vibrant heart of Austin, Texas, in 2012, with the simple belief that whiskey making, at its core, is an eloquently expressed form of artistry. Our founder, Troy Kooper, started in the world of Design and Creative Direction in advertising and music, but exploration and imagination eventually led him to mashing and distilling whiskey as a creative hobby.

While training as a distiller and learning the technical side of whiskey-making, he discovered the magic of the Rickhouse and the alluring smell of the American Oak barrels, which ultimately moved him to leave advertising, partner with his brilliant wife Michelle, and start Koopers Whiskey. The slow years spent aging in the Oak, the long conversation with wood, time, and weather, are where whiskey becomes art, and where imagination is your only limit.

That approach is at the heart of Koopers Whiskey. We are an American Whiskey Blending and Barrel House in Ledbetter, Texas. Carrying on centuries old Scottish and American whiskey making traditions in the heart of Texas. We treat sourcing, aging, finishing, and blending as more than production—they’re artistic expressions. They take time, patience, trust in your gut, and a willingness to break from convention.

And because we’re rooted in Texas, independence isn’t just a personality trait — it’s a method. It’s what the cats on the labels stand for. We don’t wait for approval. We experiment, tinker, challenge, and create whiskey with attitude, imagination, and a cat-like rebellious edge.