A Story of Texas Defiance

Defined by Taste, not tales.

Koopers Whiskey began in 2012 in Austin, Texas, as a small independent whiskey project. The founders, Troy and Michelle Kooper, shifted from careers outside spirits into whiskey blending and aging, driven by a long-standing interest in the processes of maturation and flavor development.

Troy’s background was in design and creative direction, and his interest in whiskey evolved from a personal exploration of distillation, barrels, and aging. Over time, he and Michelle focused their efforts on blending and aging sourced whiskeys rather than full distillation.

Today, Koopers Whiskey operates as a blending and barrel house in Ledbetter, Texas, maintaining traditions from both Scottish and American whiskey blending practices. The work centers on long-term aging, controlled blending, and hands-on experimentation with barrels and finishes.
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Texas Independence, experimentation, and iterative refinement are central to how Koopers approaches whiskey production. We emphasize taste and compositional decisions over promotional stories or cultural mythologizing.

Troy Kooper

Master Blender

Before founding Kooper’s Whiskey, Troy spent years as an advertising Creative Director—a career that sharpened his eye for detail and his appreciation for storytelling and design. That creative foundation evolved into a passion for whiskey, and for understanding how oak, time, and careful blending shape a spirit’s personality. Drawing on both creative intuition and technical discipline, Troy developed his own style of marrying whiskeys to achieve remarkable depth and balance. Today, he leads blending and production at Koopers, applying the same creativity and respect for craft that propel the brand.

Michelle Kooper

President

Michelle brings leadership and warmth to Kooper’s Whiskey. A graduate of UC Berkeley and Columbia University, she combines determined grit with operational expertise to guide the business and customer experience forward. From managing production logistics and retail relationships to developing local collaborations and curating the tasting room experience, Michelle ensures the heart of Kooper’s beats true. Driven by a deep commitment to hospitality, Michelle helps turn great whiskey into something even more meaningful—a warm, welcoming, distinctly Texas experience shared with every guest and every bottle.

Grandpa

The Kooper Family Rye label depicts Troy's grandfather, Howard, as a young man when he won the U.S. Armed Forces Heavyweight Boxing Championship in 1944. At just 22 years old, already a husband, father, and soldier, he proved to himself what grit, determination, and a willingness to fight for greatness could achieve. Those values he passed down are the defining principles that guide our family and our passionate dedication to our craft.

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Defined by Taste

Ledbetter, Texas. DSP-TX-20041