Austin, TX
Austin's Fierce Whiskers Debuts Bourbon, Takes Jabs at KY
(Photo: Fierce Whiskers)
This month, a young distillery is launching its first bourbon in Austin, Texas — and it has a message for Kentucky.
Fierce Whiskers released its first bourbon — a 3-year-old release distilled, aged and bottled at 98 proof in Austin — on May 10. It’s available now at retail stores across Texas with a suggested retail price of $46.99.
Fierce Whiskers began distilling its first batches of bourbon in September 2020. In 2021, it opened its tasting room in southeast Austin. Since then, it has launched multiple releases, including a wine-infused whiskey, two carbon-neutral rye whiskeys and a dual gin release.
Its first retail-available product, Fierce Whiskers Straight Texas Rye, debuted in June 2023.
“The success of the Rye was everything we hoped and gave us great confidence for the Bourbon,” founder and CEO Tri Vo. “Our team is exceedingly talented and willfully dedicated to the stubborn spirit needed to make whiskey in Texas, and that heart comes through in every spirit we release. We are so thrilled that after three years in the making, the bourbon is finally among those spirits.”
With an advertising campaign crafted by independent brand studio Butler, Fierce Whiskers made some brash, bold statements around Austin, which Butler showed off on its Instagram page.
“Kentucky, you still have the horse-thing,” a billboard reads. “The next great bourbon ain’t from Kentucky,” says a magazine ad.
In an Instagram post from the distillery showed off two other billboards, one reading “Kentucky, we’ve got the next round.”
“Kentucky, you had a good run,” says another.
Kentucky has a long, storied tradition of making great bourbon — so much so that many people are under the false impression that bourbon has to be made in Kentucky. While that’s not true, it is highly, highly unlikely that Kentucky will ever be dethroned as the king of America’s native spirit.
With that said, there’s plenty of great bourbon coming from all around the U.S. — including in Fierce Whiskers’ backyard. Still Austin is one of the best craft distilleries around.
Fierce Whiskers to Celebrate Launch With ‘Bourbon Bash’
Fierce Whiskers will celebrate its official launch from 4-8 p.m. Saturday with a “Bourbon Bash” at the distillery (5333 Fleming Ct, Austin, TX 78744). The event is free to the public and will feature food from include Uchiba (free onigiri to the first 150 guests), KG BBQ and small bites from Tare Austin, Castel Provisions, The Salty Donut, OMG Squee and Ululani’s, the latter of which will serve Hawaiian shaved ice, plus an option incorporating bourbon.
Bawi, the agua frescas brand, will provide refreshments including a Fierce Whiskers x Bawi cocktail. The Concord Botanical café and dispensary will park its school bus on the lawn for drink infusions.
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AUSTIN, Texas — Police have identified a 23-year-old man who was fatally shot Sunday night in North Austin. Authorities continue to search for a suspect who fled the scene.
Cam Ron Perkins was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:15 p.m. after officers responded to reports of multiple gunshots at 9616 North Lamar Boulevard, the Austin Police Department said.
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Officers arrived around 8 p.m. and found Perkins with fatal injuries, according to police.
Homicide detectives and crime scene specialists processed the scene and interviewed witnesses. The preliminary investigation indicates the suspect left in either a black Dodge Charger or black Dodge Challenger, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Austin Police Department at 512-974-TIPS or submit tips anonymously through Capital Area Crime Stoppers at austincrimestoppers.org or 512-472-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for information leading to an arrest.
2026 PRO SWIM SERIES – AUSTIN
A revised version of the heat sheets for this weekend’s Pro Swim Series opener in Austin, Texas is absent a number of big names, with a handful of other significant scratches revealed by the Wednesday morning heat sheets.
Out of the Meet
The biggest names to have fully withdrawn from the meet include US National Team members Hunter Armstrong and Grant House.
The two-time Olympian and three-time Olympic relay medalist Armstrong has raced sparingly since the Paris Olympics, citing financial hardship behind the hiatus. That included skipping the World Championship Trials in 2025.
He did race at the U.S. Open in December, but only briefly: he finished 14th in the 50 free final (22.35) and 14th in the 50 back prelims (25.65) before scratching the B-Final.
In Austin this week, he was scheduled to race the 50 free (#8 seed), 100 back (#2 seed), 50 fly (#8 seed), 50 back (#2 seed), and 100 free (#6 seed).
Fellow U.S. National Team member Grant House has also pulled out of the meet. He had 5 entries in the meet including 5th in the 200 IM and 6th in the 100 fly.
House recently posted a video of a “speed practice” at Arizona State, so the reason behind his withdrawal is not obvious.
Other full-meet withdrawals include:
- 17-year-old Addison Bitel from Laker Swim in Florida, who was the #5 seed in the thin women’s 50 and 100 meter breaststroke fields, plus 6th in the 200 breast. Her teammate Brynn Lavigueur, the #6 seed in the 50 back and #7 seed in the 100 back, also scratched the meet.
- 16-year-old Natalie Bradac from the University of Denver Hilltoppers club team, the #9 seed in the 100 breast
Last-Minute Additions
In addition to the scratches, there were some last minute additions to the meet entries. That includes breaststrokers Luke Barr and Mitch Mason, who are both training with Coley Stickels‘ pro group at Texas Ford Aquatics.
They are the #7 and #8 seeds in the 100 breaststroke, with the versatile Barr also holding high seeds in the 50 fly (#9), 100 fly (#7), and 50 back (#6).
Wednesday Scratches
The most significant scratch from the final psych sheet to Wednesday’s heat sheet is French international Pauline Mahieu. Part of a large contingent of French swimmers at the meet, Mahieu was the #2 seed in the 100 back.
That is her only entry of the meet, so in essence she has scratched the meet.
While one recent Instagram post from last week said that she planned to leave for Los Angeles for a camp with the French team on January 5, her Instagram story on Tuesday shows her dragging a sled with groceries across the snow with the caption “change of scenery.”
The women’s 1500 free also saw scratches from the #2, #3, and #4 entries behind the event’s most dominant swimmer ever Katie Ledecky.
The #2 seed Claire Weinstein, the #3 seed Ashley Twichell, and the #4 seed Caroline Pennington are all absent from the heat sheets in a field that has been reduced to only its 8 swimmer ‘fastest heat.’
Weinstein, a freshman at Cal, is still entered in the 50 free as the #11 seed, while Twichell and Pennington won’t race on Wednesday at all.
The other big scratch from Wednesday’s heat sheets is Kato Trinquesse, another Denver Hilltopper drop from the women’s 100 breaststroke field. She was promoted to the #7 seed after her teammate withdrew from the meet.
AUSTIN, Texas — The Central Texas Food Bank is expanding its partnership with Austin Independent School District by opening six new school-based food pantries at elementary schools across the district.
The Feeding Futures School Pantry locations provide families with convenient access to food on their child’s campus, according to the food bank.
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“This is a wonderful way for us to provide easy access to food – nutritious, healthy food – that’s culturally relevant to families,” Anurita Mittra, Vice President of Network Programs and Services with the Central Texas Food Bank, said.
By placing food resources where families already gather, the pantries help remove transportation barriers and reduce stigma associated with seeking food assistance. The pantries are designed to feel welcoming and supportive for families.
“Schools are trusted spaces, and these pantries are designed to feel welcoming, familiar, and supportive for families,” the food bank said.
A complete listing of participating school districts and on-campus pantries is available here.
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