Austin, TX

Austin's Fierce Whiskers Debuts Bourbon, Takes Jabs at KY

Published

2 years ago

May 18, 2024

Press Room

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.

This post may contain affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site. This helps support Bottle Raiders at no additional cost to you.

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Austin, TX

Texas Plans Second Execution of the Year

Published

6 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Texas Plans Second Execution of the Year

Cedric Ricks spoke in his own defense at his 2013 murder trial, something most defendants accused of a terrible crime do not do. Ricks confessed that he had killed his girlfriend, Roxann Sanchez, and her 8-year-old son. He admitted he was aggressive and had trouble controlling his anger, stating that he was “sorry about everything.” […]

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Austin, TX

Will the rest of Austin allergies seasons be as bad as cedar this year?

Published

18 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Will the rest of Austin allergies seasons be as bad as cedar this year?

Austin had a particularly itchy and drippy cedar fever season to start the year. Many winter days, from late December into February, had high or very high ashe juniper (aka cedar) pollen counts.

Central Texas has a year-round allergy season with mold popping up at any time. For the more traditional spring and fall allergy seasons, forecasters at AccuWeather are predicting some of the allergens across the country will be worse this year than average.

Texas, though, is a different story.

For grass allergies, which happen now through September, AccuWeather estimates Austin will have an average season. However, just west of the Interstate 35 corridor in the Hill Country to almost El Paso, that season is expected to be worse than normal.

“Texas may experience above-average grass pollen for a few weeks,” AccuWeather’s allergy report said, “though the season could be shorter-lived compared to northern areas.”

It all depends on the weather

How much rain we get in the next six months and the perennial Texas heat will all affect the growing season for grasses and weeds, as well as the amount of pollen trees produce. The Farmers’ Almanac and the Old Farmers Almanac are both predicting a wetter and warmer spring.

Rain helps plants grow, which can increase pollen production over time. However, rainfall during allergy season can also bring temporary relief by washing pollen out of the air. That’s what we’re expecting this weekend, with our first meaningful rain chance in nearly three weeks. Tree and weed pollen levels might briefly drop, but mold could spike because it thrives in damp, humid weather.

If spring continues with excessive heat like we saw in February, it could limit the growth of some plants and trees. Extreme heat can reduce how much they grow, and how much pollen they produce. On the other hand, if we get a healthy balance of rain and only slightly above-normal temperatures — not extreme heat — pollen counts could climb. That’s especially true as we head into April, typically our windiest month of the year, which helps spread pollen more easily.

How can you treat allergies in Austin?

If you are feeling the effects of allergies, here are some things you can do to lessen them:

Start taking allergy medication at least two weeks before your allergen’s season is supposed to start. Keep taking your allergy medication throughout your allergen’s season, even on low-pollen days.
Vary your allergy medication. You can take a nasal spray, an eye drop and an oral antihistamine at the same time to treat the different symptoms. If one kind of allergy medication isn’t working, consult your doctor about whether you should add a second one or switch out the medication.
Take a shower before going to bed.
Take off outside clothes or shoes when you get into the house.
Do a daily nasal wash such as a neti pot or saline spray.
Consider seeing an allergist to get drops or shots to lessen your reaction to the allergen.

Consider these household tips to improve your chances of keeping allergens away:

Change the filters in your house regularly during cedar fever season.
Vacuum and sweep regularly.
Change your sheets, especially your pillow regularly.
Keep doors and windows closed.
Clean out the vents in your home.
Have your home tested for indoor allergens such as mold.
Wash and brush the animals in your house to lessen the amount of allergens in the air.
Wear a mask outside or inside while you are trying to lessen the pollen or mold indoors.

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Austin, TX

Texas Primary: Breakdown of Texas races

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Democrats tried to stop a mid-decade redistricting effort, but were unsuccessful. Now, we are starting to see some of the candidates emerging in those newly drawn districts. FOX 7 Austin’s Rudy Koski gives a full breakdown.

Posted March 3, 2026 10:32pm CST

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