The iconic Western brand celebrated the debut of Stetson Bourbon with an Austin launch party at Arlyn Studios.
There are brand extensions that need a long explanation. Stetson making bourbon is not one of them.
On Thursday night, Stetson celebrated the launch of its first Kentucky straight bourbon with a party at Austin’s Arlyn Studios, where cowboy hats, cocktails and live music made the setting feel like a natural extension of the brand. The event marked the latest chapter for a company whose identity has been tied to the American West for more than 160 years.
Stetson Bourbon arrives as a 100 proof, high rye Kentucky straight bourbon created after a three year process of sourcing and tasting. The brand ultimately partnered with Kentucky Master Blender Dan Callaway to develop the proprietary blend, produced in Bardstown. It also brings together Green River Distilling Co. and Bardstown Bourbon Company in their first collaboration.
The whiskey is aged an average of seven years, with Stetson describing notes of buttery oak, caramel and vanilla followed by brandied fruit, baking spice and a light rye finish. At 100 proof, it has enough structure to drink neat while still holding its own in an Old Fashioned or another classic whiskey cocktail.
At Arlyn Studios, the launch more like a central true Texas party built around the bottle. Guests circulated with cocktails while live music from Shakey Graves played under the studio lights, and the warm wood, leather and Western styling, making the brand feel like the perfect fit for the venue.
The bottle itself carries one of the more thoughtful connections to Stetson’s history. Its front features The Last Drop from His Stetson, a painting by Western artist Lon Megargee depicting a cowboy giving his horse the last drops of water from his hat. The image has been associated with Stetson since the early 20th century and gives the whiskey a direct visual link to the company’s heritage.
That heritage dates back to 1865, when John B. Stetson created the hat that became inseparable from the popular image of the American cowboy. Since then, the brand has expanded into boots, apparel, fragrances and accessories. Bourbon feels like a particularly natural addition.
Stetson CEO Robert Dundon framed the launch in similarly straightforward terms, noting that bourbon has long shared the same ranches, saloons and gatherings associated with the brand. His shortest explanation for why Stetson is entering whiskey now was also the best one: “It’s about time.”
There is plenty of history wrapped around the bottle, but the whiskey still has to work once it is poured into a glass. That may be where Stetson Bourbon has its best argument. A seven year average age, 100 proof bottling strength and production involving two established Kentucky whiskey houses give it more substance than a familiar name on a label.
Stetson Kentucky Straight Bourbon carries a suggested retail price of $70 and is available online and through select retailers across Texas, with wider distribution planned.
