The Lone Star Still: Assessing the Viability of Texas as an Emerging Market for American Whiskey

In a 2019 Texas Monthly interview, a local Texan whiskey distiller stated "you might conclude that there is nothing more Texan than a glass of whiskey." In the last decade, the Texas whiskey industry has seen substantial growth due to a rise in national and global demand for American whiskey.

This thesis argues Texas to become a new major American market for whiskey production despite being a historically young market. While Texas does not boast the historical relevance within the American whiskey conversation that other states do, liquor marketing trends paired with the huge demand for American whiskey strategically position Texas whiskey to become a power player within the whiskey industry. As the Texas whiskey industry continues to develop, its success will be predicated on the industry’s ability to distinguish itself relative to other emerging markets and cultivate a Texan brand of whiskey.

Contingent on Texas whiskey brands' ability to adapt to changing market preferences, and the State's changing distribution laws regarding liquor sales, Texas has the potential to produce whiskey on a scale similar to Kentucky or Tennessee.