New Orleans-based Sazerac buys Kentucky distillery for $20M. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect//August 21, 2026// KEY TAKEAWAYS: * Sazerac acquired the former Garrard County Distilling Co. property for $20 million. * The 210-acre Kentucky property includes a 50,000-square-foot distillery and two barrel warehouses. * Sazerac plans to restart production at the facility, which has been idle for more than a year. * The company has invested more than $1 billion in its Kentucky operations over the past decade. Global spirits company Sazerac has acquired a shuttered Garrard County distillery as part of the Louisville-headquartered company's plans to increase its production capacity. Sazerac offered $20 million during a court-ordered June auction of the former Garrard County Distilling Co. property in Lancaster, Kentucky, and on Aug. 21, the company announced its plans for the site. Jake Wenz, president and CEO of Sazerac, noted in a statement that while the company has invested over $1 billion over the last decade at its Kentucky facilities, much of which went toward expanding production capabilities, more capacity is needed. "Even with all the investments we have made to expand, we need more supply to keep up with demand, and the addition of the Lancaster facility gives us valuable distilling capabilities to support that growth," he said. Sazerac is a fourth generation, family-operated and privately held company co-headquartered in Louisville and New Orleans, Louisiana. Its portfolio of more than 500 brands includes Weller, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, BuzzBallz, Southern Comfort and Wheatley Vodka, among many others. Situated on approximately 210 acres, the former Garrard County Distilling Co. property at 450 Southern Soul Way includes a 50,000-square-foot distillery with two column stills and two 20,000-square-foot warehouses for barrels. The acquisition will restart production at the site, which has sat quiet for over a year. Founded by Atlanta-based Staghorn, Garrard County Distilling Co. began production in January 2024, representing an announced $250 million investment at a site that could produce 150,000 barrels of bourbon annually. But by April 2025 the independent distillery had ceased operations, with its lender Truist Bank filing suit, alleging the distiller had defaulted on its loans and owed just over $26 million. The Garrard County Circuit Court then ordered the property into receivership, in which a third-party takes control of a property to preserve the asset, possibly leading to a sale. Tom Collins Distilling, affiliated with Sazerac, bought the Truist loan agreements in February 2026, court records show, and in March the spirits company moved to have the property sold in a foreclosure auction. The property was auctioned at a master commissioner's sale June 26, selling to sole bidder Tom Collins Distilling for $20 million. A June 2026 appraisal valued the property at just shy of $28 million, court records show. The Lancaster distiller now joins Sazerac's footprint in Kentucky, which includes Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, the most visited distillery in the state; Barton 1972 Distillery in Bardstown; and The Glenmore Distillery in Owensboro. The company employs nearly 3,000 people across its Kentucky operations and that headcount is expected to grow with the new facility. Sazerac has not yet determined which of its spirits will be produced in Lancaster, though it plans to use the facility's existing infrastructure to do so. It was not clear exactly when the site will become operational or how many people it will employ once it is, but the company did note it intends to resume production in the near future and plans to expand the initial team as operations there develop. While there was a public-facing component to Garrard County Distilling Co.'s operations at the site, Sazerac plans to only use it for production. The acquisition comes as the alcohol industry overall, American whiskey included, is facing struggles on a variety of fronts, from Americans reporting they're drinking less or not at all to shifting tariff policies affecting bourbon exports. It also comes after the second of two public rejections of unsolicited $15 billion cash offers to acquire another Louisville-based spirits giant, Brown-Forman, which makes Jack Daniel's and Woodford Reserve. In a news release, Sazerac highlighted recent investments in its Kentucky properties, including approximately $50 million at its Barton 1792 Distillery, where it added a new boiler house, more fermenters, expanded bottling operations and added three new aging warehouses that increased the site's barrel storage capacity by 25%. The company also wrapped a 10-year, $1.2 billion expansion project at Buffalo Trace Distillery in January 2025, adding a new still house and bottling operation, expanding its visitor center and adding 19 new aging warehouses, among other additions. The investment upped production capacity by approximately 150%. At its Glenmore distillery, Sazerac has poured about $40 million over the last five years to improve processing capabilities and upgrade its barrel equipment, bottling lines. Other Kentucky projects include construction of new barrel warehouses in Laurel and Taylor counties. Reach growth and development reporter Matthew Glowicki at [email protected] or 502-582-4000. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Sazerac acquires Kentucky distillery for $20M, adding production capacity Reporting by Matthew Glowicki, Louisville Courier Journal / Louisville Courier Journal USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Sazerac acquires Kentucky distillery for $20M, adding production capacity. By Matthew Glowicki, Louisville Courier Journal USA Today Network via Reuters Connect Updated August 21, 2026 10:15 AM Gift Article Global spirits company Sazerac has acquired a shuttered Garrard County distillery as part of the Louisville-headquartered company's plans to increase its production capacity. Sazerac offered $20 million during a court-ordered June auction of the former Garrard County Distilling Co. property in Lancaster, Kentucky, and on Aug. 21, the company announced its plans for the site. Jake Wenz, president and CEO of Sazerac, noted in a statement that while the company has invested over $1 billion over the last decade at its Kentucky facilities, much of which went toward expanding production capabilities, more capacity is needed. "Even with all the investments we have made to expand, we need more supply to keep up with demand, and the addition of the Lancaster facility gives us valuable distilling capabilities to support that growth," he said. Sazerac is a fourth generation, family-operated and privately held company co-headquartered in Louisville and New Orleans, Louisiana. Its portfolio of more than 500 brands includes Weller, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, BuzzBallz, Southern Comfort and Wheatley Vodka, among many others. Situated on approximately 210 acres, the former Garrard County Distilling Co. property at 450 Southern Soul Way includes a 50,000-square-foot distillery with two column stills and two 20,000-square-foot warehouses for barrels. The acquisition will restart production at the site, which has sat quiet for over a year. Founded by Atlanta-based Staghorn, Garrard County Distilling Co. began production in January 2024, representing an announced $250 million investment at a site that could produce 150,000 barrels of bourbon annually. But by April 2025 the independent distillery had ceased operations, with its lender Truist Bank filing suit, alleging the distiller had defaulted on its loans and owed just over $26 million. The Garrard County Circuit Court then ordered the property into receivership, in which a third-party takes control of a property to preserve the asset, possibly leading to a sale. Tom Collins Distilling, affiliated with Sazerac, bought the Truist loan agreements in February 2026, court records show, and in March the spirits company moved to have the property sold in a foreclosure auction. The property was auctioned at a master commissioner's sale June 26, selling to sole bidder Tom Collins Distilling for $20 million. A June 2026 appraisal valued the property at just shy of $28 million, court records show. The Lancaster distiller now joins Sazerac's footprint in Kentucky, which includes Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, the most visited distillery in the state; Barton 1972 Distillery in Bardstown; and The Glenmore Distillery in Owensboro. The company employs nearly 3,000 people across its Kentucky operations and that headcount is expected to grow with the new facility. Sazerac has not yet determined which of its spirits will be produced in Lancaster, though it plans to use the facility's existing infrastructure to do so. It was not clear exactly when the site will become operational or how many people it will employ once it is, but the company did note it intends to resume production in the near future and plans to expand the initial team as operations there develop. While there was a public-facing component to Garrard County Distilling Co.'s operations at the site, Sazerac plans to only use it for production. The acquisition comes as the alcohol industry overall, American whiskey included, is facing struggles on a variety of fronts, from Americans reporting they're drinking less or not at all to shifting tariff policies affecting bourbon exports. It also comes after the second of two public rejections of unsolicited $15 billion cash offers to acquire another Louisville-based spirits giant, Brown-Forman, which makes Jack Daniel's and Woodford Reserve. In a news release, Sazerac highlighted recent investments in its Kentucky properties, including approximately $50 million at its Barton 1792 Distillery, where it added a new boiler house, more fermenters, expanded bottling operations and added three new aging warehouses that increased the site's barrel storage capacity by 25%. The company also wrapped a 10-year, $1.2 billion expansion project at Buffalo Trace Distillery in January 2025, adding a new still house and bottling operation, expanding its visitor center and adding 19 new aging warehouses, among other additions. The investment upped production capacity by approximately 150%. At its Glenmore distillery, Sazerac has poured about $40 million over the last five years to improve processing capabilities and upgrade its barrel equipment, bottling lines. Other Kentucky projects include construction of new barrel warehouses in Laurel and Taylor counties. Reach growth and development reporter Matthew Glowicki at [email protected] or 502-582-4000. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Sazerac acquires Kentucky distillery for $20M, adding production capacity. Reporting by Matthew Glowicki, Louisville Courier Journal / Louisville Courier Journal USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect This story was originally published August 21, 2026 at 10:01 AM.

Sazerac company continues investing in Kentucky with acquisition of Garrard County Distilling. Aug. 21, 2026 at 11:07 am Sazerac announced today that it has acquired the Garrard County Distilling facility in Lancaster, Kentucky, marking the latest step in the company's continued growth and long-term investment across the Commonwealth. The facility joins Sazerac's broader distilling network in the state, including Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown, and The Glenmore Distillery in Owensboro. The acquisition represents an important addition to Sazerac's production capabilities, providing additional capacity to support continued growth across the company's portfolio of spirits brands. The Garrard County Distilling facility, which opened in 2024, sits on approximately 210 acres and includes two column stills and two 20,000-square-foot barrel warehouses. Sazerac will utilize the facility's existing infrastructure and capabilities to support the company's broader production needs. The company expects to hire additional team members initially and will grow over time as operations at the facility develop. "Kentucky has been an important part of Sazerac's story for many years, and we're proud to continue investing and growing here," said Jake Wenz, President and CEO of Sazerac. "Today, nearly 3,000 team members are part of Sazerac's Kentucky operations, and we're grateful for the opportunity to continue growing that team. Even with all the investments we have made to expand, we need more supply to keep up with demand, and the addition of the Lancaster facility gives us valuable distilling capabilities to support that growth. We're excited to become part of the Garrard County community." Sazerac continues to make significant long-term investments in its Kentucky distilleries, strengthening production capabilities, modernizing facilities, and supporting the future of bourbon production in the Commonwealth. In the past five years, the company has invested approximately $50 million at Barton 1792 Distillery, including a new boiler house, additional fermenters, expanded bottling operations, and three new aging warehouses that increased barrel storage capacity by 25%, along with upgrades to existing equipment and facilities. In January 2025, Sazerac completed a ten-year, $1.2 billion expansion project for Buffalo Trace Distillery, which included a new still house, boiler house, bottling operation, expanded visitor center, 20 additional fermenters, and 19 new aging warehouses. At The Glenmore Distillery, Sazerac has invested approximately $40 million to enhance processing capabilities and upgrade barrel equipment, distillery controls, and bottling lines since 2020. Sazerac is also investing in additional barrel aging capacity throughout Kentucky, including construction of new warehouses in Laurel and Taylor Counties. "We're pleased to welcome Sazerac to Garrard County and look forward to what this investment will mean for our community," said Garrard County Judge Executive Chris Elleman. "Sazerac's decision to invest here brings new jobs and economic opportunity to our county while positioning this distillery for continued growth. We're proud to have Sazerac become part of the Garrard County community and look forward to working together for years to come." Kentucky House Speaker Pro Tempore David Meade adds, "Sazerac's investment in Garrard County is another strong example of the continued confidence companies are placing in Kentucky and our signature bourbon industry. This acquisition brings new opportunity to an impressive facility that already represents a significant investment in our region. Seeing Sazerac put this facility back to work is a positive development for Garrard County and another opportunity to strengthen one of our Commonwealth's signature industries."