Global spirits giant Sazerac is expending its footprint on the Kentucky bourbon landscape with the purchase of the defunct Garrard County Distilling facility in Lancaster, Kentucky. Media reports say that Sazerac bought the shuttered plant, which only opened in 2024, for $20 million at a court-ordered auction.
The new facility will join other Sazerac bourbon distillers in the Bluegrass including Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown ,and The Glenmore Distillery in Owensboro.
The 210-acre Garrard County Distilling site includes two column stills and two 20,000-square-foot barrel warehouses. Sazerac said it “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.”
“Sazerac’s investment in Garrard County is another strong example of the continued confidence companies are placing in Kentucky and our signature bourbon industry”, said Kentucky House Speaker Pro Tempore David Meade. “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.”
“Kentucky has been an important part of Sazerac’s story for many years, and we’re proud to continue investing and growing here. 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.”
About Sazerac Company
(From the company)
With over 400 years of history, Sazerac is one of the world’s largest distilled spirits companies. Now in the fourth generation of the current family ownership, Sazerac strives each day to bring the finest spirits to consumers around the world.
Over 500 of the world’s most extraordinary brands are part of the Sazerac portfolio, including Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Eagle Rare, Weller, The Last Drop Distillers, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Southern Comfort, Wheatley Vodka, Meyers’s Rum, White X Cognac, Sazerac de Forge Cognac, Paddy’s Irish Whiskey, and many more.
Sazerac is also the steward of many fine distilleries internationally, including Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, United States; Domaine Sazerac de Segonzac in Cognac, France; Paul John Distillery in Goa, India; and Lough Gill Distillery in County Sligo, Ireland. Additional impressive locations can be found in New Orleans, Montréal, London, Cork and Sydney, to name a few.
To learn more visit www.sazerac.com.
