Sazerac Plans $605 Million Investment Into Kentucky Bourbon Facilities, Expected to Create 250 Jobs

(Photo: Sazerac)

Sazerac plans to invest more than $605 million across four Kentucky facilities, including a major expansion of a recently acquired distillery in Lancaster and a new bottling operation at Buffalo Trace, Louisville Business First reported Monday.

The projects, outlined in filings with the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority, include investments in distilling capacity, bottling operations, safety improvements and cooperage equipment. The largest is a proposed $557 million investment at the Garrard County distilling facility in Lancaster.

Sazerac acquired the 50,000-square-foot facility and its 210-acre campus for $20 million at auction in June 2026. The property, previously owned by All Nations Investors, began operating in January 2024 but ceased operations in April 2025.

The Lancaster project calls for $496 million in building and improvements, $46 million in equipment and $15 million in land. It is expected to create 85 jobs over 15 years, with an average hourly wage of $39. KEDFA has preliminarily approved $2.1 million in tax incentives.

Sazerac gained control of the property after paying more than $26 million in outstanding loans to Truist Bank in March, through its subsidiary Tom Collins Distilling LLC. The company later acquired the property as the sole bidder in a June auction.

The expansion is part of Sazerac’s broader effort to increase production capacity. CEO Jake Wenz previously said the Lancaster facility would provide additional distilling capabilities to support anticipated demand.

Buffalo Trace, Glenmore and Cumberland Cooperage projects

The second-largest investment is a $29.4 million project at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort. Sazerac plans to build a craft bottling operation, with $20.8 million allocated for construction and improvements and $8.9 million for equipment.

The project is expected to create 40 jobs over 10 years, paying an average of $50 per hour. KEDFA has preliminarily approved $700,000 in tax incentives.

The proposal follows a separate $1.3 billion investment in Buffalo Trace, which the company completed in 2025 after a decade-long renovation and expansion.

Sazerac also plans to spend $17.5 million on safety improvements and operational efficiency at Glenmore Distillery in Owensboro. The project includes $10.7 million in building improvements and $6.8 million in equipment. It is expected to create 50 jobs over 10 years, with an average hourly wage of $44. KEDFA has preliminarily approved $825,000 in incentives.

The final project involves $2.1 million in upgrades to the Cumberland Cooperage in Laurel County. The investment is expected to create 75 jobs over seven years, with an average hourly wage of $36. KEDFA has preliminarily approved $1.1 million in tax incentives.

Sazerac announced a separate $600 million investment in Kentucky barrel production in 2022, including plans for new warehouses and expansions at Robinson Stave and Cumberland Cooperage.

The four projects represent more than $605 million in proposed investment and 250 expected jobs across Kentucky. The tax incentives remain subject to final approval, which state law requires within one year of preliminary approval.