‘Our Obvious First Choice’: Kentucky’s Newest Mega-Distillery Names Widow Jane Alumna Lisa Wicker Master Distiller
Lisa Wicker, the former master distiller at Widow Jane, is now the master distiller at the fledgling Garrard County Distilling Co.
On Tuesday, Staghorn announced that it is bringing aboard Lisa Wicker as the master distiller for its newly opened Garrard County Distilling Co. Wicker was previously the master distiller and president at Widow Jane Distillery.
“When we were looking for a head distiller at Garrard County Distilling Co., we wanted someone with deep experience in time-honored distilling methods but also someone with an eye for what’s next,” Staghorn founder Ray Franklin said in a news release. “This made Lisa our obvious first choice,”
Wicker’s pedigree is undoubtedly impressive. Before her current position at Garrard County, she worked at Widow Jane for almost six years. Under her leadership, Widow Jane was the largest heirloom corn crop whiskey in the U.S. during her tenure, according to the news release. Wicker’s whiskeys at Widow Jane earned accolades like Whisky Magazine’s Best Small Batch Bourbon 2022 and a Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Wicker left Widow Jane in November 2022, saying she would be returning home to Kentucky “for a new challenge.” Now, we know what that is.
Before her tenure at Widow Jane, Wicker held positions at Lexington Brewing & Distilling Company, Limestone Branch and Samson & Surrey.
At the moment, Wicker is focusing her attention on Staghorn’s All Nations Brand until the whiskey at Garrard County Distilling Co. reaches peak maturity, according to the news release.
Wicker shared some of her vision for the brand, teasing what we should expect from Garrard County.
“High-rye and wheated bourbons are going to be the calling card for Garrard County Distilling Co., but I am also excited to explore rye whiskey, American single malt and some other emerging categories,” Wicker said in the news release. “Key for me will be to have a premium whiskey for everyone, so expect a broad portfolio across multiple price points, from your daily sipper to the bottle you pull out for special occasions.”
About Garrard County Distilling Co.
Garrard County is a 210-acre property, a stone’s throw away from Lexington. The property hosts a 50,000-square-foot distillery complete with two 20,000-square-foot rickhouses. Staghorn expressed in the news release it plans to have 24 aging warehouses by 2030 with a capacity to hold 25,000 barrels in addition to a visitor center and tasting room.
In January, the project made headlines when it was revealed construction of the facilities cost upwards of $250 million.
Yet, there is a historical significance to Garrard County as well. Until now, Garrard County was a dry county. Franklin expressed that finding a location for Staghorn’s latest distillery that would benefit the local economy was “critically important” for the brand.
It appears the brand is securing some serious talent behind it, and it will be exciting to see how it develops.
“I am so grateful to the team at Staghorn for this amazing opportunity to lead the whiskey-making team at this beautiful new facility,” Wicker said. “Though this is one of the largest distilleries in Kentucky, my focus will remain on creating whiskeys using the hands-on, traditional craft disciplines I have honed over the past several decades.”
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