Gov. Andy Beshear announced the largest distilled spirits-related investment on record in Kentucky this week, as Louisville-based Sazerac Co. will invest $600 million to construct nearly 20 barrel warehouses and expand Robinson Stave and Cumberland Cooperage in London, creating up to 50 full-time jobs and supporting the company’s continued growth.
“This is a significant investment in Kentucky by Sazerac as our signature bourbon industry continues to grow at an incredible rate,” Gov. Beshear said.
Sazerac’s Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort
The Sazerac Co. is acquiring the 198-acre Rowland Acres Industrial Park from the London-Laurel County Economic Development Authority to construct nearly 20 new barrel storage warehouses in Laurel County, which will create up to 50 full-time jobs for Kentucky residents. The project also includes a 72,000-square-foot expansion of Robinson Stave and Cumberland Cooperage, which Sazerac acquired in 2014, to increase production capacity for barrels used to store the company’s aging whiskies.
Work on the project is expected to begin in the coming weeks, with the first seven barrel warehouses expected to be completed in the spring of 2025.
To date, Sazerac’s investment in Kentucky has included approximately $1.2 billion invested at Buffalo Trace Distillery, the company’s primary distillery, located in Frankfort.
The company’s Kentucky presence also includes Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown, The Glenmore Distillery in Owensboro and its headquarters in Jefferson County.
“We are delighted to expand further in Laurel County and appreciate the warm welcome given to us by the local government and the economic development authority,” Mark Brown, Sazerac president and CEO, said.
Sazerac’s Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown
“We’ve invested in London-Laurel County because we know the residents are hardworking Kentuckians who take pride in their craft. Our construction of new barrel storage warehouses and expansion of our barrel cooperage operations will allow for the continued growth of Kentucky’s signature bourbon industry.”
Sazerac is an American, family-owned, leading producer and marketer of distilled spirits headquartered in Louisville. Founded in 1850, Sazerac maintains eight major facilities in the United States and currently employs around 4,700 people across all U.S. operations.
The Commonwealth’s bourbon sector is a nearly $9 billion signature industry in Kentucky, generating more than 22,500 jobs with an annual payroll exceeding $1.23 billion.
