Tom Collins Distilling, an affiliate of Buffalo Trace owner Sazerac, has purchased the former Garrard County Distilling property in Lancaster, Kentucky. The spirits producer secured the 210-acre site with a successful bid of $20 million during a court-ordered auction. The property had previously been appraised at more than $27.9 million.
Garrard County Distilling, which originally began production in January 2024 as the largest independently owned Bourbon distillery in Kentucky, halted operations and entered receivership in April 2025. This followed a lawsuit by Truist Bank over an outstanding debt of approximately $26 million, including loans, unpaid property taxes, and millions of dollars in liens. Tom Collins Distilling became the primary creditor after acquiring the multi-million-dollar debt in March this year.
Confirming the transaction, Sazerac stated: “Sazerac Company was the successful bidder in the auction process for Garrard County Distilling. The transaction remains subject to customary closing processes. At this time, we don’t have additional information to share. We will provide more information if and when appropriate.”
The acquisition follows another major consolidation move by Sazerac earlier this year, when it reportedly made a takeover bid for Brown-Forman, the owner of Jack Daniel’s. The latter rejected the $15 billion offer in May.
Source: The Spirits Business / Global Drinks Intel
