Sazerac Acquires Garrard County Distilling Co In Reported $20M Deal

Tom Collins Distilling, an affiliate of Buffalo Trace owner Sazerac, has acquired the former Garrard County Distilling site in Lancaster, Kentucky.

Tom Collins Distilling secured the property as the sole bidder during a court-ordered master commissioner auction in Garrard County on Friday, 26th June 2026. The company’s winning $20 million bid came in well below the site's reported appraisal value of more than $27.9 million.

Sazerac writes in a statement: “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.”

According to court records, Tom Collins Distilling already held a judgment against the distillery, having secured its position as primary creditor after buying up the property's multi-million-dollar debt back in March.

Originally founded by Atlanta-based Staghorn, Garrard County Distilling launched production in January 2024 as Kentucky’s largest independently owned Bourbon distillery, spanning a 210-acre property just 30 minutes from Lexington.

However, its operations were short-lived; the business halted production and entered receivership in April 2025 following a lawsuit by Truist Bank over roughly $26 million in debt, which included unpaid property taxes, outstanding loans, and millions of dollars in liens.

Earlier this year, Sazerac unsuccesfullly made a US$15 billion bid to take over Brown-Forman in May.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team