89-9 WEKU or NPR for Northern, Central and Eastern Kentucky reported on Saturday that Garrard County Distilling Company, an indie Kentucky distillery brand with facilities that cost $250M to construct in 2024 according to Bottle Raiders, has shuttered its doors after just 15 months of operation.
The distillery additionally furloughed its staff and faces a few legal battles, including lawsuits amounting to a total of $2.2 million from the companies that constructed its facilities.
LEX 18 reported on Thursday that Garrard County Distilling Company had two mechanical liens against it. Doss & Horkey alleged that the company owed them $2,178,483.33 with interest. The construction company claimed Garrard County Distilling owed them for materials and work on distillery construction. An additional lien was filed by Steel Services of Kentucky Inc. for $158,986.80 over construction materials and work done on the distillery.
Yet it appears that Garrard County Distilling has filed some legal action of its own after a couple of unfortunate incidents at its facilities when it was operational.
The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that Garrard County Distilling was suing Kentucky Steel Buildings, Panels and Supply for over $1.2 million after its warehouse roof collapsed in February 2021. The outlet additionally reported Garrard County Distilling filed a suit against American Industrial Contractors after a crane gave away in November 2022.
Backing the project was the Atlanta-based whiskey brand, Staghorn. When the facilities opened, they were classified as the largest indy distillery in Kentucky. The facility was the first commercial distillery in Garrard County, a dry county since Prohibition.
As for the closure, local officials like the Garrard County Chamber of Commerce Diane Bisher claims she doesn’t know if the impressive facilities will ever reopen. She expressed that she hoped the distillery would resume operations after it furloughed its staff.
“I think that would be the hope of everyone, especially employees and, you know, our community as well,” Bisher expressed to NPR for Kentucky. “If you drive past those buildings they are just, they’re just outstanding.”
Bottle Raiders reported that the distillery housed two 20,000-square-foot rickhouses which could hold almost 25,000 barrels each. When it opened, Garrard County Distilling held approximately 17,000 sourced whiskey barrels, and the brand would eventually make its own bourbon from the Lancaster Public Spring Aquifer, a local water source.
At the time of its opening, Staghorn’s Founder Ray Franklin expressed that it was important that the location for the expensive facilities would “have a significant impact on the local economy.” Franklin left Staghorn in November according to The Spirits Business.
“Communities across Kentucky have benefitted greatly from the recent bourbon boom and now I am pleased to say Garrard County will as well,” Garrard County Judge/Executive Chris Elleman said in a statement according to Bottle Raiders. “Working in close cooperation with Staghorn we will be bringing more than 60 jobs to the local economy, as well as increased commerce for vendors supporting the facility and tourism dollars. It is a great win for the County.”
T8ke.com has reached out to Staghorn for comments about the closure and is awaiting the company’s response.
No responses yet