LANCASTER, Ky. — An Atlanta-based spirits company is opening its first distillery in Garrard County, creating a projected 60 full-time jobs with it.
Staghorn will open the Garrard County Distilling Co., which has begun production in Lancaster, Kentucky.
The over $250 million project will be capable of producing up to 150,000 barrels of bourbon per year while supporting the local economy with over 60 new jobs. The new distillery will be the first commercial distillery in the formerly dry county since the 1800s.
“Staghorn’s investment is a welcome addition to the Lancaster and Garrard County communities, as well as to Kentucky’s booming tourism sector,” said Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky.
The project is located 30 minutes south of Lexington on a 210-acre site. It will include a more than 50,000-square-foot distillery and two rickhouses, with plans for up to 24 aging warehouses by 2030. A visitor center with a tasting room and restaurant is scheduled to open by the end of this year.
Garrard County, which was dry until November 2023, was previously home to about 10 small distilleries in the 1800s when it was an important railroad hub for hemp, flour and whiskey, according to the governor’s office. The distillery property was formerly owned by Revolutionary War hero James Speed.
Production will use the limestone-rich water from the local Lancaster Public Spring aquifer, which was first tapped by settlers in 1776 and bourbon will be crafted from locally sourced grain.
“When selecting the site for Garrard County Distilling Co., it was critically important to me that our location choice would have a significant impact on the local economy. The folks of Garrard County and Lancaster have been a real pleasure to work with, and we can’t wait to welcome visitors to this peaceful corner of the commonwealth,” said Staghorn Founder and President Ray Franklin.
Staghorn says it is a “premium spirits company” founded by Ray Franklin in 2018. It owns Garrard County Distilling Co., which is a member of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.
“As recently as three months ago, Garrard County was dry, but we were already working cooperatively with the team at Staghorn on this project because we clearly understood the benefits this distillery would bring to Lancaster and the surrounding area,” said Lancaster Mayor Michael Gaffney. “We see Garrard County Distilling Co. as a real opportunity to not only grow our economy, but to share our central Kentucky heritage with folks from around the world … over a glass of whiskey, of course.”
“Communities across Kentucky have benefited greatly from the recent bourbon boom, and now I am pleased to say Garrard County will as well,” said Garrard County Judge/Executive Chris Elleman.
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