Making whisky is an expensive business, and many small distilleries who start out independent turn to bigger partners for help growing their production, distribution, and other business moves. Selling a stake in their distillery—or being acquired outright—doesn’t make these people sellouts, but it does open the door to questions.
Buyouts, Partnerships, and Majority/Minority Stakes in Independent Whiskey Distilleries and Brands
This list will be continuously updated as new acquisitions and other business partnerships occur.
WhistlePig Whiskey—Shoreham, Vermont
Sold a minority stake to Moët Hennessy in December 2020
Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co.—Fort Worth, Texas
Sold to Pernod Ricard in August 2019
Rabbit Hole Distillery—Louisville, Kentucky
Sold majority stake to Pernod Ricard in June 2019
Black Button Distilling—Rochester, New York
Sold minority stake to Constellation Brands in February 2019
Westward Whiskey—Portland, Oregon
Sold partial stake to Diageo’s Distill Ventures Unit in September 2019
Wyoming Whiskey—Kirby, Wyoming
Formed strategic partnership with Edrington Group in September 2018
Pendleton Whisky—Hood River, Oregon (sourced from Canada)
Sold to Becle, S.A.B. de C.V. (Cuervo) in December 2017
Yellow Rose Distilling—Houston, Texas
Sold equity stake to Spain’s Zamora Co. in November 2017
Masterson’s Rye and Bib & Tucker Bourbon—Sonoma, California (sourced)
Acquired by Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits in August 2017
Woodinville Whiskey Co.—Woodinville, Washington
Sold to Moët Hennessy in July 2017
Teeling Whiskey Co.—Dublin, Ireland
Sold minority stake to Bacardi Ltd. in 2017
Kentucky Owl—Bardstown, Kentucky (sourced)
Sold to SPI Group in January 2017
Bardstown Bourbon Co.—Bardstown, Kentucky
Sold minority stake to Constellation Brands in 2016
BenRiach Distillery Co.—Newbridge, Scotland
Sold to Brown-Forman Corp. in 2016
High West Distillery—Park City/Wanship, Utah (partly sourced)
Sold to Constellation Brands in 2016
Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery—Nashville, Tennessee
Sold minority stake to Constellation Brands in 2016; Constellation subsequently acquired a majority stake in May 2019
Catoctin Creek—Purcellville, Virginia
Sold minority stake to Constellation Brands in 2016
Smooth Ambler Spirits—Maxwelton, West Virginia
Sold majority stake to Pernod Ricard in 2016
Westland Distillery—Seattle, Washington
Sold to Rémy Cointreau in 2016
Angel’s Envy—Louisville, Kentucky
Sold to Bacardi Ltd. in 2015
Witherspoon Distillery—Lewisville, Texas
Sold minority stake to Sazerac in 2015
Compass Box Whisky Co.—London
Sold minority stake to Bacardi Ltd. in 2014
Forty Creek Distillery—Grimsby, Ontario
Sold to Campari America in 2014
Limestone Branch Distillery—Lebanon, Kentucky
Sold 50% stake to Luxco in 2014; Luxco and its Bardstown, Kentucky distillery, Lux Row, were subsequently acquired by MGP in 2021
Bruichladdich Distillery—Islay, Scotland
Sold to Rémy Cointreau in 2012
Stranahan’s Distillery—Denver, Colorado
Sold to Proximo Spirits, the U.S. division of Becle, S.A.B. de C.V. (Cuervo), in December 2010
Tuthilltown Spirits—Gardiner, New York
Sold Hudson whiskey brand to William Grant & Sons in 2010, followed by the rest of the distillery in 2017
