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Blue Run Spirits plans $51 million distillery
Whiskey producer Blue Run Spirits will invest almost US$51 million into building a 35,000-square-foot distillery in Georgetown, US.
Blue Run Spirits will be the first distillery in Scott County in 50 years. The almost US$51m investment will include a 20,000-square-foot rick house and will become the company’s first vertically integrated distilling operation and future headquarters.
The funding will be used to cover the site acquisition costs, construction costs, and to acquire the distilling equipment.
Furthermore, the investment will also create around 45 full-time jobs for local people, spanning roles from operations to administrative positions.
Mike Montgomery, Blue Run Spirits CEO and co-founder, said: “When we started Blue Run Spirits in October 2020, we never imagined a distillery would be in our future, but our unprecedented growth has deemed that a necessity, which is an incredibly exciting prospect for our entire team.
“The generous support of the Commonwealth is making this a reality. We look forward to becoming a dynamic contributor to the economic vibrancy of Scott County and Georgetown and deepening our connection to an area so significant in the rich history and the promising future of Bourbon in Kentucky.”
Blue Run Spirits was established in 2020 and has launched 10 Bourbons and rye whiskeys to date.
In 2022, the company forecasts it will quintuple its 2021 volume to reach 50,000 4.5-litre cases. By 2023, this is expected to increase to between 85,000 and 100,000 cases.
By value, this year’s sales projections are expected to hit US$15m.
Governor Andy Beshear added: “Our state’s Bourbon industry continues to build momentum to reach new heights. This investment by Blue Run Spirits is a welcome addition to the Georgetown and Scott County community and the Kentucky Bourbon and tourism scene.
“I want to thank the company’s leadership for their vision to grow in the commonwealth and add to Kentucky’s position as the Bourbon capital of the world.”
In other distillery investment news, earlier this month UK-based Cotswolds Distillery secured £3m (US$3.6m) worth of funding to expand.
In July, Beam Suntory revealed plans to invest more than US$400m to expand the Booker Noe Distillery in Kentucky.