Sazerac Purchases Tennessee Whiskey Distillery

Bourbon

December 22, 2016

Another small distillery has been purchased by a giant.

The Sazerac Company acquired a Newport, Tenn., distillery that produced Popcorn Sutton. Sazerac only purchased the physical distillery and not the rights to the brand Popcorn Sutton.

What’s so special about this place? Its employees. Former George Dickel Master Distiller John Lunn and Master Blender Allisa Henley will remain employees.

According to a press release, the purchase will allow Sazerac to start producing Tennessee whiskey, using the Lincoln County process, a filtration process through charcoal chips before it goes into the barrel.

“We see a lot of potential in the distilling capabilities of this operation,” said Mark Brown, president and chief executive officer, Sazerac, in a press release.  “We are excited to have the talents of John Lunn and Allisa Henley on board and we look forward to utilizing their expertise to start laying down true Tennessee whiskey.”

Sazerac says it will modify the pot stills for the Lincoln County process and expects to be running early 2017.

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