Four Roses eyes expanded US sales with distillery expansion
FRANKFORT, Ky. — An iconic Kentucky bourbon that reintroduced itself to American whiskey drinkers only last decade is ready to ramp up production in hopes of gaining a greater foothold in the U.S.
Four Roses Distillery on Tuesday celebrated the completion of a $55 million expansion that will double production capacity at its plant at Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.
The brand was a post-Prohibition powerhouse but disappeared from American shelves as a Kentucky straight bourbon for decades. It’s only been since 2002 that the 131-year-old brand’s straight bourbons returned to American bars and liquor stores, after Japanese-based Kirin Brewery Co. purchased Four Roses. A previous owner had turned Four Roses into a blended whiskey for U.S. consumption, while shipping the straight bourbons to foreign markets.
Since the initial reintroduction, which came in the early years of bourbon’s American comeback, Four Roses has spread to all 50 states along with dozens of foreign markets.