Lisa Wicker To Head Up Garrard County Distilling Co.,

by Beth Squires
February 15, 2024

Lisa Wicker has been named as the Master Distiller at Garrard County Distilling Co. Image courtesy of Garrard Distilling Co. & Raptor Communications

In an exciting development for bourbon enthusiasts, Staghorn has announced that the new distillery, Garrard County Distilling Co., will be headed by Master Distiller Lisa Wicker. The new distillery began operations in January 2024, with the first brand announcements expected this year.

The distillery is set in a sprawling 210-acre property in Lancaster, Kentucky. Its state-of-the-art facilities include two 45-foot continuous column stills, which promise an impressive output of around 8.5 million US gallons per year.

The team at the new distillery will be led by Master Distiller Lisa Wicker. Wicker has over 20 years of experience in the spirits industry under her belt, including positions at Widow Jane Distillery, Samson & Surrey, and George Washington’s Distillery.

Of her new appointment, Lisa Wicker said “I am so grateful to the team at Staghorn for this amazing opportunity to lead the whiskey making team at this beautiful new facility. Though this is one of the largest distilleries in Kentucky, my focus will remain on creating whiskeys using the hands-on, traditional craft disciplines I have honed over the past several decades.”

In her new role, Wicker will be responsible for overseeing whiskey production, including everything from grain selection to aging.

The distillery is located south of Lexington. There are plans for the estate to become home to 24 warehouses by 2030, capable of storing 600,000 barrels of whiskey.

These many barrels will be filled with many different types of whiskey, with Lisa Wicker expressing her affinity for experimentation: “[h]igh-rye and wheated bourbons are going to be the calling card for Garrard County Distilling Co., but I am also excited to explore rye whiskey, American single malt and some other emerging categories. Key for me will be to have a premium whiskey for everyone, so expect a broad portfolio across multiple price points, from your daily sipper to the bottle you pull out for special occasions.”

The All Nations brand. Image courtesy of Garrard County Distilling Co. & Raptor Communications.

Whilst waiting for the spirit now in production to mature, Wicker and the team will focus their efforts on the All Nations brand, owned by Staghorn. In this capacity, she will select and blend whiskeys from the company’s inventory for release.