Sagamore Spirit Acquired By Parent Company Of Disaronno

Illva Saronno Holding S.p.A., an Italian multinational company, recently announced it had conducted a majority stake purchase of shares of Baltimore-based Sagamore Spirit rye whiskey brand and distillery. The deal it said to support the long-term growth of both companies.

Illva Saronno Holding is most recognizably known for Disaronno, an extremely popular Italian liqueur. The acquisition also creates the opportunity for Illva Saronno to expand their whiskey portfolio beyond The Busker Irish Whiskey into American rye whiskey.

Sagamore Spirit was founded by Under Armour Executive Chairman and Brand Chief Kevin Plank in 2013. Its American rye whiskeys, in the years since, have been very highly regarded, earning more than 200 awards internationally, including World's Best Rye Whiskey in 2019 at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

“We are thrilled to announce this transaction, which supports our portfolio strategy to acquire high growth, attractive margin brands, and in this case, broaden our offering into the premium American whiskey segment,” said Aldino Marzorati, CEO of Illva Saronno Holding S.p.A, in a prepared statement. “We have built a strong presence with Disaronno International LLC in the US market, and this opportunity allows us to strengthen our portfolio with a company and products that we fully believe in.”

“Growing Sagamore Spirit has been an incredibly rewarding experience with a team that has obsessed every detail across this holistically Maryland grain-to-glass whiskey business,” added Plank. “I want to thank Illva Saronno Holding for their team’s passion in understanding the specialness of our unique product and look forward to the outstanding horsepower they can add into its next chapter.

“I’m also very excited that Illva Saronno Holding loves our Baltimore Peninsula location so much that they’ve decided to relocate their North American headquarters to Maryland. As a beacon of entrepreneurial power and potential, Baltimore Peninsula represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to be a foundational partner in creating a brighter future for one of America’s best cities.”