The Atlanta based premium spirits company Staghorn, has named award-winning craft whiskey maker Lisa Wicker as the first Master Distiller of its recently opened Garrard County Distilling Co.
Lisa will manage all aspects of whiskey production at the
new Lancaster, Kentucky based distillery, which will be capable of producing 150,000 barrels of whiskey a year.
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| Garrard County Distilling Co. Master Distiller: Lisa Wicker |
Prior to joining Garrard County Distilling Co., Lisa was the President and Master Distiller of Widow Jane Distillery in Brooklyn, New York. Her highly regarded whiskeys earned accolades including Whisky Magazine’s Best Small Batch Bourbon 2022, Best in Class at the 2019 Whiskies of the World Awards, and a Double Gold Medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Lisa’s other experience in the spirits industry include lead
distilling roles at Lexington Brewing & Distilling Company, Samson &
Surrey, Limestone Branch and Starlight Distillery.
Commenting on the news, 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.”
The 210-acre Garrard County Distilling Co. site includes the
50,000 sq ft distillery, as well as two 20,000 sq ft rickhouses, with plans for
a total of 24 aging warehouses by 2030. A visitor centre with tasting room and
restaurant is scheduled to open by the end of this year.
Posted by Steve Rush