Sazerac Company

Sazerac Company, Inc is a privately held American alcoholic beverage company headquartered in Metairie in the metropolitan area of New Orleans, Louisiana, but with its principal office in Louisville, Kentucky. The company is owned by billionaire William Goldring and his family. As of 2017, it operated nine distilleries, had 2,000 employees, and operated in 112 countries. It is one of the two largest spirits companies in the U.S., with annual revenue of about $1 billion made from selling about 300 mostly discount brands.
History.
The company was founded after the purchase of a bar known as the "Sazerac Coffee House" in 1869 by Thomas H. Handy. The coffee house itself had been established in 1850. After its purchase, Handy's company began to acquire and market brands of liquor. According to the company, the "Sazerac Coffee House" had been named after a cocktail called the "Sazerac" that was created in the mid-1800s by the immigrant Antoine Amédée Peychaud, who operated a pharmacy on Royal Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans in 1838. The company publishes a Sazerac recipe and produces a Peychaud's Bitters named after Peychaud, which is an ingredient in the traditional Sazerac cocktail.
William Goldring began buying shares of the company in 1984, and eventually purchased the entire company.
In 2009, the company's principal office was moved to Louisville, Kentucky, reflecting an increased company focus on bourbon whiskey production. However, the Sazerac Company still maintains an active presence in the New Orleans area, and it also has operations in Carson and Loomis, California; Baltimore, Maryland; Chicago, Illinois; Bardstown, Frankfort, and Owensboro, Kentucky; Fredericksburg, Virginia; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Lewiston, Maine; Londonderry, New Hampshire; Newport, Tennessee; and Segonzac, France.
In 2016, the company had an estimated revenue of $1 billion per year and a market valuation estimate of $4.5 billion. The valuation placed Goldring in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index with an estimated net worth of $3.9 billion.
Acquisitions.
In 1989, Sazerac acquired several brands from Seagram: Benchmark, a bourbon, eventually changing its name from "Benchmark" to McAfee's Benchmark; James Foxe Canadian Whisky; Nikolai (vodka); Carstairs Blended Whiskey; Crown Russe, a vodka and gin brand; Dr. McGillicuddy's, a liqueur brand, that included its Fireball Whisky, which was rebranded as Fireball Cinnamon Whisky in 2007; Eagle Rare, a Kentucky straight bourbon whisky.
In 1992, Sazerac acquired the George T. Stagg Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, at which time the company's primary focus became the production of bourbon whiskey, a product that is primarily distilled, aged, and bottled in Kentucky, later changing its name to The Buffalo Trace Distillery in 1999.
In 1994, Sazerac acquired Monsieur Henri, a wine and specialty spirits company. In 2007, it was announced that they were changing the name Monsieur Henri to Gemini Spirits and Wine, its headquartered in Loomis, California. In 2014, Sazerac announced the creation the Bond & Royal Company, located in Chicago, Illinois, to take over the specialty and craft segment of its brands from the Gemini Spirits and Wine portfolio including: Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal, a "cousin" to the Tequila family of spirits," Campo de Encanto Pisco, a Peruvian brandy, Banks Rum, Siete Leguas Tequila, Glenfarclas Single Malt Scotch, Dimmi Liquore di Milano, an Italian liqueur, and the Casa San Matias Tequilas.
In 1999, Sazerac acquired the W.L. Weller Bourbon brands.
In 2003, Sazerac acquired the A. Smith Bowman Distillery, located in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Virginia Gentleman, a bourbon whiskey, is distilled there.
In March 2009, Sazerac completed its acquisition of Constellation Brands value-priced spirit assets. The purchase included Barton Brands and several other bourbon brands, a distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, and a bottling and warehousing facility in Owensboro, Kentucky.
In June 2009, Sazerac acquired The Old Taylor Bourbon label and barrel inventory from Beam Global Spirits & Wine, now known as Beam Suntory.
In September 2011, Sazerac entered into an agreement with Corby Distilleries Limited, to purchase 17 Corby owned brands including: McGuinness Silk Tassel Canadian Whisky, Red Tassel Vodka, and DeKuyper Geneva Gin and Peachtree Schnapps as part of the agreement made with the other brands acquired from Corby Distilleries Limited. The deal also included shares of Corby's manufacturing and bottling facilities in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and Quebec, Canada. The distillery was eventually renamed as the Old Montreal Distillery.
In October 2011, Sazerac Acquired 32 brands from White Rock Distillery, most notably including: Tortilla triple sec, Desert Island cocktails, Kapali liqueurs, Ryans Irish cream liqueur, Fire Water schnapps liqueur, Ice 101 liqueurs, Barbarossa rum, Ice Box blenders and cocktails, Mount Royal Canadian whisky, and others. In May 2012, Sazerac Acquired several more brands from White Rock Distillery including: Baja Tequila, Tenure Vodka, Epic Vodka, Superia Vodka, Stroyski Vodka, El Charro Tequila, Blackmaker Root beer liqueur, and Chocolate Valley Vines wine.
In October 2012, Sazerac acquired Gran Gala, a liqueur brand, from Stock Spirits.
In October 2013, Sazerac bought a distillery, including land and equipment in Lewiston, Maine, from Beam Inc. (now known as Beam Suntory). By 2017, the name of the distillery was changed to Boston Brands of Maine. The Mr. Boston line of Brandies is distilled there.
In October 2015, Sazerac acquired Michael Collins, an Irish whiskey from the Sidney Frank Importing Company.
Also in 2015, Sazerac added Van Gogh Imports, changing its name to 375 Park Avenue Spirits, as an independent, but fully integrated, division in its portfolio.
In March 2016, Sazerac completed the purchase of the Southern Comfort brand of whiskey-based liqueur, and Tuaca, a brandy liqueur, from Brown-Forman, Inc.
In March 2016, Sazerac acquired Hi-Spirits to take over the distribution of its products in the UK.
In May 2016, it was announced that Sazerac had finalized a deal with Pernod Ricard's Irish Distillers to acquire its Paddy Whiskey brand.
In September 2016 Sazerac acquired The Last Drop Distillers, an independent bottler of Scotch whiskey.
Also, in September 2016, Sazerac acquired South Trade International, an Australian spirit maker, from Pinnacle Drinks.
In October 2016, Sazerac acquired Frïs Vodka from Pernod Ricard.
In December 2016, Sazerac announced its acquisition of The Popcorn Sutton Distillery in Newport, Tennessee.
Also in December 2016, it was announced that Sazerac had acquired Domaine Breuil de Segonzac Cognac. "The purchase included the cognac distillery, vineyards, and existing buildings" located in near the town of Segonzac, France, near Cognac.
In November 2018, it was announced that Sazerac would acquire 19 lower-end spirits brands from Diageo Plc, including Seagram VO Canadian whisky and Goldschläger cinnamon schnapps.
In June 2020, it was announced that Sazerac would acquire the brands Early Times, Collingwood, and Canadian Mist, including the latter's distillery in Ontario, from Brown-Forman. The acquisition included the barrel aging stocks related to the different brands as well. 
Divestitures.
In June 2009, Sazerac sold Effen Vodka to Fortune Brands. After a restructuring of Fortune Brands and an acquisition by Suntory, it has since become a Beam Suntory brand.