Buffalo Trace planning new hand-bottling craft distillery called ‘Project Cardinal’
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- Buffalo Trace plans $59 million expansion including a hand-bottling craft distillery.
- Project Cardinal aims to elevate visitor experience and surpass 1 million annual visitors.
- Development is expected to start mid-2026 with completion targeted for December 2028.
New details have emerged about the nearly $60 million expansion that Buffalo Trace Distillery is planning: The project may include a new hand-bottling craft distillery, referred to as “Project Cardinal” on documents obtained by the Herald-Leader
In March, the distillery received preliminary approval for nearly $15 million in tourism tax incentives for a new, $59 million-plus project that includes an entertainment facility. The project was discussed in closed session.
Few details have been released, and the distillery has declined to comment except to issue a statement from Jake Wenz, president and CEO of Sazerac: “The Buffalo Trace Distillery lives by the motto: Honor Tradition and Embrace Change. We are not able to confirm all of the details at this time, but we can confirm we are investing in the distillery to improve our experience for more guests, celebrate our history and support our local community.”
According to the documents, the distiller is “undertaking a comprehensive capital investment project to elevate its visitor experience” with the goal of surpassing 1 million visitors a year with the new attraction.
Buffalo Trace Distillery already is one of the most-visited bourbon distilleries in Kentucky. Owned by Sazerac, the distillery is not part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, because the company is not a member of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association any longer.
But the historic distillery is known for the top-selling bourbon and whiskey brands it makes, including namesake Buffalo Trace as well as Blanton’s, Weller and Eagle Rare.
The distillery also makes the Pappy Van Winkle brand for the Van Winkle family under a joint venture.
Over the next three years, the distillery will invest more than $59.4 million in property improvements that will include “build-out of a hand-bottling craft distillery designed to serve as the centerpiece of a brand-new tour experience. This expansion is designed to reconnect guests with the historic origins of distilling at Buffalo Trace, while deepening visitor engagement and supporting expanded tourism programming within the existing campus. The new tour will be offered free of charge to the public and is anticipated to attract a significant increase in annual visitation to the distillery,” according to the application for tourism tax incentives.
According to a map that accompanied the application, the new hand-bottling site appears to be in an existing warehouse and barrel handling site.
The application did not identify what brand the new craft distillery and hand-bottling line will serve. Buffalo Trace already has a small hand-bottling line used for its popular Blanton’s premium bourbon line already.
According to the application for incentives, the project will include infrastructure upgrades to address recent flood impacts in guest experience areas and improvements in accessibility.
The expansion also includes a Clubhouse Cafe. The John G. Carlisle Cafe is opening at the distillery on May 11; it is unclear if that is part of the incentives package or if another amenity is planned.
The new project is expected to begin development in mid-2026 with completion targeted for December 2028. The distillery said it anticipates hiring 35 full-time and 30 part-time employees and being open to the public at least 100 days a year, drawing at least 25% of its visitors from outside of Kentucky.
The project still must receive final approval from the board to qualify for incentives.
Sazerac has reportedly bid $15 billion for whiskey rival Brown-Forman, although the controlling Brown family members are said to favor a merger with French spirits company Pernod Ricard.
The privately held Sazerac, which is owned by William Goldring, is aggressively bucking the trend among spirits companies to slow production as whiskey sales have been slumping over the two years.
In addition to the new entertainment venue, Buffalo Trace’s parent recently purchased the bank’s interest in the shuttered Garrard County Distillery.
Sazerac also received approval in August 2025 for up to $2.75 million in Kentucky tax incentives for a new, $1 billion barrel campus in Campbellsville in Taylor County. And the company is planning a separate $38 million expansion of existing operations in New Albany, Indiana.
In January 2025, Buffalo Trace finished a $1.2 billion expansion at the Frankfort distillery that doubled distilling capacity.
