Sazerac Revives Historic Glenmore Name, Launches 2 New Kentucky Whiskeys

Sazerac Co. launched Glenmore Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Glenmore Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, two brand-new releases crafted to bring back one of Kentucky's most historic whiskey names for a new generation of whiskey enthusiasts.

Inspired by more than 100 years of Glenmore Distillery history, the new whiskeys celebrate the legacy of a Distillery that played an important role in the development of American whiskey.

Tracing its roots to 1869, when founder Richard Monarch began distilling whiskey in Owensboro, Ky., Glenmore Distillery Co. would go on to become one of the state's most influential whiskey producers, earning a reputation for quality, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.

Throughout its history, Glenmore Distillery helped shape American whiskey through a portfolio of well-known whiskey brands, pioneering marketing strategies and its distinction as one of the few distilleries licensed to bottle medicinal whiskey during Prohibition.

The Thompson family, which had controlled the distillery for generations, sold it to Guinness in 1991. It was merged with Schenley Industries to form United Distillers.

The Glenmore Distillery continued distilling whiskey for more than 120 years before production at the Distillery ended in 1992. The historic Owensboro site transitioned into a massive packaging, bottling, and warehousing facility. Three years later, United sold the facility to Barton Brands.

Sazerac purchased the distillery in 2009. Since then, Sazerac has transformed the historic site into one of the country's largest and most modern facilities to support production, barrel aging and bottling operations across a variety of spirits categories.

"The Glenmore name has an incredible history, and we're honored to help write its next chapter," said Lauren Selman, global growth and innovation director at Sazerac. "As the owners and operators of The Glenmore distillery, we have long desired to bring this brand back to life. There is an entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to innovate that define the Distillery's history, and we saw an opportunity to give those qualities new life. We're excited to whiskey fans to try this release and celebrate this new era with us!"

While both are bottled at 100 proof, Glenmore Bourbon Whiskey and Glenmore Rye Whiskey offer distinctly different flavor profiles that showcase the character of their respective whiskey styles. Glenmore Bourbon Whiskey offers a rich, oak-forward profile with layered notes of crème brûlée, toasted marshmallow, vanilla custard, caramelized sugar and toasted pecan, finishing smooth and rounded. Glenmore Rye Whiskey delivers classic rye spice balanced by black pepper, toasted grain and subtle sweetness, leading to a bold, warming finish.

"Glenmore Distillery's history is about much more than the whiskey that carried its name," said Nick Laracuente, Bourbon archaeologist & lead archivist at Sazerac. "The archives reveal generations of people, ideas and ingenuity that helped build the Distillery and its brands.

"We studied advertisements, labels, photographs and records to help us piece together the Distillery's story, and we're excited to preserve that history while giving the Glenmore name an opportunity to be discovered all over again."