(LEX 18) — Japanese beverage giant Kirin Holdings Company announced Thursday it has agreed to sell Four Roses bourbon distillery to California-based E. & J. Gallo Winery for up to $775 million.
The sale includes all membership interests in Four Roses Distillery, LLC, which has operated in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky since 1888. Kirin acquired the bourbon maker in 2002.
"Since our acquisition of Four Roses in 2002, the business has achieved strong growth, primarily in the U.S. market, and contributed to the growth of Kirin's enterprise value," the company said in a statement.
The deal is valued at approximately 120 billion yen, or $775 million, with $50 million of that amount contingent on Four Roses meeting certain revenue targets after the sale closes.
Four Roses operates from its historic distillery at 1224 Bonds Mill Road in Lawrenceburg.
E. & J. Gallo Winery, founded in 1933 and based in Modesto, California, is owned by members of the Gallo family.
The sale is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, pending approval from U.S. antitrust regulators.
