High West's core products are brought together under a wild west theme. © Bottlefork/High West
Constellation Brands has acquired High West Distillery, a US-based producer of bourbon and rye whiskeys, in a deal reportedly worth $160 million.
The acquisition adds a craft distiller to the range of premium products offered by Constellation, which has, in recent months, concentrated its efforts on growing its wine portfolio both in North America and New Zealand.
In April, it acquired the brands of California-based Prisoner Wine Company for around $285 million, having already announced a $32 million expansion to its Marlborough winery in New Zealand.
High West Distillery is best known for producing several upmarket whiskeys, including a core range of four rye, double rye and bourbon offerings – plus Campfire, described as the world’s only blend of Scotch, bourbon and rye whiskeys, which retails for $54.
High West is headquartered in Wanship, near Park City, Utah, where it opened a 30,000 square foot distillery back in 2014.
“This [acquisition] is foundational for us to build a truly significant craft spirits business and fill out the third leg of our stool,” Bill Newlands, Constellation’s president of wine and spirits, was quoted as saying by The Wall Street Journal.
High West chief executive John Esposito, who will continue to lead the business, claimed that part of the appeal of Constellation Brands was that ‘the same people will be making it [the whiskey], the same people will be selling it’.
And David Perkins, who founded the distillery in 2004 and will continue in his role as a brand ambassador, said that the partnership ‘makes sense’ – particularly in light of High West’s ambition to expand its manufacturing operation.
Constellation Brands will support the installation of a second whiskey still at the Park City distillery, which, when up and running, will be capable of producing a further 50,000 cases of whiskey a year.
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