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Kirin will sell the Four Roses bourbon brand to E. & J. Gallo in a transaction Kirin said is valued at up to $775 million, with closing expected in the second quarter. Kirin said Gallo will add the Kentucky bourbon brand to its portfolio after completing the purchase of Four Roses Distillery, which produces the brand in Lawrenceburg in the heart of bourbon country.
Kirin said California-based Gallo signaled that it sees wine and whiskey as a good fit for its business as the companies worked toward the acquisition. Kirin also said the deal will allow it to reallocate resources toward other businesses that could grow by leveraging Kirin’s organizational capabilities.
In a statement, Gallo said it expects to proceed through the regulatory process while it awaits a closing date, adding that it is “incredibly excited about this acquisition and the opportunity to welcome Four Roses into our portfolio.” Kirin said it didn’t immediately indicate how it would use proceeds from the sale.
Kirin said it has held Four Roses since 2002, and that the brand has achieved strong growth primarily in the United States since the company acquired it. The company said it was reviewing its balance sheet and business portfolio from a medium-to-long term perspective and, after “careful consideration,” decided to transfer the business to Gallo.
Gallo said it plans no changes to Four Roses operations, production or distribution after acquiring the brand. Four Roses Distillery completed a $55 million expansion several years ago that doubled production capacity at its Lawrenceburg plant.
The brand is a former post-Prohibition powerhouse that, for decades, disappeared from U.S. shelves as a Kentucky straight bourbon, according to the report. Four Roses returned to American bars and liquor stores after Kirin bought the brand, following an earlier period in which a prior owner turned Four Roses into a blended whiskey for U.S. consumption while shipping its straight bourbons to foreign markets.
The sale comes as spirits producers face uncertainty, including trade conflicts and inflation that has pinched consumers’ budgets. Chris Swonger, president and chief executive of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, said during the council’s annual industry report that total U.S. spirits sales edged down 2.2% in 2025, while the industry remained resilient.
Swonger said domestic sales of American whiskey—covering bourbon, Tennessee whiskey and rye whiskey—totaled $5.1 billion in 2025, down nearly 1% from the prior year. He said demand for high-end premium whiskey brands remains strong, adding that those whiskeys age longer and fetch higher prices for producers.
Bourbon gets its flavor and golden brown color during aging, Swonger said. He added that “there is still a great deal of consumer interest and passion for America’s native spirit,” as the industry looks for growth beyond the recent dip in overall sales.