Late last week, the news arrived that Kentucky bourbon distillery Four Roses is being sold by its Japanese parent company, Kirin, to California wine and spirits company Gallo for close to a billion dollars. While this might not come as a surprise to those who knew that the distillery was put up for sale a few months ago, it does raise some questions as to what will actually happen to the storied whiskey brand and its many warehouses full of bourbon over the coming years.

The Four Roses brand was created in the late 19th century, and while there are differing accounts as to its true origins, the story really begins when the distillery was built in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, in 1910. Over the years, the distillery has changed hands several times. Most notably, Seagrams purchased it in 1943, and for years the main product was a blended whiskey, while the straight bourbon was mostly exported to Japan. That changed when, after a few more owners, the distillery was acquired by Kirin in 2002. Jim Rutledge was master distiller at the time, and the blended whiskey was discontinued to focus on straight bourbon made from the distillery’s 10 different recipes (two mashbills, five yeast strains). Brent Elliott took over when Rutledge retired in 2015, and has held the master distiller title ever since.

In October, it was reported that Kirin was putting the distillery up for sale, but it wasn’t until last week that the terms were announced (although the details have yet to be finalized). According to Reuters, Kirin Holdings agreed to sell Four Roses to E&J Gallo Winery for “up to” $775 million, and the deal should be completed sometime in the second quarter, allowing Kirin to “reallocate its resources toward businesses that could further grow by leveraging Kirin’s own organizational capabilities.” Four Roses released a statement as well: “Today, we are excited to look ahead to a new chapter alongside E. & J. Gallo Winery, one rooted in a shared respect for craftsmanship and a long-term commitment to the strength of the spirits industry. This transition reflects a strategic decision by Kirin Holdings, and Four Roses’ leadership team, operations, and day-to-day business remain firmly in place.”

In addition to many wines, Gallo has a bevy of spirits in its portfolio (either as owner or distributor), including Amaro Montenegro, Don Fulano tequila, Jura single malt scotch, and one of the best-selling alcoholic seltzers, High Noon. According to Gallo, no changes are currently planned in regards to Four Roses’ operation, production, or distribution. Of course, that could all change, especially considering the state of the American whiskey marketplace. Yes, sales are higher than what they were a few decades ago, but overall the industry has been dealing with reduced demand and slumping profits.

Most recently, the James B. Beam Distilling Co. announced that it will be shuttering one of its main distilleries for all of 2026, and companies like Diageo and Brown-Forman have laid off employees and paused production at various sites. There is currently a glut of aged spirits from major drinks companies sitting in warehouses here and abroad, so it’s conceivable that Gallo could decide to enact its own production pause at Four Roses, where there is enough aged stock to continue to sell the bourbon for a while. Or perhaps, given the success of High Noon, we could see Four Roses RTDs or flavored whiskeys hitting shelves over the next year or two.

Of course, another scenario is that Four Roses continues to produce the same high-quality bourbon it has for decades, and that may very well be what happens. Four Roses might not be in the top five best-selling bourbon brands, but it is very well respected and one of the few that keeps things relatively simple, making just a few core products and an annual limited release that is consistently a collector’s item upon its release. The reality is that the current state of the global spirits industry means that it’s a toss-up as to what will result from a sale like this—a major (or minor) revamping and rebranding to try to boost sales, or keeping things rolling along the way they have been to maintain the brand’s respect and integrity. We will update you with any further news as it arrives.