LANCASTER, Ky. (WKYT) – The former master distiller at the Garrard County Distilling Company claims she was fired just eight business days after the distillery announced her hiring.
The Herald-Leader reports Lisa Wicker claims she was announced as the master distiller for the Garrard County Distilling Company in Lancaster on Feb. 13, 2024 and then fired on Feb. 24.
Wicker told the paper that she believes she was fired because of a difference in philosophies.
“They did not understand the function of a master distiller, the market [and] the importance of authenticity and transparency,” Wicker said in her interview with the Herald-Leader. “There was so much potential. It’s a shame.”
The $250 million distillery opened in January 2024, but has since been taken over by the Garrard County Circuit Court, according to the Herald-Leader. They say the distillery’s parent company, GBRE, owes at least $28 million.
Earlier this month, Lancaster Mayor Michael Gaffney told WKYT that workers had been furloughed. Meanwhile, the Herald-Leader says the distillery is not actively distilling and that its phone is disconnected.
Wicker claims things felt off at the distillery from the start, but executives did not listen to her concerns.
“The culture just wasn’t normal distillery culture,” Wicker told the Herald-Leader.
The distillery was facing a $2.2 million lawsuit against contractors claiming they had not been paid.
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