🥃 Brown-Forman
Brown-Forman is the American spirits company behind Jack Daniel's and Woodford Reserve, headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky and founded in 1870 by George Garvin Brown.
Brown-Forman is the Louisville, Kentucky, spirits company behind Jack Daniel's, the Tennessee whiskey, and Woodford Reserve, the bourbon. According to its history timeline, George Garvin Brown established J.T.S. Brown & Brother in 1870 and was the first to sell whiskey in a sealed glass bottle. Its main brand is Jack Daniel's.
History. In 1890 Brown entered a partnership with George Forman, and in 1901 Brown-Forman was formally incorporated. During Prohibition (1920–1933) Owsley Brown, the founder's son, obtained a licence to bottle whiskey for medicinal purposes. In 1924 the company moved its whiskey stocks and headquarters to Louisville's West End. In 1956 it acquired Jack Daniel's by buying the Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, and in 1996 Woodford Reserve was launched.
Ownership. According to the company's January 2023 press release, its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange (BFA and BFB) and, under the exchange's rules, it is a family-controlled 'controlled company'. The same release says its brands are sold in more than 170 countries and that about 5,200 people work for the company worldwide.
Acquisitions. Casa Herradura in 2007, the Benriach Distillery Company in 2016, and Diplomático rum, whose purchase was completed on 5 January 2023 and which added an ageing, bottling and shipping facility in Panama.
Why this matters to you. One company owns different drinks, so check the type and production rules of each on its brand page. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 1870 — George Garvin Brown; partnership with George Forman in 1890, incorporation in 1901; headquarters in Louisville (Kentucky) |
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How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Brown-Forman → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🥃 Jack Daniel's, 🥃 Woodford Reserve, 🥃 Old Forester, 🥃 BenRiach, 🥃 The GlenDronach, 🥃 Herradura, 🥃 Diplomático
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 Americans
- Part of
- 🥃 Spirits
- Related to
- 🌍 North America
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Brown-Forman?
George Garvin Brown established J.T.S. Brown & Brother in 1870; the partnership with George Forman followed in 1890 and incorporation in 1901, according to the company's history timeline.
Who owns Jack Daniel's, and when did Brown-Forman acquire it?
Brown-Forman owns it; the company acquired Jack Daniel's in 1956, with the purchase of the Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee.
Is Woodford Reserve a Brown-Forman brand?
Yes. Woodford Reserve, a bourbon, was launched by the company in 1996.
Who controls Brown-Forman?
Its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange (BFA, BFB), and the company describes itself as a family-controlled 'controlled company' under the exchange's rules (press release of 5 January 2023).
Which distilleries and brands has Brown-Forman acquired?
Casa Herradura in 2007, the Benriach Distillery Company in 2016 and Diplomático rum, with the purchase completed on 5 January 2023.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🧑🤝🧑 Americans — The people of the United States in North America, descendants of settlers and Native peoples; their home-grown cheese is California's Monterey Jack.
- 🌍 North America — US and Canada: 9.5 million US cows gave 232 billion lb of milk (2025); Wisconsin makes a quarter of US cheese; Canada runs on dairy quotas.
- 🥃 The GlenDronach — Highland single malt from the Forgue valley in Aberdeenshire, founded by James Allardice in 1826; matured in oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks; owned by Brown-Forman.
- 🥃 Old Forester — Kentucky straight bourbon brand from Louisville, created in 1870 by George Garvin Brown; considered the first bourbon sold only in sealed bottles; 86 Proof is 43% ABV, 100 Proof is 50% ABV; owned by Brown-Forman.
Similar
🥃 Heaven Hill Brands · 🥃 Sazerac Company · 🥃 Bacardi Limited · 🥃 Edrington · 🥃 Suntory Global Spirits · 🥃 Rémy Cointreau
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Brown-Forman: Discover our roots — history timeline (1870 J.T.S. Brown & Brother; 1890 partnership with George Forman; 1901 incorporation; Prohibition medicinal licence; 1924 whiskey stocks and headquarters to Louisville's West End; 1956 Jack Daniel Distillery; 1996 Woodford Reserve; 2007 Casa Herradura; 2016 Benriach; 2022 Gin Mare and Diplomático)
- Brown-Forman: Brown-Forman completes acquisition of Diplomático rum brand (05.01.2023; NYSE: BFA, BFB; family 'controlled company'; 170+ countries; about 5,200 employees; facility in Panama)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)