Argument brews over Kentucky’s first Black-owned distillery

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A disagreement is brewing over who started the first Black-owned distillery in Kentucky. The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that Victory Global in Louisville filed a federal lawsuit this month accusing Fresh Bourbon Distilling Co. in Lexington of “unfair competition for false advertising” after owners claimed it was the first Black-owned distillery in the state. The lawsuit says Fresh Bourbon does not have its own distillery and does not have the necessary permits to distill and distribute bourbon. It asks for an injunction that would prevent Fresh Bourbon from making the claim. Fresh Bourbon’s owners are fighting the lawsuit, saying they have been barreling mash bill bourbon since 2018 with a distilling partner.