Jack Daniel's Whiskey is as American as baseball and apple pie. It was bought by Brown-Forman, a company founded in 1870 in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1956. Brown-Forman also owns other notable American whiskey brands, including Woodford Reserve and Old Forester Bourbon. The Jack Daniel's Distillery is the first registered distillery in the United States, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Among the best-known American beverage brands, Jack Daniel's produces the best-selling American whiskey in the world. Its flagship Black Label sells millions of cases annually, and the Jack Daniel's entire product line has sold more than 16 million cases globally.
Jack Daniel’s maker faces foreign takeover push https://t.co/GVqMhbqlkQ
— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) April 28, 2026
But now that iconic American brand may fall into the hands of foreign investors, raising national security risks and concern over the loss of a purely American brand. Paris-based Pernod Ricard is in talks with Brown-Forman about a possible merger, citing a decline in demand and tariff concerns.
Pernod Ricard is the world's second-largest spirits maker and owns Absolut Vodka, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Chivas Regal, Beefeater Gin, and Malibu Rum. Pernod Ricard is also attempting to acquire Brown-Forman before Louisville, Kentucky-based Sazerac completes a competing offer that it plans to submit. Sazerac owns Buffalo Trace, the oldest continuously operating distillery in America.
The merger would likely trigger a Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) review. That process would involve multiple federal agencies, which would identify and mitigate any national security risks that come from such a merger.
In the past, President Trump has blocked foreign acquisitions of American companies. That included blocking the acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan-based Nippon Steel until President Trump secured a deal that would preserve American jobs, create new ones, and bring Japanese investment into the country. In January, President Trump blocked Chinese-linked HieFo Corporation from acquiring New Jersey-based Emcore's semiconductor business, citing national security concerns.
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Jack Daniel’s isn’t just another brand on a balance sheet. It’s an iconic piece of American industrial history and business, built over generations and tied to a place, a workforce, and a tradition that foreign investors simply can’t replicate.
If this deal moves forward, regulators and the White House should take a hard look at what’s being lost, and whether short-term economic pressures are worth handing over one of America’s most recognizable names to a French company.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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