Castle & Key Appoints New Plant Manager Amid Layoffs

Corrected November 10, 2025

By Richard Thomas

Kentucky’s Castle & Key Distillery, located in the revived property of the historic Old Taylor Kentucky in Woodford County, Kentucky, has appointed an industry veteran in Sherrie Moore as their new plant manager. The new appointment comes in the midst of substantial lay-offs at the distillery.

Moore began her career in 1975 at Jack Daniel’s Distillery, where she developed her expertise across every facet of whiskey making. She the moved to Uncle Nearest as Director of Whiskey Production in 2017. Nearest was a Non-Distiller Producer (NDP) then (and still is today), so her role there was in acquiring the sourced whiskey stocks and then developing them into products. Victoria Butler’s tenure as Master Blender at Uncle Nearest was from 2019 to the present, and overlapped with Moore’s time there. Since mid-2022, Moore has operated as a self-employed whiskey consultant.

Moore is said to bring a passion for barrels and maturation, areas in which she has led numerous innovations and cost-saving initiatives still in use today. Her predecessor was Elliott Schmitz. The role of plant manager is not the same as master distiller, with the latter post held by Brett Connors.

“Sherrie’s breadth and depth of experience is unmatched,” said Will Arvin, Co-Founder of Castle & Key. “Her attention to detail, coupled with her passion for whiskey, make her an ideal leader as we expand our operations and elevate our production standards. We are honored to have her guiding our team.”

“I have loved this industry since the day I started,” said Moore. “From the distillery floor to the warehouse, I believe every single step matters in making great whiskey. I’m thrilled to bring my experience and passion to Castle & Key as we continue building on the Kentucky distilling legacy.”

Moore’s appointment coincides with recent lay-offs at Castle & Key, reported by dismissed employees who wish to remain anonymous.