La. distillery gets federal permits

Louisiana Spirits LLC, which is building a rum distillery in Lacassine that will use Louisiana sugar cane as its products’ primary ingredient, has been approved for operation by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, the company said Monday.

“We are energized by this approval and we look forward to working with the Louisiana ATC and Department of Revenue to complete our operating license requirements,” Trey Litel, president of Louisiana Spirits LLC, said.

Recent rain has caused some delays in the construction schedule for the distillery, located along the South Frontage Road of Interstate 10 at Lacassine.

However, the company said the roof and warehouse structure are complete, which will house the distillery equipment, beverage tanks, barrel storage, bottling line and raw materials.

The next phase includes the dirt work for ponds, an entrance road and foundation for the Louisiana Spirits offices and visitor center.

The center will include a gift shop, tasting room and viewing gallery.

Memorabilia and exhibits will show the state’s role as a sugar cane producer and rum distiller.

A historic 1903 farmhouse will be relocated to the site after the office phase is complete.

Total investment is expected to be $4 million to $5 million.

The company said it expects to create 17 to 20 direct full-time jobs.

Louisiana Spirits LLC started from discussions between Litel, who was working as a sales and marketing executive for Bacardi Rum, and his brother, Tim, and his partner Skip Cortese, who were running Baton Rouge-based Speed Industrial Service, a group of industrial and environmental services companies.

Tim Litel and Cortese sold their companies to Inland Industrial Services a couple of years ago to pursue the distillery with Trey Litel.