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Business Profile

Beverage

Brown-Forman
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BBB Accredited BusinessA+Rated by BBB

Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Brown-Forman's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

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    Customer Complaints Summary

    • 2 total complaints in the last 3 years.
    • 2 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

    If you've experienced an issue

    Submit a Complaint

    The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

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    • Initial Complaint

      Date:02/19/2025

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      On December 13, 2024, my husband and I went to the Kroger at Leestown Road, Lexington, KY, where I selected a bottle of Woodford Reserve for the holidays. We paid $31.79. After opening the bottle I found the bourbon to be completely unsatisfactory and I have attempted to contact both Woodford Reserve and their parent company, Brown-Forman, to no avail. I have tried phone calls, leaving voicemails, and emailing, and have received no response; therefore, I am unable to access or engage either company in any way. On February 13, 2025, I sent the following email with my proof of purchase, to which I have not received a response:
      Greetings. I am a longtime user of your product and for Christmas I received a much-anticipated 750ml of Distiller's Select WR Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; however, I am sorry to report it was disappointing.
      Ordinarily, Woodford Reserve is my go-to whiskey, as it is usually smooth, polished, even silky, and flavorful.
      This whiskey had a sharpness and a "sting" to it that felt medicinal and I could not enjoy it straight or on the rocks. I could use it as a mixer or an ingredient and that was the limit for its use.
      The label batch is 0131; bottle number 4733, purchased at the Leestown Road Kroger, Lexington, December 13, 2024, at a price of $31.79 including tax.
      I would very much appreciate a refund; I don't feel confident buying another bottle for now. I am attaching a screenshot of my Kroger purchase history.
      ******* ******** *** ********* ******
      Lexington, KY 40511-2108

      Business Response

      Date: 05/02/2025

      Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We acknowledge Ms. ******* ********'s complaint regarding her Woodford Reserve purchase and appreciate the opportunity to address her concerns.


      Woodford Reserve uses the Contact Us form on our website for consumer complaints. Ms. ******** initially contacted us by phone and email before her complaint was received by the appropriate personnel. We recognize and apologize for the delay and are continuously improving our consumer complaint process & experience. Please be advised that this issue has been resolved through the Woodford Reserve consumer complaint process. Ms. ********'s concern has been addressed, and a resolution has been reached.


      Sincerely,
      Woodford Reserve


    • Initial Complaint

      Date:02/07/2025

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      Subject: Disappointment with Service and Product Allocation

      Good afternoon, Brown-Forman Team and BBB Members ,

      I wanted to take a moment to express my dissatisfaction with your team's performance in Michigan. Based on my experience, I would rate your service a zero out of ten. I am very disappointed and would like to request the removal of your products from my shelves.

      I recently reached out to **** and have not received a response, which adds to my frustration. I am considering asking to remove half of your products from my shelves

      If possible, please discuss this with management. While this may not seem like a major concern for you, I believe it’s important to keep you informed.

      As a family-owned, mom-and-pop shop located at ***** ********* **** Chesterfield Twp, MI 48047, I value transparent communication. My license number is *****,.

      Following your advice, I am reaching out to you before contacting Brown-Forman corporate. I have concerns regarding the allocation of Jack Daniel's, Old Forester, and Woodford products, as well as the treatment I have received. While I understand the importance of allocations, my primary concern is the fairness with which I am treated.

      I recognize the Michigan three-tier system, but if I continue to receive no bottles or respect, I may have to consider moving your products to the bottom shelf or even discontinuing them altogether. I may also explore asking distributors to take back your products and replace them with competitors due to these service issues.

      As a small business, I feel that customer service has been lacking. It appears that favoritism is necessary to receive products, and I feel penalized for not being part of the inner circle. This is my perspective, and I wanted to give you the opportunity to address my concerns.

      Please understand that I am not asking for favors—just fair treatment and respect as I continue to promote your products to my customers.

      I look forward to your response.

      Best regards,

      ****

      Business Response

      Date: 05/02/2025

      Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We never like hearing about a customer complaint, but we acknowledge Mr. **** ****'s complaint regarding concerns about product allocation.


      We appreciate the opportunity to clarify that Brown-Forman operates within the United States' three-tier system, which governs the distribution of alcoholic beverages.  We work through a state-based distributor who then sells to retailers. We will share Mr. ****'s concerns with the distributor and request that they address these issues with him directly.


      Sincerely,
      Brown-Forman


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