Brown-Forman, the company behind Jack Daniel’s, announced Tuesday that it would cut about 12% of its global workforce. 

In a statement, Brown-Forman said the cuts are part of a grander restructuring and streamlining effort at the company. 

“I want to express my sincere gratitude to our employees, particularly those impacted by these changes, for their dedication and contributions to Brown-Forman,” CEO Lawson Whiting said in a statement. “We are committed to supporting them through this transition and are confident that these strategic initiatives will ensure the company endures for generations to come.”

The cuts will affect about 650 of the company’s 5,400 workers. 

In addition to corporate restructuring, the company announced the closure of its Louisville, Kentucky cooperage. The cooperage, where the company manufactures its whiskey and bourbon barrels, will close by the end of April and put more than 200 employees out of work. 

The company said it will now buy its barrels from an external supplier. 

Workers who lose their jobs will receive transition agreements that include severance payments and outplacement services. 

• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.