The Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky remains closed after rising flood waters from the Kentucky River ravaged the distillery’s campus. The massive cleanup of the distillery is underway. he distillery said at a news conference in the still wet visitors’ parking on Friday, April 11 that they hope to have a modified visitors experience open early next week. The visitor center and gift shop remain closed to the public.
Buffalo Trace said it sent in a team Tuesday to assess the flood damage: “At this time, the flood water levels are too high to provide a detailed assessment, but we can share that the flooding is extensive.”
“Because Buffalo Trace Distillery has survived in its location on the Kentucky River for over 200 years, we have, unfortunately, experience in flood management and recovery. We initiated a preparation flood plan ahead of the surge. We were able to implement that plan late last week and are hopeful in doing so we will have mediated at least some of the damage. That said, we do expect the impact to be extensive and the recovery efforts to be significant and ongoing for some time,” said Jake Wenz, Sazerac & Buffalo Trace Distillery CEO and President.
The rain that began over the weekend stopped yesterday and the river crested at record-levels Monday night. Much of the city of Frankfort and surrounding Franklin County has been affected by severe flooding.
Check the Buffalo Trace website at https://www.buffalotracedistillery.com for the latest updates.
“Our hearts are with the rest of the community that has also been impacted by this devastation. Buffalo Trace Distillery will support relief efforts in the coming weeks to help Frankfort residents through this difficult time. We also want to say a heartfelt thank you to our dedicated team members, consumers, city and county officials, and vendor partners who have offered an incredible amount of support during this time. And finally, please accept our regrets to our fans that planned visits to the distillery this week.”
Buffalo Trace Distillery Flood Situation, Frankfort, Kentucky
Wednesday, April 9 Update:
Flood waters in the Frankfort community continued to recede on Wednesday and, as such, Buffalo Trace Distillery has begun in earnest the assessment, clean-up and recovery process required due to this historic event.
At their peak, flood waters reached the second highest recorded levels in the Distillery’s 200 plus year history, with the Kentucky River cresting at 48.24 feet. Though Buffalo Trace is still determining the final scale of total site infrastructure impact, early assessments indicate the damages are substantial and recovery efforts will be ongoing for some time.
While the flood waters have started to subside in certain areas of the Distillery, a significant amount of the campus remains under water. Expert teams have begun the clean-up process in areas where it is safe and accessible to do so.
Additional updates:
· Buffalo Trace Distillery will be closed to visitors through at least Friday, April 11th with an aim to re-open to visitors in a modified capacity as soon as possible.
· The “Easter at the Trace Easter Egg Hunt” event planned for this weekend has unfortunately been cancelled. Ticket owners have also been contacted via email.
· Though roads opened earlier today, only select team members and recovery experts are permitted on-site. The outpouring of support from Buffalo Trace’s community of dedicated team members, consumers, city and county officials, and vendor partners has been incredible and offers to lend physical support to the cleanup efforts are greatly appreciated. However, at this time only approved personnel are able to access the site.
· In the coming weeks Buffalo Trace looks forward to sharing details on forthcoming relief initiatives to further support the community. Should you want to support relief efforts in the immediate, the Franklin County Flood Relief Fund has been set up by the city to collect donations and offer aid to those who need it most. Find more information via the following link: https://bgcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1985
For the latest information regarding operating hours and forthcoming relief initiatives, please visit Buffalo Trace Distillery via Instagram@buffalotracedistillery or buffalotracedistillery.com.
Tuesday, April 8 Update:
“As of Monday evening, the Kentucky River crested and it is expected that water levels will soon start to recede across the city of Frankfort. An initial leadership crew entered Buffalo Trace Distillery on Tuesday morning to begin assessing the overall impact to the total distillery infrastructure. At this time, the flood water levels are too high to provide a detailed assessment, but we can share that the flooding is extensive.
It is expected that Buffalo Trace Distillery will be closed through Thursday, April 10th at a minimum. However, as this is a developing situation, visits may be impacted beyond that time.
Please follow us for updates regarding operating hours and forthcoming relief initiatives.”
Sunday, April 6 Update:
“The State of Kentucky and the Frankfort area, where Buffalo Trace Distillery resides, have seen historic levels of rain this week resulting in severe floods and weather-related emergencies.
As of today, Buffalo Trace Distillery is closed and will not be accessible to either consumers or team members. We will be closed through Thursday, April 10th at a minimum. As this is a rapidly unfolding situation, visits may be impacted beyond that time and we will continue to provide updates as they are available.
Due to the unprecedented and ongoing rain and flooding, we are not able to advise on the impact to our total distillery footprint. We will assess those realities in the coming days as the facilities become safe to navigate and will make necessary adjustments to operations as required. Our thoughts are with the local community and all those impacted by this natural disaster.”
Source: Buffalo Trace Distillery
