The historic Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky has temporarily closed after floodwaters swept into its facilities, forcing the popular bourbon company to turn away the public and staff, per the AP. The Frankfort-based distillery said it would remain closed through at least April 10. Days of unrelenting torrential rain in Kentucky and across the South and Midwest have caused catastrophic flooding and raised fears the damage could linger for days as rivers swell. In Frankfort, the Kentucky River curves throughout the capital city and has been known to flood.
On Monday, the river was cresting at Frankfort Lock—approaching the record of 48 1/2 feet set on Dec. 10, 1978, according to CJ Padgett, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Louisville, Kentucky, office. Buffalo Trace is far from the only distillery in Kentucky, the home of bourbon country, but it is one of the closest to the banks of the Kentucky River. Notably, the distillery has markers of several high-water marks from previous floods inside its Frankfort buildings, with the most recent being the 1978 flood.
As of Monday, several Buffalo Trace buildings were flooded at lower levels and parking lots and cars were underwater. The water tower bearing the brand's logo stood over the visitor center and warehouses that appeared to be inundated with water. Residents stopped to take pictures of the well-known bourbon maker's property as it was flooded out. Traffic signs directing trucks and visitors to parking peeked over several feet of rushing water. Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American, family-owned company that has operated for more than 200 years. Its products include the holy grail for bourbon fanatics: Pappy Van Winkle 23-year-old, which can sell for tens of thousands of dollars on resale markets.
(More
Kentucky stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
