Nearly one week after flood waters reached their peak at Buffalo Trace Distillery, signs of normalcy have returned to the Distillery. 

Supported by cleanup and restoration efforts by hundreds of professionals, removal of flood water debris and damage is more than 75% complete. Power has been restored to key areas of the Distillery, which has allowed craft bottling inside Blanton’s Bottling Hall and the main bottling hall operations to resume. The interiors of buildings have been emptied of water and restoration efforts have begun.

“Thanks to the tireless efforts of our contractors and dedicated teams, we’ve made tremendous progress in the Distillery’s flood recovery plan,” Jake Wenz, Sazerac & Buffalo Trace Distillery CEO and President, said in a news announcement. “While there’s still work to be done, the resilience and determination demonstrated this past week is truly inspiring. Each day significant progress is made allowing the Distillery to return to normal operations and I am optimistic that, with this same spirit, we’ll be operating normally soon. We want to thank all of the contractors, our leaders, and our team members for their hard work”

As of Monday, April 14, Buffalo Trace Distillery reopened to visitors with a limited retail experience. This modified visitor offering includes a small pop-up shopping experience inside the Freehouse building with opportunities to purchase select bottles and complimentary tastings in an outdoor canopy neighboring the building. This modified experience is available to those with previously held tour reservations. 

Those who are eligible to attend this modified experience will receive an email with instructions on how to book. If capacity allows, additional online reservations will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. At this time, there will be no tours or walk-ups offered. The distillery assured it is making every effort to return to normal tour and gift shop operations. Because of the limited capacity, unlike normal operations, reservations are required to attend the modified experience.

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, or to check for additional reservations, visit Buffalo Trace Distillery via Instagram @buffalotracedistillery or buffalotracedistillery.com.

Read more: Buffalo Trace Distillery Offers Flooding Updates

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1775 and it is a National Historic Landmark, as well as listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee. Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery, visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.