Office of Buffalo Trace whiskey distillery swept into Kentucky River by mudslide

A cargo container and makeshift office for a centuries-old whiskey maker slid into the Kentucky River on Monday in the wake of heavy rains and flooding, officials said.

A “weather-related mudslide occurred on the northeast side of Buffalo Trace Distillery” in Frankfort, Kentucky, early Monday, according to a statement by Victoria Zabel-Wirdak, a spokesperson for the distillery’s parent Sazerac Company, Inc.

The mudslide sent a “cargo container and one temporary office falling into the” Kentucky River, Zabel-Wirdak said.

“No team members were near the area at the time of the mud slide and the affected property has been properly roped off to ensure the safety of those at the Distillery,” she added. “Buffalo Trace Distillery will work closely with professionals to ensure proper cleanup.”

Production and tours of the distillery have not been stopped by the mudslide, Zabel-Wirdak said.

Buffalo Trace Distillery, which produces a variety of whiskey brands, claims its roots to 1771 and has for two-plus centuries has fended off “the challenges of floods, fires, tornadoes and even Prohibition,” the company said.

At least 22 people have died in recent winter weather-related incidents around the commonwealth, Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday.