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How one Kentuckian turned a closed coal mine into a distillery

05:37
Shannon Wright converted a closed coal mine into a distillery. (Scott Tong/Here & Now)
Shannon Wright converted a closed coal mine into a distillery. (Scott Tong/Here & Now)

Host Scott Tong joins up with Shannon Wright, a businessman in eastern Kentucky who has found a novel way to repurpose a closed coal mine. He turned it into a distillery, where one day visitors will be able to tour the old mine as barrels of bourbon age and hang out at the tasting bar.

Shannon Wright distills bourbon in a now-defunct coal mine. (Scott Tong/Here & Now)
Shannon Wright distills bourbon in a now-defunct coal mine. (Scott Tong/Here & Now)

This segment aired on August 5, 2024.

Headshot of Scott Tong
Scott Tong Co-Host, Here & Now

Scott Tong joined Here & Now as a co-host in July 2021 after spending 16 years at Marketplace as Shanghai bureau chief and senior correspondent.

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