A Northern Kentucky rectifier and distillery is unveiling its new multimillion-dollar campus expansion.

Wenzel Distillery, formerly known as Wenzel Whiskey, is now located at 412 Madison Ave. in Covington.

On July 30 at noon, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear will be on hand to cut the ribbon, marking the official grand opening of the company’s new 10,000-square-foot space, the historic former Packard Auto facility.

One of Wenzel’s founders, Tony Milburn, purchased the building in 2022 for $1.22 million, according to auditor records, and began renovations. It was a full gut job. The new space features a gift shop, a cocktail bar, event space, rooftop cigar lounge, catering kitchen and 4,000-square-foot production facility.

It’s a big step up from Wenzel’s 2,000-square-foot blending room, which debuted next door in 2022 at 15 Tobacco Alley.

“It was just a passion project,” Bill Whitlow, Wenzel Distillery’s brand ambassador, told me. He also manages the facility.

Milburn, Austin Dunbar, Todd McMurtry and Nick Manning began working on the Wenzel brand during the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, it has grown into something larger than any of them could have imagined.

Wenzel started as a whiskey rectifier, a non-distilling producer that blends liquor from different barrels sourced from distilleries into custom spirits. The company has ordered barrels from a variety of states, including Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana and Kentucky. Wenzel’s blends have gained international recognition. The blends have earned numerous prestigious awards, including the Best Finished Bourbon in the World 2025 by the World Whiskies Awards for its Sherry Cask Finished Bourbon, double gold and category finalist for its Barrel Proof Rye at the San Francisco Spirit Awards and gold medals at both competitions for its Barrel Proof Wheated Bourbon.

In 2023, Wenzel acquired the assets of Ghost Coast Distillery in Savannah, Ga., which included a full set of distilling equipment allowing for 700 barrel-per-year capacity.

The total renovation cost including the purchase price of the Madison Avenue building and Ghost Coast assets was more than $6 million, according to Whitlow.

Mark Spaulding Construction did the buildout.

In April, Wenzel Whiskey officially began distilling and rebranded to Wenzel Distillery, according to Whitlow. Since then, the business has already produced around 250 barrels. It is partnering with Augusta Distillery in Bracken County to store its barrels in its rickhouse. Since Wenzel is an urban distillery, it is unable to store such a large amount of flammable liquid within one facility, Whitlow said.

As production ramps up, Whitlow said the company is looking to hire more employees. Right now, it has a tight-knit skeleton crew of around seven people.

Public releases of bourbon won’t happen for at least the next four to five years, however Wenzel does have a membership program that will allow fans to taste the aging process from year to year.

The ability to start distilling represents a massive milestone for Wenzel and the city of Covington. It’s the first to operate since before Prohibition, according to a news release. As of this month, Wenzel has secured its place on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and the B-Line, Northern Kentucky’s bourbon tour.

“This expansion represents not just our growth as a distillery, but our commitment to bringing bourbon production back to Covington,” Dunbar said in a news release. “We’re honored to bring our distilling heritage back to our community and to contribute to Kentucky’s rich bourbon legacy.”

Wenzel Distillery is open to the public for shopping and tours Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday from noon-5 p.m.

The new bar, which is called Proof, is open Wednesday through Saturday from 5-9 p.m. Hours are expected to expand as interest grows, Whitlow said.

The cocktail menu highlights Wenzel’s blends while paying homage to the building’s auto industry history with items like:

·         *The Goddess of Speed: made with rye, sweet vermouth, amaro, orange bitters, coffee grounds and an orange or lemon zest garnish

·         *The Executive: made with bourbon, Dumante, sweet vermouth, rich vanilla and rhubarb bitters

·         *The Light Eight: made using Tito’s vodka, St. Germain, lemon, raspberry syrup and sage

·         *The Mayfair: made with Broker’s London Dry Gin, lemon, barrel-aged honey syrup and thyme.

The event space, which is located behind the bar, is called the Packard Room. It is now available for bookings. Whitlow said guests do have the option to book both Proof and Packard together if they want more space.

Wenzel is also known for its boutique blending experiences. Those will now also be held at the Proof bar. Guests taste and blend their own bourbon from four different distilleries, and if they like their creations, they can buy their own bottles.

Wenzel is keeping the old Tobacco Alley space. It will be utilized for larger blending parties and other events.