Covington-based Wenzel Distillery took home five medals at the 2026 World Spirits Competition in San Francisco.
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is considered one of the most rigorous in the world, as a panel of judges conducts blind taste tests before reviewing and grading over 5,000 entries each year. The results were released on June 9.
This year turned out to be the most decorated year in Wenzel’s history, as the distillery earned three double gold medals—the highest standard of recognition at the competition.
The distillery’s Double Oaked Bourbon and Sherry Cask Finished Bourbon each received a Double Gold with a near-perfect score of 99, while its Toasted Oak Bourbon earned a Double Gold with a score of 97. The Wheated Bourbon received a Gold Medal.
“Winning three Double Golds and a Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is a tremendous honor for our team,” Wenzel Distillery partner Austin Dunbar said in a news release. “We’re proud to bring these awards back to our distillery in Covington and to represent the bourbon heritage of Northern Kentucky on one of the world’s biggest stages. As Covington’s only distillery, we’re honored to carry our city’s bourbon story forward and look forward to sharing our award-winning spirits with bourbon lovers across Kentucky and beyond.”
Wenzel is located at 412 Madison Ave. in Covington, where it’s the first producing distillery in the city since Prohibition. Wenzel is featured on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and the B-Line—Northern Kentucky’s bourbon tour experience.
