Covington’s Wenzel Distillery is celebrating after earning a big honor from a prestigious spirits competition.
The distillery’s Rectifier’s Rye Batch 3 was named “Best American Rye Whiskey” at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition’s Top Shelf Awards Gala on Nov. 9. After earning a Double Gold medal from the competition this spring, Rectifier’s Rye Batch 3 was selected as the category’s best from among hundreds of entries. The distillery says it’s the highest honor in one of the most competitive and prestigious categories in the spirits industry.
“To be named Best American Rye Whiskey at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is beyond our wildest dreams,” Austin Dunbar, co-founder of Wenzel Distillery, said in a press release. “This is the pinnacle of recognition in our industry. Our Rectifier’s Rye Batch 3 represents everything we believe in — the art of blending, the pursuit of perfection and the resurrection of distilling heritage in Covington, Kentucky. We’re incredibly honored and humbled by this achievement.”
The Rectifier’s Rye Batch 3 is a 9-year-old rye with a 121.6 proof. Wenzel says it combined carefully selected rye whiskey barrels to achieve its balance, complexity and depth.
“The American Rye Whiskey category is one of the most competitive in the entire competition,” added brand ambassador Bill Whitlow. “To stand alongside — and ultimately be chosen over — some of the most established and respected rye whiskeys in the world is a testament to our team’s dedication and the quality we’re able to achieve right here in Covington, Kentucky.”
At the San Francisco World Spirits Competition this past spring, Wenzel also won Silver for its Sherry-Finished Bourbon and Gold for its Wheated Bourbon. Rectifier’s Rye Batch 3 also earned the title of World’s Best Finished Bourbon 2025.
The distillery, which also offers boutique blending experiences for visitors, was added to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail this year.
You can find Rectifier’s Rye Batch 3 at the distillery in downtown Covington, as well as select retailers throughout the region.
Wenzel Distillery, 412 Madison Ave., Covington. More info: wenzeldistillery.com.
