"This was the Commonwealth Distillery, the site where Julian Van Winkle III once reclaimed his family's brand and bottled the most sought-after bourbons on earth. In 2002, he formed a partnership with Buffalo Trace and moved out. Now, it was home to Lou DeFino, a Vietnam-serving Marine with a sign-making shop on one side, an apartment on the other and the pit of leprechauns in the middle."
"For a spirit built on heritage and myth, it's baffling that such hallowed ground for bourbon could sit in neglect for so long. In fairness to DeFino, it was run-down in Julian's time, too - he described it as "a rat trap." But now, the site is coming back to life, and the new stewards are bringing long-lost bourbon brands with it."
Andrew English and Zac Joseph arrived at Commonwealth Distillery, a dilapidated former distillery site marked by a rusted tin tower, vine-covered cinder-block office, and a pit of discarded Hoffman Distillery leprechaun decanters. The site formerly hosted Julian Van Winkle III's reclamation of his family's bourbons before his 2002 partnership with Buffalo Trace. Lou DeFino now occupied the premises with a sign-making shop and apartment. English and Joseph negotiated to preserve the site's history and restore production. Their team revived Old Commonwealth 10, Kentucky Nectar, Colonel Randolph 16 and D.H. Cromwell 15. Old Commonwealth operates as a non-distilling producer that purchases barrels.
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