Local craft distillery celebrates tenth anniversary

Tom and Sue Manherz, Larry Girard and their entire team at Wolfhead Distillery celebrated their tenth anniversary last week.

A local craft distillery reached a milestone last week.

Wolfhead Distillery is celebrated a “decade of distilling” as the region’s first premium craft distillery, marking ten years of what its director of marketing and business development Danielle Moldovan called “bold Canadian spirits, culinary experiences, tourism, and innovation in Windsor Essex County.”

Founded in 2016 at the same Howard Ave. property as Timberwolf Forest Products, Wolfhead Distillery “has grown from a small local startup into an award-winning destination known for pushing the boundaries of Canadian spirits.” 

Owned by Tom and Sue Manherz and Larry Girard, the business hosted a VIP reception last Wednesday evening (May 27) for those who have been a part of their journey.

“I can’t believe it’s been ten years,” commented Sue.

“It’s been a pretty rewarding experience,” said Tom. “We’ve had a lot of local support, which helps.”

Girard said they have come through a lot, from the COVID-19 pandemic to year-long construction projects along Howard Ave. He said times are tough now with rising food and labour prices, but they are working hard to come through that as well.

“A lot of that is listening to the customers,” said Sue.

Tom said they weren’t sure what they were expecting ten years ago, when they transformed the front portion of their building from being part of a forestry products business to house the Wolfhead Distillery portion.

“It’s teamwork. It’s all teamwork,” he said of making it ten years. 

Craft distilling is still relatively new, he added, but he said they do things that larger distillers may not want to.

Girard added they work hard to give a great experience in the restaurant as well, crediting staff for working hard. They expressed thanks to all staff, suppliers, supporters and customers. The current distiller is Vanessa Pillon, who was credited for her passion for what she does.

As part of its 10-year celebration, Wolfhead is also looking ahead to the future, Moldovan added. The company is currently expanding its facility to support continued growth, increased production capabilities, and new experiences for guests visiting the distillery.

To commemorate the milestone, Wolfhead will also unveil a special new spirit release during its anniversary celebrations - the distillery’s very first bourbon style whisky. The release marks another exciting step in Wolfhead’s evolution and reflects the company’s continued focus on innovation and premium whisky production.

“What started as a vision to create premium craft spirits in Amherstburg has grown into something much bigger than we ever imagined,” said Moldovan. “Over the past 10 years, we’ve built incredible relationships with our staff, partners, customers, and community. Celebrating a Decade of Distilling is not only about looking back at what we’ve accomplished but also looking ahead to where Wolfhead is going next.”

Today, Wolfhead Distillery welcomes thousands of guests annually through its cocktail experiences, restaurant, tours, events, and retail shop. Wolfhead products are available in more than 200 LCBO locations, duty free outlets, and select international markets. 

Local craft distillery celebrates tenth anniversary

By Ron Giofu