C.E.O. Distilling sits in an industrial stretch of Phoenix, founded by Chad Oppenheim who traded his corporate consulting career for copper stills and corn mash. The distillery launched in 2018 in a converted warehouse space on Elwood Street, where Oppenheim and his small team produce bourbon, rye, and flavored whiskeys. The name plays on his initials while nodding to his business background, though the operation itself feels more like a passion project than corporate venture. The 8,000-square-foot facility houses custom copper stills and aging barrels, with a tasting room that maintains the industrial warehouse aesthetic with concrete floors and exposed beams. You’ll find a straightforward approach here—good whiskey without the elaborate backstories or marketing flourishes that some craft distilleries lean into. Oppenheim focuses on traditional bourbon and rye production while experimenting with desert-influenced aging techniques that take advantage of Arizona’s temperature swings.