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A Spirited History Part 3, Distilling in Canada
potatoes from a neighbouring farm.
“I use B-grade, odd-sized, misshapen
but unblemished potatoes that would
otherwise be fed to cows or buried,” says
master distiller Tyler Schramm adding,
“The spent mash is used for animal feed.”
Pemberton makes 8,500 litres (about 950
cases) each year. Schramm, bullish on the
industry, says, “People are looking for
variety and and unique spirits.”
Victoria Spirits made its first batch of
Victoria Gin in 2004 and hasn’t looked
back. It’s a family affair for Bryan and
Valerie Murray and son Peter Murray is
the master distiller. Victoria Spirits crafts
12,000 litres annually, mostly Victoria
Gin, plus barrel-aged Oaken Gin and
Hemp Vodka. Compared to Glenora
BaNFF ice vodKa
Canada $23.75 350397
Alberta Distillers, founded
in 1946 and now owned by
beam Global, makes this
highly drinkable grain vodka,
a gold medalist at the 2010
San Francisco World Spirits
Competition. Light and supple,
with sweet aromatics and a
slightly peppery finish, banff ice
is ideal in mixed drinks.
POTTER’S LOT 15 25
CENTuRy RESERVE WHISKy
Canada $34.95 458711
This newbie to Canada’s
whisky world is a custom
blend of 15 to 25 year-aged,
handcrafted, premium
whiskies. it’s luxurious,
complex and smooth with
notes of citrus, honey and
vanilla and lingering mellow
spiciness on the finish.
Distillers, that sells across Canada and
exports to 25 countries, Valerie Murray
says, “We’re in five provinces. We’re the
little still that could.”
While they’ll never be giants
in the spirits world, artisan distillers
have carved out a niche, appealing
to connoisseurs looking for new
experiences and locavores who want to
source not only their wine and beer
close to home but their spirits too.
Runaway success Crystal
Head Vodka distilled in St. John’s,
Newfoundland and owned by Canadian
celebrity Dan Aykroyd, is packaged in
distinctive skull-shaped clear glass bottles
helping to make it one of the coolest
libations around. Originally meant to
SmirNoFF red laBel
Canada $23.75 67
First made in Moscow in the
1860s, Smirnoff red Label is
one of the original triple-distilled
vodkas and is filtered 10 times
for smoothness and clarity.
Enjoy in a classic Caesar, bloody
Mary or Screwdriver.
WHITE OWL WHISKy
Canada $39.99 122317
Alberta’s Highwood Distillers
has a hit with newly released,
award-winning White owl
Whisky. Canada’s only fully
oak-aged, triple charcoalfiltered
clear whisky is a
blend of 10-year-old wheat
grain and younger rye grain
whiskies. Enjoy neat or mixed
in cocktails.
be an artisan distillery (a 5,000-case
project), sales quickly escalated to 46,000
cases in 2009 and to one million bottles
six months later, placing it in the realm
of really big micro-distilleries but not at
the industrial level.
The spirited business of distilling in
Canada continues its colourful journey.
The industry is growing greener as PET
(polyethylene terephthalate) bottles
become more popular and new spirits
such as White Owl Whisky find favour.
Artisan distillers, Victoria Spirits for
example, continue to win fans for
their handcrafted products and iconic
Canadian whisky brands like Canadian
Club and Crown Royal continue to rule
at home and beyond.
GLENORa GLEN BRETON
SINGLE MaLT
Canada $87.83 601062
Everything about this whisky
is Scottish – except that
it is made in Canada. The
only single malt made in this
country, Glenora Glen breton
is a smooth Scotch-like liquor
boasting toasty wood and
caramel notes.
VICTORIa GIN
Canada $49.99 645085
A silver medalist in the 2009
San Francisco World Spirits
Competition, balanced and
assertively flavoured Victoria
Gin is bC’s first artisan gin.
Made from wild-gathered,
organic botanicals including
juniper berries, coriander and
angelica. Savour it neat, in
classic martinis or in cocktails.
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