During its early years, Spirit of York’s growth was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ho says it was one of the first distilleries to switch to creating hand sanitizer. “By the end of it, though, it was tough to bounce back from,” Ho said. “Our tasting room was a large part of our endeavour. We had staff bottling hand sanitizer just to maintain our team. I don’t think it was easy for anyone.”

Matt Driscoll is the master distiller and received his master’s in brewing and distilling from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland. A creative force, often toeing the line between out-of-the-box and out-of-this-world ideas, Driscoll has inspired some wacky and wild creations like a Christmas spirit made from distilled fruitcake and a Cinnamon Toast Crunch vodka.

“It tasted like a really boozy Cinnamon Toast Crunch. It sold out, and I don’t know if we will do it again. It was a lot of Cinnamon Toast Crunch that [Driscoll] needed. At one point, there were dozens of boxes in the back …. It was a shocking amount of cereal.” Each box of cereal would pair up with roughly 10 litres of product. In the distillery’s laboratory process, there were between 15 and 20 boxes of cereal and approximately 200 bottles of the final product.

Inside the distillery

Spirit of York uses CARL Stills from Germany. “We have one large column still, one pot still and one smaller 150-litre column still in our laboratory,” Ho said. “We also have a 40-foot rectification tower that sits in a space out of our back door; it’s connected through pipes and makes for a cool showpiece. Being in a historic area, we had to find a way to fit it, so part of it ended up outside the building.”

We like what we do, but we are never only doing it for ourselves.

Simon Ho, Spirit of York Distillery

In addition to the stills, they bottle on site, using a manual bottling line and an automatic labeller. The whole process can be witnessed while browsing for the perfect product in their bottle shop. Additionally, their entire distillery’s process is also viewable from their tasting room, as it is furnished with floor-to-ceiling glass walls. “You can see everything that we do, that was one of our brand pillars,” said Ho. “That transparency in local craft is important.”

Spirit of York’s core spirits are vodka, gin, whisky and aquavit, and it offers several expressions of each spirit. It also produces seasonal products such as coffee liqueur, pink gin, harvest gin and a limoncello-like beverage.

The aquavit was developed in response to demand from Toronto’s bartender scene, leading Spirit of York to create its own, which has now become a key part of its lineup. Additionally, it produces ready-to-drink cocktails, including seltzers, only available at Spirit of York. Its whisky requires a minimum of three years of distillation.

Precision in the process

Spirit of York produces spirits a bit differently from other distilleries. Instead of a typical run, it produces a high-proof spirit that acts as the foundation for its other products. It might conduct four to six consecutive runs of gin or add water to produce vodka. The gin distillation process takes about 48 hours from charging the still to obtaining the final product.

“We try to let things rest a bit to let out the volatiles because of the way we produce, it’s a minimum of 40 days before we bottle it and get to it. Typically, it’s about a three-month timeline for mashing, stripping and distilling into grain neutral spirits, which we hold, then production carries on from there depending on the product.”

The distillery’s shortest timeline is between 11 and 12 days from grain to vodka, and gin would be roughly a day and a half on top of that timeline.

“We do have much narrower cuts than most people,” said Ho. “We cut about 15 per cent deeper, and we know numerically what we are aiming for, then taste from there to confirm it. So, it could be 14, 16, or 14 and change, but it’s always within that area from a purity and flavour standpoint. We really want to eliminate that acetate that comes off at the beginning, so [the process] of cutting deeper really enhances the drinking experience.

“The entire process is pretty enjoyable … I think it’s the collaborative nature that I enjoy most.” That collaborative nature goes beyond the distillery’s core team.

Collaboration and community

Once a year, Spirit of York offers a program called Bartender Gin. As the name suggests, bartenders from across Toronto gather at the distillery and can create their own gin. “Being able to share that experience and have them go through [the process] is pretty cool,” Ho said. “That feeling, I enjoy that – a bunch of people working together in a creative process to come up with a product for other people’s enjoyment. We like what we do, but we are never only doing it for ourselves.”

Spirit of York’s products can be purchased primarily from the distillery and online. Customers in Ontario can find its vodka, gin, aquavit and Canadian Blended Whisky at Liquor Control Board of Ontario stores. All of its products have won awards, primarily from the San Francisco Spirit Awards and the International Spirits Challenge.

“It’s not my ultimate goal to win awards. It’s nice to be recognized, but win or lose, I’m just hoping to make the best booze possible,” said Ho. “I’d much rather be recognized by people in my community right now, especially in Ontario. We want people to be proud of what we make. Farmer Joe, who we get our rye grain from, [we want him] to be proud of it and share it with his friends. That means so much more to me than a gold medal.”

Looking ahead

Spirit of York is about to start another batch of its Bartender Gin. Additionally, it intends to release more aged versions of its whisky. The distillery has also recently added a farm-to-table food program in its tasting room to complement its locality, with a focus on true seasonal food to accompany its seasonal cocktails.

Finally, Spirit of York plans to introduce a premium bartenders’ lineup while also focusing on a high-quality, less expensive spirits line.

Daniel Plenzik and Jacques Tremblay, unbeknownst to each other, both arrived in Kelowna from Calgary to attend a week-long distilling seminar. At the seminar, they learned about regulations in the industry, science, marketing skills and more. They realized they were the only two participants from Calgary, and at one point, they were hanging out comparing notes and started tossing around the idea of a partnership.

Both Plenzik and Tremblay were engineers, with Plenzik being an electrical engineer and Tremblay being a geomatics engineer, but both were searching for a career change. Tremblay was planning to wait and look at an area outside of Calgary, but Plenzik was both eager and charming, and managed to convince Tremblay to start a distillery in Calgary and to take the leap earlier than he originally planned. Jump forward two years to 2018, they signed a lease and started the company.

They began renovations. In spring 2019, construction was completed, and production started in order to have products available for their public opening. With the strong support of their wives, they were able to take the plunge fully into the distillery, becoming not only the two main investors, but also the first two employees.

It was August of 2019 when Bridgeland Distillery opened its doors to the public in the historic Bridgeland-Riverside neighbourhood. Today, they have about 10 employees, including front of house, production, and sales and operations. “We are a bit of an oddity when it comes to a distillery,” said Tremblay. “We’re an urban distillery in the true sense that we’re a block away from the Bow River.”

Bridgeland itself has been a place of immigration representation over the last 100 years, and with that rich history in the area, many of the residents brought along their heritage alcohol. Bridgeland Distillery thought this made for an ideal location to open their distillery with a plan to pay homage to some of those very same heritage alcohols. With their core focus on true craft products coupled with their desire to take their own spin on traditional spirits to the forefront, Bridgeland Distillery joined a network called “Artisans at Work” to keep their artisanal focus strong.

“It includes a wide array of artisans, including stained glass and cheese,” said Tremblay. “So, when we tour and taste on the weekend with customers, they get to experience our artisan practice of distilling in a variety of ways.”

We are hoping to get to Gold in the World Whisky Awards coming next.

Jacques Tremblay, Bridgeland Distillery

Currently, the distillery operates from Wednesday to Sunday and is open on Mondays and Tuesdays exclusively for bottle sales. While they don’t have a restaurant operating within their space, they have forged partnerships with existing restaurants in the neighbourhood, so all the food served in their establishment is coming from one to two blocks away. These restaurants include Villa Firenze, Toto Pizza, Noto Gelato and Moonlight & Eli. When they were back in Kelowna comparing notes, both Tremblay and Plenzik knew they wanted to focus on aged spirits.

“Whether that [was to] be whisky or brandy, we went to look around for the best equipment to make these spirits,” said Tremblay. Instead of looking for equipment that could ‘do it all,’ they wanted to focus on the best equipment fit for their goals. This led them to source their pot still from Vendome Brass & Works in Newville, Ky. “It’s a 1000-litre pot still with a unique design … there’s a coiled lyne arm at the top, and basically that coil will provide an additional filter and more surface contact between the copper and the vapour at the distillation temperature.”

Bridgeland Distillery also has five fermenters and a mash tun on site. Their equipment allows them to produce around 20 stock keeping units, “which feels ridiculous sometimes as a start-up distillery,” said Tremblay. Bridgeland’s three main product lines are brandy, whisky and a grappa-like product called Eau De Vigne.

“We are not technically allowed to call it grappa, as that is protected for Italian production, but [Plenzik] is Italian and the grape-side is strong in him, so he really wanted to [make] a brandy and a grappa-style product. For me, whisky was the priority. When we started to weave our dreams together, we realized that there were a lot of commonalities between brandy and whisky-making. Most of the flavour for both productions comes from the aging process, so once it’s distilled, you put it in a barrel for a few years, and you actively try to manage the best barrel for each batch.”

Their product blend has the team at Bridgeland Distillery focusing on a well-orchestrated and planned schedule. They produce their Eau De Vigne and smaller seasonal subsets, including their Chamomile Honey Eau De Vigne in late December because it comes after the winemaking is done, allowing them access to the grape skins.

Their whisky season takes place from January to August. Using 100 per cent Alberta-grown grain, they make a single malt, Irish-style with oats and raw barley, and their Taber corn Berbon, working with a local farmer to secure their allotment of corn. The name “Berbon” comes from a blend of the name of the location of Taber and some witty charm to capture the spirit of bourbon in a truly Canadian spin on the spirit.

“One hundred per cent of our grain is from craft malt producers, and [carrying this certification] is something we are very happy about. We think there should be more craft distilleries getting certified. We get [our grain] straight from the farmers, and it’s good to have control of the input. We get our grain from two farms: the Molnar family in Taber and Hamill family in Penhold.”

Bridgeland’s last bit of production occurs from September to November, which is their brandy season. When they receive fresh grapes, the vineyards they partner with press them on-site and ship the juice to Bridgeland Distillery in a tote. From there, they produce their own wine as soon as it arrives at the distillery. Then, they ferment it and distill the brandy in November.

“We just finished up our brandy season for 2025,” said Tremblay. “It is a very seasonal process. That’s why we decided to put our plans together, because winter and spring will be long until the next harvest, and we are using the same type of equipment anyway.”

Bridgeland’s craft is not without recognition. In 2023, they won the Best Brandy in the World award at the World Brandy Awards in London for their Moscato Brandy in the two to three-year category. Most recently, their Glenbow Single Malt Port Finish won Best Barrel Finish Whisky at the Canadian Whisky Awards in January 2025. They’ve also received Gold and Double Gold at the Canadian Whisky Awards, the Canadian Artisan Spirits Competition and the World Whisky Awards.

“We are hoping to get to Gold in the World Whisky Awards coming next. So far, we have achieved Silver,” said Tremblay.

Bridgeland Distillery’s craft products can be found on shelves at the distillery in Calgary. Additionally, they are available in 180 liquor stores and on shelves at more than 40 bars across Alberta. Their Berbon has also sparked enough of a demand in Saskatchewan that it is being carried in 20 to 25 liquor stores between Prince Albert, Saskatoon and Regina. Be sure to keep watch on Bridgeland Distillery in 2026, they are working on breaking into new markets, setting sights on Ontario or British Columbia.

Additionally, they are working on a trade mission to Japan. Bridgeland Distillery will be part of the food expo in Tokyo at the beginning of March. They will be one of six Alberta-based vendors in attendance. “It’s going to be a lot of work to be ready for the Japanese market, but we are looking forward to it,” said Tremblay.

“We incorporated the business back in 2017 and focused on planning in between that and the date of purchasing our property in 2019,” said Goodman. “From 2019 to 2023, [Redden] built the distillery from a shell into what we have today.”

Holocene Distilling Project is nestled in Cobble Hill on Vancouver Island, a 40-minute drive outside of Victoria, B.C. “We are in a residential area surrounded by single and two-acre parcels, and we are right in the middle of wine country. We are now getting involved in many of the wine tours that go through our area,” said Redden. Located one block off the Trans-Canada Highway helps funnel traffic to their rural area, which features wide-open fields, mixed trees and Holocene’s own charming yard space.

Redden and Goodman are the backbone and the brains of Holocene’s small team. With Redden’s background in mechanical engineering, he had lots of transferable knowledge from working with gas fireplaces for eight years before leaving that industry to build the distillery. With similar fundamentals in heat transfer and thermodynamics, he found the process of distillation had many parallels.

“When [Redden] was in college, they were learning about the distillation process, and he became infatuated by it. He found some parts on Craigslist, and he created his own still and began experimenting,” said Goodman. “It all started as a way to save money,” said Redden. “I was 22 at the time and living off of student loans, and I was looking to find a cheaper alternative to enjoying my weekends with the pals.”

Goodman studied botanical medicine prior to joining Redden and was working as a bartender in Victoria prior to opening the distillery.

“We were fortunate because when we started looking [for land] in 2019, the market was really good for buyers. After that, we had to rezone the property during COVID-19, which took a number of years. It was a slow process, but went relatively smoothly. We were happy it took so much time because once we got through the hurdles, our property value had gone up, which allowed us to pull equity out to build the business,” said Redden.

Recently, Holocene Distilling Project has hired three part-time roles – two sales ambassadors and one manufacturing hand to help with operations. While their products are available in 35 private liquor stores on Vancouver Island and a small handful on the mainland, their primary area of distribution is at farmers’ markets. Around 70 per cent of their revenue is comes from market sales.

“We really like connecting directly with our customers,” Redden said. “They get to see our passion and try the spirits before they buy them. On a liquor store shelf, if they do not recognize it or have the chance to taste it, it’s harder to make the leap.” “It’s also invaluable to get that one-on-one customer feedback: what they like, what they’re enjoying it with,” said Goodman. “It’s a very inspiring community when you’re around other creators who are selling things that they are passionate about too.”

“It’s so good to meet the other vendors and makers at the market, too,” said Redden. “Meeting the other entrepreneurs allows us to make connections. For example, there’s a lady who we have gotten to know who loves our products and now includes our gin in her jams, jellies and marmalades.”

The distillery uses electric stills with direct element heating, featuring a closed-loop cooling system that is regulated geothermally. They also use the heat coming off the stills to heat the water for the building. For their stills, one is 1,000 litres, and they also have two smaller, 200-litre stills. Everything else in the distillery, the design and layout, was thanks to Redden.

“Last month we sold out of all of our product … like 100 per cent, not a single bottle left on the shelf. We don’t want that to happen again, so we are looking to upgrade our equipment to bigger tanks to keep up with production,” said Redden.

Currently, Holocene Distilling Project has a lineup of vodka, gin and liqueurs. They have also created a ready-to-mix cocktail and a brandy in the past. The ready-to-mix is a limited release that comes out around Christmas time. The brandy is part of their Lost and Found lineup, which is unique in that they take alcohol from other producers that might not have worked out for them. Instead of the materials going to waste, Holocene uses them to make a base. “They’re limited, experimental and fun products with a neat concept,” Redden said. They also use recycled ingredients in their liqueurs, all part of their focus on becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

Currently, their alcohol is all distilled from a wheat base. “We go from raw wheat to a bottle of vodka in 10 to 12 days. Our gin and liqueurs are both another week on top of that,” said Redden.

Having received substantial awards, including silver for Best of the North West in the liqueur category from Sip Magazine for their Creme Violette, a Best in Class in the Flavoured Gin category from the Canadian Artisan Spirit Competition (CASC) for their Honey I’m Home Honey Nettle Gin, a Favourite at the British Columbia Gin Festival for the Creme Viollette, and two additional gold medals and one bronze medal from CASC for their liqueurs, Holocene may be small, but they are producing high-quality products that people and critics alike are noticing.

“We’ve also won some business awards. Douglas Magazine in Victoria placed us in the Top 10 Businesses to Watch in Victoria in 2025. That was really fun,” said Redden. Additionally, they have won a Black Tie Award for Environmental Excellence from the Cowichan Valley Business Awards and, in 2024, CASC awarded them the Community Engagement Award.

What’s next for the Holocene team? Besides staying laser-focused on their net-zero carbon neutral goal by 2030 and expanding their production, they are also working on coming out with another mainstay gin and a limited release liqueur for a specific exclusive liquor store.

Although their team is still small, it feels like quite the change from the two people that started the distillery. “They started from scratch – laying the floors, building the tasting room. It all started with elbow grease,” said Jenna Diubaldo, whisky program manager at SOV. “It’s the smallest budget I’ve ever seen anyone operate a distillery with.” Starting with a 1,000-litre mash tun, they’ve now grown to 8,000 litres.

“We started out being known for our liqueurs, the amaretto in particular,” Diubaldo said, noting that the Chili Vodka was also quite popular. “Now people know us for our whisky. A few awards for our whisky line really brought that to light.” The move to whisky came consciously in 2021. When Diubaldo joined the distillery, she managed production, working with the team for a few years and eventually buying into the company alongside Max Smith. Lester is one of the original founders and general manager, while Smith is the lead distiller and Diubaldo manages spirits production overall as well as the whisky program.

In 2023, SOV received the title of Canadian Whisky of the Year from the Canadian Whisky Awards. This drew national attention to their whisky program, which at the time was only on its fourth limited release, cementing its success. “We were the first independent craft distillery to have won that award in its history,” Diubaldo said. “It was like a rocket ship…. All of a sudden, everyone wanted our whisky, and we certainly did not have enough to meet the demand, which made for an interesting challenge.”

Balance became key moving forward. SOV amped up its whisky production, focusing on not only making more whisky, but ensuring it met its high standard of quality. Distilled from B.C. grains, 90 per cent of SOV’s production is whisky, with their mash bills being 100 per cent rye and wheated rye.

Mainly limited releases, their whisky program started with their numbered series, which ties in unique names that try to evoke a feeling or memory. Palm Trees and a Tropical Breeze won Canadian Whisky of the Year in 2023. The SOV team recently released its core whisky, Sons of Vancouver Wheated Rye, which is 75 per cent rye and 25 per cent wheat. SOV wanted this rye to be approachable and accessible, with the main goal of changing people’s perception of rye. They use a column still, allowing them to make both whisky and neutral spirits from the same still. “The adaptability is key,” said Diubaldo.

All mashing is done on-grain, and they don’t remove the grain from the mash during the first distillation. Production runs on a two-week cycle, from grain into mash, before moving to the final distillation. From there, spirits are proofed down to around 60 per cent alcohol by volume and go into barrels, either ex-bourbon or new American oak, which are mainly sourced from Kentucky. Depending on the type of barrel and the product it’s making, SOV has a three-year barrel minimum for whisky, but can go anywhere from four- to five-plus years before being bottled.

It was like a rocket ship…. All of a sudden, everyone wanted our whisky.

Jenna Diubaldo, Sons of Vancouver Distillery

Overall, SOV produces four-and-a-half barrels of whisky for every mash. “A lot of distilling practices serve to maximize the amount of alcohol out of production, and we aren’t about that,” said Diubaldo. “We want to make a lot of whisky, but we aren’t willing to sacrifice flavour and quality for more production.” While it is still a young distillery, so much of its stock is still aging, the SOV team is looking forward to watching their whisky continue to mature and eventually offering older age statements.

“We do a long fermentation period. That’s something that has really contributed to our style of really flavourful whisky,” said Diubaldo. “I would say the industry standard is a 48- to 72-hour fermentation length. We do a seven- to eight-day fermentation, akin to a primary fermentation in beer. That allows for flavour development and to really make sure that [we] are ending [our] fermentation with a lot of those esters and flavour components [coming] through. It lends all the flavour to [our] whisky.”

It is a flavour that was celebrated at the 2025 Canadian Whisky Awards, where SOV won Rye Whisky of the Year. The distillery took home many other awards as well, including:

• Rye Whisky of the Year for Realms of Rye Release No. 01 Citrus & Botanicals
• Award of Excellence in Product Innovation for the Realms of Rye series
• Best Cask Strength Whisky for Whisky No. 10 Palm Trees and a Tropical Storm Heavy Rum Cask Rye
• Best Whisky Aged 8 Years or Under for Whisky No. 8 Homemade Upside Down Apricot Cake Amaretto Cask Whisky

In addition, the distillery earned gold medals for:

• Realms of Rye Release No. 01 Citrus & Botanicals
• Realms of Rye Release No. 02 Dark Fruit & Cacao
• Whisky No. 8 Homemade Upside Down Apricot Cake Amaretto Cask Whisky
• Whisky No. 10 Palm Trees and a Tropical Storm Heavy Rum Cask Rye

Silver medals were awarded to:

• Whisky No. 9 Rolling Hills in the Morning Mist Islay Cask Rye
• Whisky No. 11 Sipping Sherry at the Jazz Club PX Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky
• Whisky No. 12 Last Call at the Dive Bar Peated Cask Single Malt Whisky

“Whisky blending is probably one of my favourite aspects of the job,” Diubaldo said. “Certainly, making liqueurs is fun and creative, but whisky [blending] is our main passion. It’s really what we all have a drive to continually get better at…. It’s a hard skill to learn because it’s largely passed-down learning. You can’t really go and buy the book on it – it’s very much an art of the craft. That’s really been one of the main things that sets us apart from [other] whisky distilleries in Canada. We focus very clearly on blending and try to stay away from the single barrel aspect. We don’t believe single barrels are superior, but we believe blends are the best demonstration of whisky-making.”

Besides whisky, their two biggest products are their No. 82 Amaretto and their Quadruple Sec, an orange liqueur. “I find whatever makes you unique is the easiest thing to sell,” said Diubaldo. “Not everyone has an amaretto, so the amaretto outsold everything else two to one.”

The distillery is always releasing new limited blends. Moving into 2026, the SOV team will be looking at rolling out their second mainstay whisky and are aiming to do a special re-release of their Palm Trees and a Tropical Breeze each year. With its cornerstone rum finish, the makeup will be the same, but the rum barrels the distillery sources will always be different, allowing different characteristics to emerge with each release.

SOV’s products are available throughout the lower mainland of B.C., primarily in private liquor stores around Vancouver and the Greater Vancouver area. The easiest way to purchase the distillery’s products is to order through its website.

Sometimes, the limited releases can be difficult to find, so SOV recommends signing up for its mailing list to be in-the-know on its sought-after releases. Shipping is available across Canada. Originally from Winnipeg, Diubaldo hopes to one day have SOV’s products on shelves in Manitoba liquor stores, too. For now, the mailing list is the best way to stay informed.

Rob Kelly previously owned a landscaping business and is one of the co-founders of Black Fly. He had originally been looking to start a craft brewery in London, Ont., as the only brewery there at the time was Labatt. However, his attention shifted and he hasn’t looked back since.

Cathy Siskind-Kelly, Rob’s wife and the other co-founder of Black Fly, joined the dream by helping with the business and regulation side. Originally, their plan was to use Canadian vodka that was already distilled along with Canadian juices, but they quickly realized this too required a distillery license. So, they started trying to source one. In 2005, they were successful and were awarded the first distillery license in Ontario in 100 years. Both Rob and Cathy were learning the business and regulations on the fly.

The first production facility they had secured was directly across from the thriving Canada Life Place where the London Knights play and many entertainment events take place. After a handful of years, they outgrew the location and moved into a 6,000 square foot facility just off Veterans Memorial Highway, allowing them to increase their lineup and their staffing capabilities.

After a few years at this location, Black Fly moved again due to growth. This move allowed for an expansion to include a 250-can-per-minute canning line in addition to their plastic bottling line. Today, they are housed in a 225,000 square foot facility that has a second canning line with the capability of producing 1,750 cans per minute, one of the fastest canning lines in North America. All of this significant facility growth has occurred since 2020, with a bag-and-box line being the final line installed two years ago. They are now serving as a co-packer for other brands in the beer, wine, ready-to-drink and non-alcoholic industries.

One of the things that set Black Fly Beverage Company apart early on was their innovative packaging, focusing on changing the landscape of what could be done in the cooler industry. They use wide mouth PET recyclable plastic bottles with resealable caps, becoming the perfect beverage for outdoor activities or anywhere requiring a non-breakable beverage container. Their addition of canned products and a boxed Spiced Rum Mulled Cider show they are open to pushing the boundary of what a ready-to-drink cooler might look like.

Employing over 300 staff, Black Fly Beverage focuses on keeping their craft vibe culturally, hosting seasonal parties and offering a profit share structure. They have many employees that have been with the company for more than 10 years. Cathy, who has always worn many hats in the business – including product innovation, overseeing brand management and meeting with key buyers across the country – leads many of the marketing initiatives. Martin Kamil is the chief financial officer, chief operations officer and managing director of industrial sales, meanwhile Mike Pearce is the vice president of sales and marketing and Isiah Kelly, Cathy and Rob’s son, is part of the marketing team. Rob and Cathy’s youngest son, Owen, is also working in the business as a sales representative in Toronto.

We want to make sure we can work with the smaller craft guys too, because that’s where we once started.

Mike Pearce, Black Fly Beverage Company

Black Fly Beverage Company’s growth focus is not only tied to their personnel, clientele and product diversification. The brand also keeps a keen focus on improving their efficiencies, with on-site testing occurring regularly to maintain high standards that allow them to be a key player in the co-packing market. “I don’t think any of us sat here and said we are going to service some of the biggest names in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in the world from London, Ontario, but here we are,” said Pearce.

Black Fly Beverage Company has won Co-Packer of the Year internationally twice in the last three years from Molson Coors and won various awards from the LCBO, including Medium Supplier of the Year in 2022/2023 with the Black Fly brand. In addition to these larger awards and partners, Black Fly believes it is important to have a diverse portfolio that includes smaller local brands and brands that are scaling up for growth.

“We want to make sure we can work with the smaller craft guys too, because that’s where we once started,” Pearce said. 

With one of the fastest producing bottling lines in North America, some state-of-the-art equipment would be expected. In addition to their production lines, Black Fly Beverage Company houses a double deck pasteurizer that can hold 75,000 cans at any given time. They also treat their water with a reverse osmosis system, first purifying it through UV and specialized filters. As their granulated cane sugar became increasingly more difficult to source in the quantities they needed, they made the shift to liquid cane sugar, which is also housed in large tanks. They call their production “pellet to pallet,” focusing on using their own injection and blower moulders.

Their gin and vodka are always sourced from Canada, but they bring in tequila from Mexico and their rum is sourced from the Caribbean through Amsterdam. “We see 22,000 litre tankers arriving daily on-site,” said Pearce. Their spirits are mixed with real fruit juices, never juice blends, and they stick to their mandate of only utilizing real cane sugar, never substituting or using high fructose corn syrup. 

The beauty of our products is we don’t have to distill, ferment or brew. We bring everything in, combine it and you can pop a bottle right off the line and it’s ready to go. We’re not stuck sitting and waiting on a lot of stuff or waiting for things to age,” said Pearce.

Currently, Black Fly Beverage Company’s products are available through every liquor board in Canada. In 2011, they won the Small Business of the Year award from the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. That same year, they were also awarded an environmental award for their practices focusing on a reduction in packaging design, lighter bottles for a reduced carbon footprint and recycling initiatives at their plant.

What’s next for Black Fly? An expansion into malt flavours in Ontario and Quebec. “It’s the last channel for us to explore. We’ve worked through other areas of the ready-to-drink category already,” said Pearce.

One of Canada’s first draught cocktail and bottled cocktail producers, their creations can be found in partner restaurants like Cactus Club on draught and on the shelves in a few select stores and restaurants in Ontario.

At Civil Pours, the team is small but mighty. They have grown from a team of three at their inception to a team of ten staff. Along with their quick growth over four years, they are working on obtaining their own distillery license, while currently producing their finished product in Reid’s Distillery’s space.

The original focus for Civil Pours was business-to-business offerings for bars and restaurants, purely for cocktails. Their goal was to address pain points in the hospitality industry, including bottlenecks in service and labour, and cost challenges, which grew more difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, King Taps and Cactus Club were where Civil Pours’ first kegged cocktail products launched, with the Old Fashioned.

In 2024, Civil Pours moved from a smaller space with a local distillery to one about six times the footprint at Reid’s Distillery’s space, which can now hold Civil Pours’ production and office facilities in the same space.

“We were working with [the local distillery], [and] they were so gracious to allow us some space to research and develop our products. They were humble beginnings,” said Madison Homewood, head of research and development at Civil Pours.

She says they used pop-up picnic tables, noting that what they were able to achieve in that small space was truly impressive. “We made the most of that small space,” she said. “We are a very scrappy team of ‘make it work’ and ‘do the best you can with what you have and upgrade over time’ [people]. It was such an amicable decision between the local distillery and us moving forward. We found this space at Reid’s Distillery and it has really allowed us to grow.”

From their first cocktail, the classic Old Fashioned, Civil Pours has grown to include a full roster of cocktails. Their second launch was a margarita, which was created to stabilize citrus juice, a challenge in the hospitality industry due to its short shelf life and when it’s out-of-season.

The third cocktail to join the ranks was the espresso martini. With this one, the Civil Pours team needed to make sure the cocktail still had a froth in a draught format, motivated by the pain points of bartending, including the time producing espresso takes.

Their fourth launch was their unique Hesperidium, a dry curaçao or orange liqueur that was also motivated by a sustainable focus of utilizing excess citrus fruit waste in a partnership with Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto.

We work like we are in the woods; we want our company to leave the world a better place.

Chris Williamson, Civil Pours

Fifth to join the roster was the Whiskey Sour, which had a unique motivation from their partnership with the Mule, a Mexican restaurant group, whose largest waste item was avocado pits. Civil Pours saw this as another challenge. They roasted the avocado pits, distilled them and found they created a product that has flavours much like an amaretto.

Jalapenos were another culprit of waste that Civil Pours has been able to divert from the landfill. Using seeds, stems and other parts that are otherwise headed to the trash bin, they created their Jalapeno Margarita.

Their newest and last addition to their lineup currently is the Cosmopolitan, which uses 100 per cent Muskoka cranberries and their orange distillate.

Their cocktail-making method is “a very niche process, but we are bringing out very concentrated flavours that allow us to use not as much of the core ingredients,” said Homewood. Their process for research and development is carefully thought out, considering what customers are asking for, what the market is looking for and what the current trends are. Then, after creating a classic bartender-made version to understand exactly what they are trying to create, they perform testing including ABV and sugar and acid levels. Then, they work backwards.

“We isolate what ingredients need to go in the rotary evaporator,” said Homewood. “Do we have a partner where we can secure these products? In the espresso martini, we use cacao husks, [and] there’s not a lot of market value to that product currently (sometimes it is used as mulch and very rarely as tea), but when chocolate comes into our food system, 10 per cent gets turned into chocolate and 90 per cent is going to waste. Just the sheer volume of that is a lot, so we wanted to give that another life as well.”

Innovation and sustainability are at the heart of their product line and business. Civil Pours isolates what ingredients need to go in their rotary evaporators to become the concentrated output and ensure that they have a partner that can secure the necessary ingredients.

“Constraint is a source of creativity,” said Chris Williamson, director of sales and marketing at Civil Pours. “It was amazing how quickly the can-do attitude came into this organization. ‘Crawl, walk, run’ is really important to us – we do not want to be reckless, and we want to meet the commitments we make in a responsible and sustainable way as well.”

They focus on three main criteria: First, is there going to be a demand for the product? Second, can they make it effectively with their technology? And third, can they make it sustainably? “We work like we are in the woods; we want our company to leave the world a better place,” said Williamson. The main type of equipment that is allowing Civil Pours to produce their unique product line is their rotary evaporators, also known as vacuum stills, used in the process of vacuum distillation.

“This equipment allows us to take the atmospheric pressure out of the environment,” said Homewood. “Our raw ingredient goes in [there]. We do not make any base spirits; we partner with the people who do it best and we purchase bulk totes of these spirits.”

When they remove the atmospheric pressure from the system, it allows the ethanol to boil at a lower temperature than it normally would. Once the boiling occurs and the ethanol is turned into a gas, they precipitate it by running it through subzero temperatures of around -8 to -20 degrees Celsius, depending on what the final product is intended to be. Because of the super low temperatures, it makes it possible to preserve the natural flavours of the ingredients. “It precipitates into this beautiful, fresh and vibrant flavour,” said Homewood.

The other benefit to this process is it takes ingredients that are typically short on shelf life or perishable and they get blended into finished drinks that make them viable on the shelf. The shelf-life on Civil Pours’ products is well over a year non-refrigerated. “It is pretty cool that we are going through all of the processes – some from beer, some from wine, some from distilling – all to make some really cool finished products,” said Homewood.

One of the oldest distilleries in Canada, Alberta Distillers started in 1946 in Calgary, Alta., where three entrepreneurs came together to create history. Max Bell, a rancher, Frank McMahon, a Canadian oilman and George Reifel, a distiller, built the Alberta Distillers brand to be grounded in western Canadian values. They wanted to give back to the community by making affordable and high-quality products.

Starting out on 23 acres, the distillery is now in the heart of Calgary on 42 acres of land. The site has two rail spurs on-site that can ship and receive by rail, ISO tankers and tanker trailers, keeping the history of its story close to its heart. The site itself sits over 3,000 feet above sea level, with exceptionally dry air that has lasting impacts on Alberta Distillers’ sought-after taste profile. With its unique location, the distillery can create exceptional whiskies, such as its Canadian Club, and other products, including Alberta Premium, Alberta Pure Vodka, Reifel Rye and Northern Keep Vodka.

None of the products that make it to the shelf or into customers’ glasses would be possible without Craig Dryburgh, the plant general manager, Deepti Gurkar, the national marketing director, Bernard Sous, the senior distillery manager and Maria Palafox, who is in charge of quality control. Together, the Alberta Distillers team creates products that have received attention not only in Canada, but around the world.

Using a hammer mill and their three enzyme reactors to create their own enzymes over six to 10 days, their products go through three mash cookers, with each cycle taking about four hours. Alberta Distillers has 20 different fermenters. The whisky spirits are aged in three different types of wood barrels, including new white oak and once-used bourbon barrels. Alberta Distillers is one of the few sites in Canada that can age barrels in both rack-style and pallet-style warehouses.

The turnaround for the vodka is quite quick, while the process for whisky is always blended with at least the minimum requirements for aging (with some of their whisky having been aged over 20 years to be integrated into their blends). The first stage of the process is grain receiving, cleaning and milling. The second stage sees mashing liquefaction and saccharification, which takes eight hours and leads into stage three: fermentation after addition of the yeast, which takes about four days. During the fourth stage, the first distillation occurs using their beer still column, which produces a high wine that is a continuous process.

Lastly, the fifth stage is the redistillation of the spirit for either a vodka specification or whisky specification, depending on the product. The whisky is aged for at least three years in barrels, depending on the age requirement for that product.

Many of Alberta Distillers’ products can be found on shelves across Canada. Currently, they are not distributed in Quebec, but some of their Alberta Premium can be found throughout the U.S., while Canadian Club can be found globally. Alberta Premium also has limited distribution in Japan.

“We do a few things very uniquely. All of our grains come from local farmers in Alberta with a little bit from Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Sourcing grains from local farmers is important,” said Gurkar. “We love everyone that works within our facility. Their attention to detail is important – the quality is met year after year. We enjoy using the best ingredients, having the best people working with our products, putting it through the rigour of the facility in its unique location, then coming up with a liquid to make all of Canada proud, especially when we win international awards.”

Alberta Distillers won Distillery of the Decade in 2020 at the Canadian Whisky Awards, and many of their products are endowed with a variety of awards. Northern Keep Vodka won Double Gold at the SIP Awards in 2023. Alberta Pure Vodka won Double Gold at the International Spirits Challenge in 2023 and Double Gold at the SIP Awards in 2024. The Alberta Premium Cask Strength received Gold at both the Canadian Whisky Awards and the SIP Awards in 2023, and received Silver at the International Spirits Challenge in 2024.

Alberta Distillers won not only a Gold medal, but was also titled the Category Winner for their Canadian Club 100% Rye. Additionally, Reifel Rye, named after one of the founders, was well recognized last year, receiving Gold at the International Spirits Challenge, Best New Whisky of the Year at the Canadian Whisky Awards in 2023 and a Silver medal at the 2024 International Spirits Challenge.

Focusing on the future, Alberta Distillers is looking forward to incorporating more sustainability into their day-to-day practices. “We’re committed to aligning with Suntory Global Spirits’ goals by 2030,” said Gurkar. “Upgrading the boilers, installing water management systems, water seals and pumps to up our efficiency. Vapour compressors are being installed [as well].”

We love everyone that works within our facility. Their attention to detail is important – the quality is met year after year. We enjoy using the best ingredients, having the best people working with our products, putting it through the rigour of the facility in its unique location, then coming up with a liquid to make all of Canada proud, especially when we win international awards.

Deepti Gurkar, Alberta Distillers Limited

Additionally, Gurkar says Alberta Distillers has an ongoing partnership with the University of Alberta, working with the recovery of rainwater and treating liquid waste streams. They are participating in ongoing studies to ensure that environmental consciousness is in the forefront of their production decisions, working toward more sustainability in their actions, not just their words.

“Canadian whisky can be so broad and is often referred to as rye even without any rye, so we’ve been on a mission [to educate people on] what a 100 per cent rye whisky is,” said Gurkar. “You can visit ryewhiskyacademy.com and you can learn about the difference of high rye whiskies. Rye is very well loved in Canada. I don’t think we always understand what skill it takes to make a great rye whisky.”

Keep an eye out because there’s more coming from Alberta Premium this year, and Alberta Distillers is continuing to grow some of their craft brands like Reifel Rye and Northern Keep Vodka. As a long-standing distillery, Gurkar says it’s when people try a product, or they get the opportunity to visit the distillery to see what’s next, that people realize how much effort, knowledge, heritage and innovation goes into Alberta Distillers’ products.

Looking to the future, Alberta Distillers is focused on continuing to create quality products that bring people together. 

Initially established in 1972 by Otto Rieder, the distillery was later acquired by John Hall in 1992. That same year, Hall re-opened the facility as a combined winery and distillery called Forty Creek, with the first Forty Creek whiskies hitting the market in the year 2000. In 2012, the winery was divested, and the focus turned to whisky.

Bill Ashburn, Forty Creek’s master blender, has been a part of the brand’s journey since 1987. Prior to Forty Creek, Ashburn had gained extensive experience in aged products, blending and product development while seconding the winemakers at an Ontario winery. He made the transition to distilling, pursuing his lifelong passion for distilled spirits.

Ashburn had the opportunity to learn the spirits blending process from start to finish under the guiding hand of a knowledgeable German master distiller. Six months into distilling, he had an “Aha!” moment – he was given the chance to run the stills on his own on the overnight shift and immediately felt a connection to the work.

He is passionate about uncovering new flavours and creating taste experiences that push the standards of Canadian whiskies to new heights. Each whisky Forty Creek offers is artfully crafted to the perfect blend. From carefully blending different batches to match each whisky’s classic flavour profile to creating an altogether new expression, Ashburn maintains the standard for these unique processes which set Forty Creek apart in the market.

When asked what his favourite product to enjoy is, Ashburn shared that his go-to is always Forty Creek poured over a single cube of ice. However, he also divulged he is known to enjoy a little bit of Forty Creek Original Cream in his hot chocolate or the Forty Creek Barrel Select with lemonade.

Using both traditional pot and column stills in the production of their spirits, one of Forty Creek’s key pieces of equipment is the oak barrels for their maturation program. Forty Creek specifically is a barrel-to-blend whisky. This means they focus on the innovative use of wood and artful blending to create a smooth flavour.

Typically, the distillation process is a single or double pass. The process begins with blending different batches of whisky from separate barrels into one product. Using mostly American White Oak, the barrels are a mix of new and seasoned ex-bourbon barrels mostly from Wild Turkey, Forty Creek’s sister company in Kentucky. They also have a limited number of Canadian Oak Barrels that are used specifically for Forty Creek’s Confederation Oak Reserve that were sourced from the Canadian Oak Barrel Company.

Each batch is carefully tasted and compared to ensure the whisky strikes the perfect balance of flavours and aromas before it is bottled. Whiskies can take years or even decades to mature. Each September, Forty Creek announces a special release.

No stranger to the podium, Forty Creek is a well-awarded brand, receiving a Gold Medal at the 2024 Canadian Whisky Awards for Forty Creek Barrel Select, and a Gold Medal from the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition for Forty Creek Cherrywood Reserve.

The Gold Medal from the 2023 Global Masters Awards for Forty Creek Barrel Select is the award Ashburn is most proud of because a product that has been in the market for over 23 years and continues to win gold medals at international competitions is quite the feat. Another noteworthy product line is the Forty Creek Creams, with all three products, Original Cream, Nanaimo Bar Cream and Butter Tart Cream, winning at the Canadian Whisky Awards for seven of the last eight years. Sold across Canada, Forty Creek can also be found on shelves in the U.S. and select Asian countries.

In 2014, Campari Canada acquired Forty Creek, quickly becoming one of its cornerstone brands. Other brands under Campari Canada include Appleton Estate Rum, Grand Marnier, Campari, Aperol and SKYY Vodka, to name a few.

Campari Canada’s leadership is comprised of senior industry management across marketing, sales, trade marketing, human resources, finance and supply chain management. Campari Canada continues to evolve their product portfolio while ensuring that the existing product range remains consistent for their customers.

Born in Massachusetts in 1816, the distillery’s namesake Hiram Walker moved to Michigan, working as a grocer and eventually starting a general store. He had the mindset of an entrepreneur, running moonshine through charcoal and selling it for five cents per gallon. Walker had a growing interest in distilling, but with prohibition taking hold in the U.S., he looked north and purchased a plot of land across the Detroit River, in the area now known as Windsor, Ont. He purchased the land in 1856, and it began operating as a distillery in 1858.

At the time, Windsor was sparsely populated. As such, Walker built housing for those working at his distillery. Although he was operating out of Windsor, Walker commuted every day from the U.S. to the distillery. He remained an American citizen for his entire life. Deeply entrenched in the history of Windsor, Walker’s son became the first mayor of Walkerville, a historically significant area in Windsor, noted to have been a planned city built by Walker. “Canada was built on whisky,” said Livermore.

When he does whisky tastings, Livermore asks, “What do you believe grew Canadian whisky more than anything else?” He says people instinctively say, “Prohibition.”

“Quite frankly, it did not,” said Livermore. “Prohibition would have been like COVID-19 was for our bars and restaurants. You lost your customer and that’s not a good scenario to be in.”

“I can confirm today that we are making more spirits now than we ever have in our history of the company.”

Don Livermore, PhD, Hiram Walker & Sons

Livermore says the most important years in Canadian whisky history fall within the range of 1861 to 1865, just after the distillery was started. The U.S. Civil War was one of the biggest events for Canadian whisky. Although beer was available, whisky kept longer, and the U.S. purchased Canadian whisky in massive quantities. “Whisky is what they drank,” said Livermore.

During this time, many of the fathers of Canadian whisky emerged – Hiram Walker, J.P. Wiser and Henry Corby, to name a few – all of whom took advantage of the disruptions to the south. The growth led the Canadian government to require documentation for whisky production processes and quantities in the 1860s, as prior to this there was very little documentation and most of the process was communicated verbally. Through this documentation, it’s become apparent that early on, Walker did not know the science behind making whisky.

Rather, Livermore says Walker would “repeat things over and over by the phase of the moon.”

The earliest records of the distillery are from the 1860s. “There are some cool stories,” Livermore said. “Even the local church was named after his wife, Mary, so that’s how much influence he had.” Not too long ago, a statue of Walker was installed on the corner of the distillery to honour his legacy.

The Walker family owned the distillery into their third generation, through to Walker’s grandchildren from 1910 until around 1926. Once prohibition began to put a strain on distilleries in Canada, Harry Hatch entered the picture.

“Good things were not happening during prohibition,” Livermore said. “There were some people that took advantage of that situation. One was Harry Hatch. Harry Hatch was a salesman out of the Corby [Spirit and Wine] distillery at that time who also owned a bar in Oshawa, Ont.”

Livermore says Hatch maintained good relationships with his patrons and often had them performing favours, running cases of liquor across Lake Ontario. Hatch had over 450 fishermen working for him at one point, known colloquially as Hatch’s Navy. Hatch attempted to buy the Corby distillery, but was denied, which led him to quit and purchase Hiram Walker & Sons in 1926.

“Canada was built on whisky.”

Don Livermore, PhD, Hiram Walker & Sons

Jumping to the late-20th century, Allied Domecq purchased the distillery in 1989, and in 2005 Pernod Ricard and Jim Beam bought the shares of Allied Domecq and split up the brands.

Pernod Ricard now owns Hiram Walker & Sons. “It’s a reputable company that has stood the test of time,” Livermore said. “I can confirm today that we are making more spirits now than we ever have in our history of the company.” He also says it’s rewarding to see the popularity of Canadian whisky continue to grow.

Currently, the distillery has 450 employees. The equipment they use is standard column, pot and rectification stills. Most grains come from a 100-kilometre radius of the distillery, and the corn comes from southern Ontario. As they make rum on site, they also bring in molasses. Bottling occurs on site, but there are 16 storage facilities within about 32 kilometres of the distillery for aging. To give more terroir to the final product these sites are not temperature controlled, and they have American and European barrels for aging. Many types of popular spirits come out of the Hiram Walker & Sons distillery, including J.P. Wiser’s, Pike Creek, Lamb’s Rum, Polar Ice Vodka and McGuinness liqueurs.

The quickest production product is vodka, taking only five days. In contrast, they have whisky that’s currently aging to 42 years. “I always aim to have my inventory left better than I find it,” Livermore said.

Most of the distribution is in Canada, although there has been growth in the U.S. The J.P. Wiser’s 10-year Canadian whisky first launched in Sweden, since it’s a market that drinks less alcohol, but seeks higher quality products.

Hiram Walker & Sons constantly seeks to improve sustainability. The team regularly looks for energy savings and installs more efficient equipment. They have increased production yields to decrease energy consumption. Additionally, they have local partners who take wet format grain, instead of using energy to dry it onsite.

With so many large brands operating out of Hiram Walker & Sons, it is no surprise that Livermore’s distilling is well-awarded too. Named the first-ever Canadian Whisky Blender of the Year in 2019, and again in 2020, the product quality and consistency show.

When asked what he enjoys most about making new spirits, Livermore said, “When I’m doing tradeshows or masterclasses in another country. I also enjoy changing the mindset of an unexpected whisky connoisseur.” What could possibly be next for a distillery with such deep historical roots? Well, Livermore sees Canadian whisky as an area with space for creativity and innovation; one that is adaptable to future whisky drinkers, too.

Tours of the distillery, along with the tasting operations, are available to the public. Interested clientele can visit jpwiserstour.ca to learn more.

Continuing to release products like Lot 40, a 100 per cent rye whisky that is new to market and a limited-edition J.P. Wiser’s Wood Series, Hiram Walker & Sons will not only have an influence on Canadian whisky’s history, but also its future.

In 2010, the duo set out to learn as much as they could about the distilling business – from marketing, to distilling itself, to the business side and everything in between. Vicky is at the helm of the distilling side, with her background in science accompanied by an abrupt takeover of their home kitchen with mason jars full of botanical experiments. JD, on the other hand, looked to the marketing and business side of the distillery, diving into the deep end to learn how to create a craft distillery from the ground up.

It took four years of research, learning and deciphering, and in 2013 they took the plunge and formed the business, purchasing their distilling equipment. The doors at Dixon’s Distilled Spirits finally opened in 2015.

When they started the company in 2013, there was a size requirement placed on equipment capacity in Ontario for distilleries. JD says this size requirement was keeping craft distilleries out of the market because the volume capacity was too large for most distilleries starting out. The Dixons made the decision to jump into the market and purchased their hybrid still, column and pot set up while the now removed capacity requirement was in place. This made Dixon’s a smaller distiller with a very large capacity and the ability to produce many different types of spirits.

Their hybrid still holds 18 plates, which guarantees that all their products are distilled 18 times, rather than the industry standard of three to five. Now, with a larger on-site team, including two distillers, JD and Vicky’s hard work has paid off.

Looking at the offerings of Dixon’s Distilled Spirits, one is met with a colourful array of unique craft spirits – gin, vodka, whisky, liqueurs – and, more recently, coolers. Bright labels match the uniquely coloured products nestled inside; a kaleidoscopic experience on the shelf sure to draw in new and old customers alike. With the promise of creating something for everyone, Dixon’s also offers a BBQ sauce and a mustard. Another unique offering is their whisky aged maple syrup. “In my business plan, I never mentioned the word gin once. It was vodka and whisky,” JD said. “We quickly learned that making whisky is a very costly adventure, and we learned you need to make money while the whisky was aging.”

He wasn’t kidding about the aging. For their whisky, the average bottle time is about four years. Currently, Dixon’s is holding back a 12-year aged whisky which is getting close to its release date. One of their goals is to have a 12-year whisky in the market. Their whisky is a simple corn and rye mixture, single malt and it is run through a carbon filter to remove any impurities before barrelling. They use some “different barrel treatments” JD says with a wink, which adds their magic to the barrels, giving it just a hint of sweetness.

On the other hand, their vodka and gin come with much quicker process times. The gin takes a bit more time than the two weeks it takes for the vodka. To make the gin, they redistill the alcohol through the gin column and it ends up taking around two-and-a-half weeks from start to finish.

Even with the deviation from the original business plan to add gin to their offerings, it’s a sure bet that customers are thankful gin found its way onto Dixon’s shelves. The gins have been some of their most popular products since launching, regularly winning awards, including double gold and consumers’ choice for both their Wicked Raspberry Gin and Wicked Citrus Gin at this year’s international SIP Awards. Not standalones on the podium by any means, the Wicked Blueberry Gin, Silvercreek Vodka, Silvercreek Blood Orange Vodka and the Flaming Caeser Vodka all received awards.

Awards are something that Dixon’s Distilled Spirits never sought out when creating spirits – JD says the focus was always to create products consumers liked. However, the awards kept coming in. Back in 2022, JD and Vicky were at home watching a hockey game when their phones started to buzz. “Congratulations!” text messages started to roll in and they were puzzled. “For what?” JD messaged back.

Someone clarified and told him, “You just won the best of Ontario Spirits award!” Immediately, Vicky and JD started looking into the award. It turned out to be during the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO)’s Elsie Awards and the grand gala was that evening. Vicky quickly found that they had needed to meet specific criteria and were nominated, all while they had no idea the gala was even happening. “It was a huge honour,” JD said, recalling the evening.

Alongside the awards, recognition from consumers means the world to the team at Dixon’s. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dixon’s began producing sanitizer to help meet the local demand for hospitals and wherever else there was a need. They received letters from local politicians and even from hospitals thanking them for their involvement and production. “We’ve kept them all,” JD said. “It was an honour to be recognized by a lot of these groups.”

What’s next for Dixon’s? They want to focus on marketing their popular products and expanding into other markets. Dixon’s is keen to start sharing their products with more of Canada, hoping to get into British Columbia, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland. To continue the expansion, they’re also talking about stepping into the United States markets in Maryland, Delaware, California, and Washington, D.C.

While Dixon’s is managing their current product line and keeping an eye on the future, they are also consciously aware of environmentally sustainable initiatives that have a very real impact on their everyday production. Currently, they are looking into suppliers for biodegradable wrap to reduce their reliance on shrink wrap. They have also switched from bleached white cases for holding and transporting their products to the plain brown, which allows easier recycling of the carboard. Finally, Dixon’s changed their glass bottle type to one that has a thinner base to cut back on their glass usage.

Beyond their innovations and environmental initiatives, Dixon’s Distilled Spirits also has a unique relationship with the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association (PWHPA). “I have a daughter who plays hockey and one of our managers, his daughter Lauren Gabel plays for Boston. She was also on the Canadian team before,” said JD. “So, we reached out to the [PWHPA] and said we wanted to help support them.” This resulted in some unique teamwork including live events with a few of the professional players on how to make cocktails using Dixon’s spirits.

All in all, it’s safe to say Dixon’s Distilled Spirits is not only constantly innovating, but always ready to share their tried-and-true customer favourites with new clientele, whether they be hockey players, hockey followers or have no idea what hockey is.

Currently, some of their products are available in Ontario in the LCBO, in store and online. Although not all of their products are available in every market, Dixon’s Distilled Spirits can be found in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, with Nova Scotia availability coming soon. With a love of coming up with new and exciting flavours, it is a sure bet that Dixon’s Distilled Spirits will be a distillery to watch as they focus on making their way into markets across Canada. Keep an eye on their website for exclusive innovations and small-batch offerings, too.