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.

Le graduated from the University of Alberta in 2019 and has a bachelor of science degree with a double major in both chemistry and biology. Having seen her remarkable lab skills, an academic mentor encouraged her to pursue a career that had a significant amount of hands-on work. Le was travelling in Vietnam when she saw a job posting from The Fort Distillery for a new distiller.

“Brewing is all about chemistry, and I dabbled a lot in home brewing. I had made mead, beer, even wine at home, and I had confidence that I could combine my creativity and passion for spirits with my skills in chemistry and experimentation,” said Le. “I applied for the job right then and there on my trip, and I have been with The Fort Distillery for just under five years now.”

Mountain Pass Whisky is the newest addition to The Fort Distillery’s lineup of brands. Whisky is still young in Alberta – the first craft whisky was only released in 2016. Alberta’s Rocky Mountains produce very pure water and approximately 50 per cent of Canada’s barley is grown in the province as well. These are two of the most important ingredients in whisky, and in other spirits as well, which makes Alberta a unique place to grow this industry. According to Travel Alberta, the industry is worth about $1.5 billion per year, and is a primary attraction for many U.S. visitors.

The Fort Distillery opened in 2018 and Le joined as head distiller a year later. Under her creative leadership, The Fort Distillery has released several award-winning products. Two Bean Brew, Le’s first creation under The Fort Distillery brand, won gold in the Canadian Artisan Spirits Awards, as well as several regional awards, and each of the cocktails in the Tumbler & Rocks ready-to-serve collection have won regional and national awards, as well as awards from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Denver International Spirits Competition and the New York International Spirits Competition. Although the company and the industry have grown tremendously since she started, the representation for women – especially intersectional representation – has not kept pace.

“When I first started at The Fort Distillery in 2019 there were three women distillers in Alberta. Today, there are still only just over 10,” said Le. “And there are even fewer non-white women, especially in whisky. Through our company, I’m trying to create a place where women can join the industry, improve their skills and grow into leaders across different disciplines of the spirits world. Over 50 per cent of my staff are female and they have always stepped up to any challenge we’ve given them.

We also have strong company values related to fun, integrity and growth. We live by those values in our distillery, including having a zero-tolerance policy for harassment. The fact that we have never had to exercise that policy shows me we’re creating a place where people all feel valued, and they align with our values. I wish that were true within the industry at large, but there is still a lot of work to be done. I am confident we’ll get there though, and I intend to take my role in that seriously.”

The Mountain Pass Whisky Summit Collection is available online for shipping across Canada and in stores across Alberta.