Alberta Launches First Whisky by Eau Claire
The Eau Claire distillery launched their inaugural single malt whisky in Alberta amidst much fanfare on Friday, December 8 2017. This limited edition whisky crafted from Alberta barley was the first ever in Turner Valley. With horse-drawn wagons, a bagpiper and a mini parade, Turner Valley’s Eau Claire Distillery unveiled its first single malt with immense pride that sold 1000 bottles out.
Situated in one of the cool towns of South Calgary in Canada, this distillery also produces vodka and gin with a unique approach to distilling. David Farran, the owner of Eau Claire Distillery said, “We had a dream to build an industry in a place that is a perfect place for distilleries. We in Alberta are the greatest producers of both malt and rye in the world. We ship that barley to Scotland so that they can make Scotch. It’s time that we made some of those products here at home.”
This single malt whisky is the successful creation of the enthused 26-year old master distiller, Caitlin Quinn. Originally from Scotland, she made her way to Alberta to start early and build on her passion of brewing and distilling. She details the first single malt whisky as fruity, with notes of apple, oak, and caramel from the malt.
With the distilling industry kicking off here more recently than the classic Scotch whisky industry, there are no set notions and people are more open to the lighter blend with a hint of sherry and the blend of apple, caramel, oak and fruit.
The Eau Claire distillery debut truly created Alberta history with this ‘farm to bottle’ single malt and a great whisky weekend for the connoisseurs. For those who missed the buy, they’d be able to kick off 2018 with this tipple, as it is expected to hit the stores by the New Year.
Source Links
https://savouritall.com/2017/12/12/eau-claires-single-malt-whisky-makes-alberta-history/
https://www.westernwheel.com/article/first-alberta-made-single-malt-whisky-launched-20171213
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