Diamond Valley's Eau Claire Distillery winning awards for its rye whisky
Eau Claire Distillery came up with a blended rye whisky a year ago and it's receiving global attention after winning a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
David Farran, founder and president of the distillery, is proud of his team for producing the Stampede Canadian Rye Whisky.
"San Francisco is like the Olympics," he said.
"If you win at San Francisco, it really is street cred. It tells everybody that this is a serious distillery, so we were delighted when we got that and we really only enter in the competitions that we know actually carry some weight."
Farran and his staff have produced a number of award-winning whiskies over the past decade.
"It's kind of slowly putting us in the stratosphere of whiskies," he said.
"Because we're beating out all of the major whisky brands in the world and I think that's what gives us some pride."
For this product, Farran has teamed up with the Calgary Stampede to make the spirit the official rye whisky of the event.
"It's only been on the market for a year and judging by its popularity, I think for us, it's proof positive that we're doing something right," Farran said.
"Because we did another one that is getting awards and is popular in the marketplace."
Will Osler, president and chair of the board for the Calgary Stampede, says the local "farm to glass" idea fits well with the 10-day show.
"We're very happy that they created a rye whisky that really celebrates the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, the Calgary Stampede," Osler said.
"It just feels right. So much of what we're trying to do year-round at the Calgary Stampede is to celebrate agri-food and agriculture. Rye whisky is part of that and it just really fits. It is a matter of pride for all of us at the Stampede and we're really happy to see them succeeding in a tough industry."
Darryl Corbett, spirits expert at Willow Park Wines and Spirits, has tasted thousands of whiskies from all over the world and has no problem recommending Alberta-made products.
"The San Francisco Wine and Spirits awards are the prestigious awards in my eyes," he said.
He notes there are more than 30 craft distilleries in Alberta today, saying these are the golden years of spirit production in the province.
"People from out of town want to get something that's made locally. Alberta Premium is a world-class distillery and they're in our own backyard in Ogden," he said.
"A lot of people, when they're visiting Europe, they want to bring something with them for their hosts from our humble province and I'm very proud to recommend any of these whiskies for them."
When Eau Claire Distillery started in 2013, it was the first craft distillery in the province and Farran says it's come a long way.
"It is an exercise in patience when you make whisky," he said.
"You're in it for the long haul, so when we're talking about our anniversary of 10 years, we're kind of just getting started because what are those 20-year whiskies going to look like."
You can learn more about the Stampede Canadian Rye Whisky at eauclairedistillery.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Attack on prison van in France kills 2 officers, inmate escapes
Armed assailants killed two French prison officers and seriously wounded three others in an attack on a convoy in Normandy on Tuesday and an inmate escaped, officials said.
Maximum payout for LifeLabs class-action drops from $150 estimate to $7.86
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence for 10 years under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
$1.6B parts plant for Honda electric vehicle batteries coming to Niagara Region
A Japanese company has announced it will build an approximately $1.6-billion plant in Ontario's Niagara Region that will make a key electric vehicle battery component as part of Honda's supply chain in the province.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Manitoba premier to visit areas impacted by wildfire
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew will get a close-up look at the devastation from a large wildfire burning in northern Manitoba Tuesday.