Whisky wins big for Eau Claire Distillery

Eau Clair Distillery in Turner Valley just won big at one of the most prestigious competitions in the world.

They won three awards for their whisky at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Caitlin Quinn, Master Distiller says they even won double gold for 'Rupert's Exceptional Canadian Whisky'.

"That is kind of our flagship whisky, that will be on the shelf rear round, it's a blended whisky and double gold is the highest award you can get. So, that one was particularly exciting for us."

Something extra special about the double gold win is the whisky is non-chill filtered, doesn't have any artificial caramel colouring and uses some of Eau Claire's best whisky barrels. Quinn says it helps preserve the flavour.

Master Distiller Caitlin Quinn (photo supplied)

They also won gold for 'Batch 005 Single Malt Whisky'.

"It's a batch that comes out once a year and this was our fifth year with batch five. It's always exciting for those special releases to get awards as well because it just proves to us we're on the right track and doing the right thing."

Batch 005 Single Malt Whisky (photo supplied)

The third win was a bronze for 'Cask 47 Single Cask Single Malt Whisky'.

Cask 47 Single Malt Whisky (photo supplied)

Quinn also explains that they use local ingredients.

"For all of our products we actually farm a little bit of our own barley for each product. So we can supply our entire barley or multi-barley from our farming efforts. We do use Alberta multi-barley as well that we buy from just up near Edmonton. For the gins we'll use Saskatoon berries from Okotoks, we use honey in some of our products from Chinook Arch (Chinook Honey and Chinook Arch Meadery), and then we also use Alberta rosehips in our gins."

The distillery also includes a traditional horse farming operation for special edition rye and single malt whiskies.