Canadian Whisky Smith

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Canadian Whisky Smith

Wh**ky is a journey best shared with others. Let's take that trip together!

10/15/2026

Back in September one of my local clubs decided to call it quits...but not before releasing the penultimate club bottling!

It was actually supposed to be the final release, but at the event we were told one final surprise would be coming our way soon-ish.

Still, I'm glad I took my bottle and sharpie. I got everyone in the room at that final tasting to sign my bottle.

That wh**ky is going to taste damned good (actually got to try it and it is a specially vatted Highland Park, so I already know it is excellent), but when it is finally gone, I will still have a bottle full of memories.

Cheers!

10/13/2026

Today we're celebrating Thanksgiving in Canada.

Feels particularly fitting for wh**ky, as it really is a sort of harvest festival. I find a lot of folks don't realize the Wh**ky Business is Agri-Business.

We need good farms to produce healthy grains so we can make tasty wh**ky!

And for that, I am thankful.

But I'm also thankful for all the wonderful wh**ky people in my life.

For me, wh**ky is a big part of my social life. I enjoy the times I get to share with the people who share one of my passions.

I try to remember to take photos because I love revisiting the memories.

Whether you're in one of the photos or not...if you are part of my wh**ky community, please know you are someone I am deeply thankful for.

Cheers!

10/07/2026

Catching up on Vault episodes and am touched beyond belief at the kind words from Daniel Whittington.

Especially since it was Daniel and Rex and the Whisk(e)y Vault and Whisk(e)y Marketing School that have probably had the most profound impact on my whisk(e)y journey.

Canada makes great wh**ky.

We have a heritage that has shaped an entire style of wh**ky making. A style that is not often used anywhere else in the world. Distill grains separately to maximize yield, blend after aging to craft signature flavour palates.

Or...don't do any of that, make your wh**ky in Canada, and !¡BAM¡! CANADIAN WH**KY!

Canadians are kinda laid-back like that.

Like Daniel, I would also say much of my Canadian Wh**ky education is due to Davin de Kergommeaux, Don Livermore, and Teresa (Reece) Sims. I count all three as friends and appreciate their perspectives when doing my exploring.

Over the last while I've been less active on the socials. Have been a bit less connected with the online wh**ky world...and I've been missing y'all.

Don't worry...I've got tons of photos saved up, so perhaps now is a good time to start sharing a little more again. If anything, I've been marinating even deeper in the exciting realm that is Canadian-style and Canadian-made Wh**ky.

🥃 🥃 🥃

Check-out the WV episode on JP Wiser's 24 year: https://youtu.be/8HnQv1i51DE?t=313&si=hpGNVL0AeoSw5S1B

Link.tree in Bio!
https://linktr.ee/CanadianWh**kySmith

07/09/2026

What a day!

We're only have halfway through Sommer School 2026, but today we tackled Canadian Wh**ky.

WTF is "Sommer School"?

🥃 It's Summer School for Wh***ey Marketing School Sommeliers!

For me...THIS IS HUGE!

When I did my Level 2 Somm (Bourbon & North American wh**ky) in 2018, the Canadian Content was about 45 minutes.

In 2023, after graduating my Level 4, Daniel Whittington told me the program had significantly changed their approach to teaching Canadian Wh**ky, due in part to me being in the program.

So today I got to share the stage with Don Livermore and do an intensive session on the varied aspects of Canadian Wh**ky and the overall distilling industry.

My focus was on a sort of "State of the Industry" so to speak.

If you've followed me for a while, you might remember:
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🥃 and maybe a few more trips and tours.

I *MAY* have some passion for the industry!

A little history, a little look at how things have opened to the new micro distilling scene, a little bit about side industries (bottling, malting, and more!), and a little about my adventures.

Along the way we also sampled some interesting expressions.

🥃 Crown Royal from 1964 and a modern version for comparison
🥃 Shelter Point Distillery 10 Year, a beautiful single malt
🥃 Macaloney’s Distillery Peat Project, featuring peat from Washington State
🥃 a bonus pour of Old Prairie Sentinel barrel-aged gin...a sample of how to make ends meet while wh**ky ages
🥃 BEARFACE Wh**ky Wilderness 03, featuring the use of Birch shed
🥃 Roper's Hold 20 Year Rye from True Wild Distilling, as an IB example
🥃 Wild Life Distillery | WLD Wheat Wh**ky, as a celebration of the new Alberta Wh**ky Act

Dr. Don brought a whole selection of J.P. Wiser's Wh**ky and 100% Rye Wh**ky that were fun to explore (including the inaugural release of the Master Blender's Series).

The day isn't quite done, but I'm pleasantly exhausted!

Tomorrow, TheProof LLC is taking us on a journey to explore ci**rs. Should be interesting! Teaching was really cool, but I'm looking forward to being a student for the full day!

07/06/2026

Waiting to board the plane south for a special session of Sommer School at the Wh***ey Marketing School!

Day 1 is focusing on something near and dear: Canadian Wh**ky 🥃🍁

A few years ago, the Calgary Duty Free shop was featuring a "local" spirit from Sortilege...in Quebec. 🤪🤨

It was frustrating because not only is that more than half a nation away, it meant that truly local products weren't even represented...and there were already so many producers on the scene.

As I prepare to go talk about the state of the industry in Canada, it fills my heart with joy to see a true representation of local wh**ky and spirits on full display.

Cheers, Canada...🍁🥃

06/20/2026

I absolutely LOVE getting to be an actual "Wh**ky Smith"!

Last week I was invited to participate in the Bridgeland Distillery Father's Day Blending Class. And it was so much fun getting to play.

The afternoon started with a brief tour of the distillery and a visit to the barrel room, and then dove right into the basics of building a wh**ky.

What a lot of folks don't know is...unless it's specifically a single cask, your wh**ky has been crafted by a blender.

In some cases, the blend has to match a specific flavour profile for a brand expression. Making wh**ky isn't like baking a cake. You can use all the same ingredients, follow all the same steps, and in 3+ years, all your barrels can taste different from each other. The blender then feathers the mix to keep the flavour on point.

But in other cases, the blend is intended to be creative! An opportunity to craft something new or unique.

During the session, I ended up creating three and a half blends...plus an unofficial Blendaggedon. They were all pretty tasty, and the Blendaggedon (a mix of everything left in my glasses at the end) was surprisingly sippable.

However, two of the recipes really came together with flavours I loved. I simply could not choose between them.

So I bought a second bottle 😆🥃

The Distillery had to prep all the custom blends for pick-up, so I stopped in on my way home tonight to collect them.

Not sure when I'll open these up, but hoping my Halloween Caramel Apple and Vanilla Ice Cream with a Cherry on Top turned out as well as I remember!

05/26/2026

What is the aesthetic of Flavour?

I have found myself marveling at times about why it is that a beautifully presented meal or cocktail somehow tastes better.

We're visual creatures. We eat with our eyes!

Science has proven our brains light up more, drive more enjoyment, when we think an experience is supposed to be special.

And that begins before you ever take a sip or bite.

My friend recently put out the third edition of the and it's a visually stunning exploration of the concept: The Colour of Flavour.

I feel honoured to have contributed a short piece in the final segment of the magazine, delving into the use of the infamous E150 - Spirit Caramel in wh**ky.

The Flavour Report is available online for free, but you can also order the beautiful print edition to add to your collection.

Check it out!

🥃 🥃 🥃

Link.tree in Bio!
https://linktr.ee/CanadianWh**kySmith
https://www.flavourreport.com/

05/24/2026

🥃 FLIGHTS OF FANCY 🥃

Dipping into a variety of peaty goodness tonight!

🥃 Three peaty Arrans...Machrie Moor CS, a peated Lochranza Single Cask (store exclusive), and the inaugural Lagg #3 (Rioja Cask)

🥃 Kilchoman Madeira influenced...one finished Single Cask and one special edition Cask Matured

🥃 Battle of the 10 Year, Single Cask, ex-Bourbon Kilchomans

No complaints on anything and a delicious exploration overall.

I could pick favourites, but it starts with the Machrie Moor and then each one after that was my next new favourite.

This is how you Saturday Night ❤️🥃

Address

2566 Flanders Ave SW
Calgary, AB
T3E7H9

Website

https://linktr.ee/CanadianWhiskySmith

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