Alberta whisky deserves better than separatism and overregulation, comms pro warns

A glass of single-malt whisky — Canadians would usually call it scotch — frames a splash of heather in the Grampian Highlands in Scotland.

Don’t regulate the Wild West out of whiskies already proven to be surprising, varied and flavourful, an aficionado and communications professional cautions Alberta.

And that persistent provincial buzz about separation? Close the book on that sooner rather than later, recommends Richard Liebrecht, a whisky vlogger and former Edmonton Sun reporter.

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Asked to react to Alberta’s new whisky legislation, Liebrecht noted that the branding and popularity of whiskies are tied to the stories behind their labels.

A non-starter, in his opinion, is the ongoing separatism saga.

“The Alberta separation movement saddens me,” said Liebrecht, now an app developer living in Revelstoke. “And specifically as a whisky enjoyer, it would really sadden me to see the industry shoot itself in the foot before it fulfils its promise.”

Liebrecht has hiked the famous Speyside Way in Scotland, which follows a former railway bed to distilleries once served by trains. He said there’s “real promise” for Alberta to develop its own reputation as a whisky destination — but attempting to copy Speyside and other trail-based branding may not be the way to go.

Along with a regulatory framework that doesn’t stifle creativity, authenticity within the varied Canadian landscape and climate is key.

“I’m not saying that Alberta isn’t special in the whisky world. I just think it has to find its own way. Maybe it makes more sense to have whisky hubs,” said Liebrecht.

Alberta boasts “real flavour” right now, he said. “There are real stories there yet to be told, and I want them to be told. I want to enjoy great Alberta whisky for many years to come.

“So let’s get serious about this because it’s a serious opportunity.”

Geographic identity tightened

Liebrecht’s comments follow the introduction of Bill 24, the Alberta Whisky Act, which became law during the spring sitting of the legislature. The act sets the criteria distillers must meet to legally label and call their products Alberta whisky.

The government said the law responds to the Alberta industry’s wishes by setting standards to advance and market a geographic whisky identity. The legislation plants the seeds for reputations like those enjoyed by Kentucky bourbon and Scottish whisky, proponents say.

Under the law, a product labelled Alberta whisky must have all its water and two-thirds of its mash cereal by weight sourced within the province.

It must be produced in Alberta, aged at least three years in small barrels, be at least 40 per cent alcohol by volume and have only minor, defined additions made after distillation.

A distiller must already meet national requirements to call itself Canadian whisky, Canadian rye whisky, rye whisky or whisky in Canada. Alberta’s law, although voluntary, further narrows geographic definitions and restrictions.

Dale Nally, the minister of Service Alberta and red tape reduction, promoted the bill as a celebration and booster of his province and its people.

“At its core, this is about Albertans,” Nally told a rural roundtable of Alberta journalists earlier this year. “It’s about the farmers that grow the grain, the distillers taking a chance on an idea, and the small businesses creating jobs in communities across Alberta.”

The act will allow distillers to lead Alberta into an exclusive club of world-class spirits, said Nally, the UCP member representing Morinville-St. Albert.

“We’re making sure that when someone picks up a bottle labeled Alberta whisky, they know exactly what they’re doing.”

Buyers of Alberta whisky will get “something made right here, something they can trust, and something that we can all be proud of.”

The tourism promise

Nally was one of three cabinet ministers at the round table discussing the act and an industry-blazed Alberta Whisky Trail that helps get the province to $25 billion a year in visitor spending by 2035.

Minister of Tourism and Sport Andrew Boitchenko said the new act would establish Alberta whisky as “a tried and true formula,” leveraging brand power and attracting aficionados.

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail lures about 2.7 million visitors a year, he noted. The all-in economic impact of the bourbon industry on the upper southern state is about US $9 billion annually.

New money will likely flow throughout Alberta too, predicted Boitchenko, who represents Drayton Valley-Devon.

“This means more than just finding a distillery tour or tasting room,” he told the roundtable. “It’s an opportunity to encourage visitors to travel beyond major centres and explore rural communities, and to stay longer and spend more money locally.”

Alberta-grown ingredients make a difference in the finished product, R.J. Sigurdson told the rural journalists. (He was minister of agriculture and irrigation at the time.)

“Our Alberta farmers grow the best grain in the world, full stop, and that’s not by accident,” said Sigurdson, who represents the Highwood riding and is now minister of affordability and utilities. “It’s the result of generations of hard work, innovation and care.”

Alberta grain is even in demand for use in Irish whiskeys and Scottish whiskies, he noted.

“That should tell you everything you need to know about the reputation that our grains and our farmers have earned globally, and this legislation is about recognizing that and building upon it,” he said.

Sigurdson pictures “incredible opportunity” for farmers and rural communities in Alberta.

Boitchenko envisions a “unique and immersive whisky trail showcasing not only our whisky on the world stage but also our amazing people, culture and landscape.”

But Liebrecht said copying the widespread whisky trail idea may not be the way to go. Part of the appeal of Speyside, for example, is that you can hike all or parts of its length alongside River Spey for an up-close cultural experience in the Scottish countryside.

The route cuts through the densest collection of whisky makers in the world — some 50 producing distilleries or perhaps 40 per cent of Scotland’s physical distillery buildings.

Distillers large, small, relatively recent and historic populate the trail, set along a stunning landscape.

“Think the rolling foothills of Alberta, lush and green hillsides known for their heather, a river known for its salmon, and quaint stone buildings. Just beautiful.

“You’re walking through the gorse and then out of it, you’ll see the light at the end of this tunnel of trees. And you’ll emerge and right there is a distillery with the guest centre open, ready with your sample and ready for your tour. And you do that three or four times a day.”

A trail too far

Alberta is home to 45 domestic whisky producers, 43 of them of the small craft variety. But the province is more than eight times the size of Scotland.

A tourist wanting to get from Latitude 55 in Grande Prairie’s historic former firehall to Pivot Spirits in Rolling Hills south of Brooks faces a trek of more than 900 km.

A hub model seems more reasonable to Liebrecht. A southern Alberta hub, for example, could celebrate the use of corn mash or the addition of sugar beets to the flavour profile.

Canadian whisky has “an adventurous spirit, and I think that’s what makes Canadian whisky really special.”

Liebrecht started paying attention to Canadian whiskies when he launched a YouTube tasting channel while living in Edmonton during the pandemic.

“I wasn’t going to be blowing 100 bucks a week on scotch. So I flipped to Canadian whisky,” recounts the former Hinton Parklander editor. “And one of the things that jumped out immediately is that there’s no template for Canadian whisky and no template for Alberta whisky.”

Canadian whisky makers draw upon “a huge variety of grains” and use differing aging and distilling times and methods.

“I’ve got a bottle right now that was aged in maple syrup casks. It’s whatever you feel like works. And I love that, because you just do not know what you’re going to get.”

George Lee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Macleod Gazette