Calgary's Alberta Distillers Ltd. makes one of the few remaining 100-per-cent rye whiskies produced in North America.
The 67-year-old Alberta Distillers Ltd. plant in Calgary makes Alberta Premium, one of the few remaining 100-per-cent rye grain whiskies produced in North America.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
Ken Pike, the grain receiver at Alberta Distillers Ltd., displays a sample of rye.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
Mr. Pike takes a sample of rye grains. Alberta Premium is a rye mash whisky that's available, for the most part, only in Canada.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
Grain silos hold the grain before it is used in production.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
Alberta Premium is made by blending two aged whiskies, one of which is aged for flavour in used bourbon casks.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
Mr. Pike watches a truck unload grain at Alberta Distillers March 25, 2013.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
The fermentation or cooking process at Alberta Distillers.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
Storage tanks hold finished product. Alberta Distillers produces 20 million litres of various whiskys a year, made not not only from rye but also corn, barley and wheat.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
After blending, Alberta Premium is aged further – five years in all.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
Huge storage tanks hold the finished product. Alberta Distillers supplies matured whisky to boutique U.S. companies for bottling with their own upscale labels.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
Oak barrels are filled at Alberta Distillers Ltd. In 2011, two-thirds of the 115 million litres of whisky Canada shipped to the U.S. was bottled there.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
After aging, the barrels are emptied.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
Oak barrels age in a warehouse at Alberta Distillers.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
Barrels are prepared for loading.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
Filled barrels wait at the distiller.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
A employee pours samples in a lab for testing.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
Catherine Emo, a certified quality inspector, noses a sample.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
Finished bottles move down an assembly line.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
Workers pack finished bottles.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
Rob Tuer, director of operations, shows off sample bottles.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
The finished product.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail