Here is an update regarding a few new things happening in Alberta, and specifically for us at Bridgeland Distillery!

New Alberta Whisky Designation

So What Does “Alberta Whisky” Actually Mean?

As of May 22, 2026, it means something specific and legally defined. Alberta is the first province in Canada to put its whisky in legislation, the same way Scotland did with Scotch and Kentucky did with the Bourbon Trail.

To call a bottle Alberta Whisky, it must be mashed, fermented, distilled, aged, proofed, and bottled entirely in Alberta. At least two-thirds of the grain has to be grown in Alberta, and even the water has to come from the province as well. It has to spend a minimum of three years in small wood barrels and be bottled at no less than 40% ABV.

The program is voluntary. Plenty of very good Canadian whisky won’t carry the designation and doesn’t need to. Every whisky we make already more than qualifies. We don’t put any additives in our whiskies (i.e., no colouring), everything is non-chill filtered, and our grain is 100% grown in Alberta. This is how we’ve always done it, since day one, back when there was no designation to earn. It’s nice to finally have a name for it.

Introducing a New Product: Alberta Wheat Whisky

Wheat is Alberta’s most widely grown crop, planted across millions of acres every year, and it’s the gentlest of the whisky grains. It usually plays a supporting role in a blend. We wanted to see what it could do out front.

This one is rooted in the rich soils of Penhold, and it’s crafted exclusively from locally sourced ingredients. The mash bill is 60% raw wheat and 40% malted barley, both grown right there.

Every sip reflects the spirit of the prairie and the character of Alberta.

Available on September 10th!

Reminder: We’re the Only Craft Malt Certified Distillery in Canada

The seal comes from the North American Craft Maltsters Guild, and it isn’t something you can buy. It requires a licensing agreement with a member malthouse, that is small, independent maltsters who source the majority of their grain from within 500 miles, and that malthouse verifies you’re actually using their malt in your production.

In practice, it means the grain in your glass has a farm behind it, and we can tell you which one. Also, 100% of the malt we use is from a Craft Malting House, which is our unique feature!

Award Season Recognition

The inaugural Alberta Whisky Awards were recently held to recognize the best of certified Alberta Whisky. We won four medals:

• PLATINUM and Best in Class — Single Blend 2026, Alberta Blended Whiskies
• GOLD — Taber Corn Whisky 101, Alberta Blended Whiskies
• SILVER — Glenbow Single Malt Whisky, Alberta Single Malt Whiskies
• SILVER — Innisfail Whisky, Alberta Blended Whiskies

Special mention to the Single Blend 2026, our love letter to Red Shed Malting and the Hamill Farm, which we teased in the spring and which walked straight into a Platinum and Best in Class award. You can read about all the results in the September issue of Culinaire Magazine!

Low on quantity or need the new listing? Please email us!

Hope to meet you soon!

Antonio, Philip, Tori
Sales Team for Alberta