History

Stillhead Distillery was founded by the Colebank family and opened its doors in October 2017. After Master Distiller Brennan Colebank left the tech industry to pursue his dream of uniting chemistry and spirits, the team has grown to nine people. Five years later, the distillery remains active and has introduced a range of internationally award-winning spirits. In 2023 it was noted that Stillhead would launch the flagship 'Double Oak Whisky' along with a whisky finished in maple syrup casks, which underlines the desire to reflect Vancouver Island and make room for new, unique expressions.

Production and Approach

Craft and Maturity

We craft our spirits on Island Time: our small-batch whiskies are released only when they reach perfect maturity, not by a specific age. We do not chase shortcuts, but respect whisky production and its tradition. Each cask is evaluated and matched through maturation with the cask in which it finishes its maturation, to create the perfect finishing whisky. We continually experiment with innovative methods and local ingredients to highlight Vancouver Island's terroir. Wild berries, locally grown rhubarb, and award-winning Cowichan Valley wine casks are just some ways to express terroir in our spirits.

Whisky Program and Finishes

Stillhead has an extensive whisky program with unique finishing casks. After the distillery's first year they laid down the first couple of dozen casks and reached about 300 casks five years later. They primarily use new American oak barrels in the first three years, but the finishing cask makes the whiskies special. Each whisky is tasted quarterly to assess maturation and determine the finish. They have collections of finish casks including Ruby and White Port from Portugal, Madeira from Africa, Spanish sherry finishes, ex-bourbon barrels from Kentucky, maple syrup finishes from Washington and Quebec, Hungarian wine casks, locally Vancouver Island wine casks and even casks from a world-renowned Islay distillery in Scotland. The goal is to produce world-class whisky that is unique and small-batch.

Products and Expressions (Excerpts)

The distillery offers a range of whiskies such as 'BC/QC Whisky – Maple Syrup Cask Finish,' 'B-Word' (a bourbon-style whisky), 'Rye Whisky – Small Cask Finish,' 'Potent Portables,' and various finish variants such as 'Islay Cask Rye Whisky' and 'Sherry Cask Rye Whisky PX Finish.' Several products are listed in their shop and described as single-grain and rye whiskies as well as various finish and cask combinations. A notable example in the range is 'Garry Oak Single Grain Rye Whisky' and 'Potent Portables Single Malt Whisky.'

Visits and Experiences

Stillhead offers tours and tastings: 'Distillery Tours' with warehouse-barrel tastings and distillation demonstrations. Participants also get the chance to tap a cask and get a preview of upcoming releases before anyone else.

Philosophy and Terroir

The philosophy at Stillhead is to capture the island's spirit in the brand and in all products by incorporating distinctive Vancouver Island ingredients. They place emphasis on inclusion, fun, and passion around their spirits and whiskies, and their mission is to create bold and expressive spirits that deliver a taste of the small island they call home.