History

Strathcona Spirits was born out of several pieces of happenstance: good timing, bad timing, faith and despair aligned, resourcefulness and old-fashioned hard work. Strathcona Spirits Distillery distills a growing range of fine spirits that capture the essence of Alberta by using locally grown and wild-harvested grains and botanical ingredients. Our small “boomtown” building in the heart of Old Strathcona is the smallest distillery in North America. We are Edmonton's oldest distillery. Everything is permitted.

Production / Manufacturing

Strathcona Spirits uses locally grown and wild-harvested grains and botanical ingredients. Dreamland Whisky is a line of very small-batch whiskies, where each release is unique. We have used and continue to use specially selected, hard-to-access finishing casks from around the world in our double- and triple-barrel whiskies – including Cognac, Armagnac and Oloroso finishes, as well as Port finishes and high-rye bourbons in the past. We select around 4–5 casks at a time for each release.

Products / Whisky Series

• Uncle Rye's Whisky – 750 mL, 41.9% ABV. A Frontier-style Canadian Rye Whisky, aged 4 years in virgin American white oak and ex-bourbon casks at Strathcona Spirits’ Funny Farm. 66.6% rye, 33.3% hard red wheat.
• Dreamland Whisky – a series of very small-batch whiskies, each unique. The history tells that there have been releases such as Dreamland Prairie Whisky (2020, sold out), Oloroso Dreamland Whisky (2021, sold out), Tawny Dreamland Whisky (2021, sold out – available exclusively at Wine & Beyond), Dreamland Straight Whisky (2021, sold out – may be available from select retailers) and Pedro's Dreamland Whisky (November 2022).
• Dreamland Releases describe the use of specially selected finishing casks from Cognac, Armagnac, Oloroso, Port and high-rye bourbons – and that each release is selected as 4–5 casks at a time.

Visiting / Experiences

Strathcona Spirits is located in the Old Strathcona area of Edmonton and is described as the smallest distillery in North America and Edmonton's oldest distillery. Their spirits are available online and in over 500 fine retailers in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Japan. If a local retailer would like to carry the products, retailers are encouraged to contact them via their website. They also note that their products can be purchased in their physical retail store and online.

Philosophy

Everything is permitted. Strathcona Spirits is produced using locally produced ingredients and refined processes, reflecting an approach free from conformity and openness to experimentation in small batches and with unique finishes.