Ontario Craft Distillers

Cocktail enthusiasts Marty Van Vliet and Mark Anderson turned a hobby of visiting the world’s legendary hotel bars into a life’s work. Sampling drinks at hotspots like The Ritz Paris and The Savoy in London, Van Vliet notes “opened our eyes to the fact that not all spirits are created equally.” So, they made it their business to create their own and opened the Elora Distilling Company.

Running a small distillery, he says, offers “the opportunity to make small batches and give spirits the handmade attention that creates the richest, most authentic flavours possible” — flavours made with natural ingredients. The award-winning lineup features Great Expectations Gin, crafted from local grains and foraged botanicals like sumac and burdock, Black Spiced Rum, infused with hand-grated vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg, Crème de Cassis made with locally grown black currants, and Limoncello from hand-zested lemons. 

Perfect for mixing world-class cocktails at home, this connoisseur suggests they can also be sipped chilled or over ice to fully appreciate their true, one-of-a-kind taste.

Whitewater Distilling Company was born from a love of water, craft and insatiable curiosity. Created by the team behind Whitewater Brewing Co., the distillery carries forward the same guiding philosophy that has shaped the brewery since its early days on the Ottawa River: "Make thoughtful, well-crafted drinks that reflect where we come from and how we live," says founder Christopher Thompson. Sustainability is built into every detail, from fully recyclable glass bottles to Whitewater’s commitment as a member of 1% for the Planet and a veritree partner.

That philosophy first took shape in 2020 with the launch of Paper Boat Gin, which takes its name from the paper boats many of us folded as kids. Distilled in small batches with 12 carefully selected botanicals, it's spicy, earthy, slightly sweet and versatile, whether stirred into a classic Martini or mixed into bright, modern cocktails.

In autumn 2023, Whitewater Distilling Company introduced Broken Paddle Artisanal Whisky, a distinctly Canadian expression crafted with 100 per cent Canadian ingredients: Ontario rye, Canadian single malt and Canadian corn. "It's smooth, expressive, and approachable," says Thompson, and equally enjoyable neat or in a cocktail, shining in classic serves like a maple whisky sour, a nod to true Canadiana.

At Stratford-Fox Run Distillery, they’re “passionate about crafting top-notch spirits, pushing boundaries for the best possible taste.” 

For master distiller Adam Brierley, pushing boundaries means exploring new territory. Inspired that Ottawa didn’t yet have a distillery, he set out to craft “local flavour you can be proud of.” Their lineup includes whisky made from Ottawa Valley grains, aged in Canadian oak, but what put SFR on the map — and national TV — was Monk’s Secret Herbal Liqueur.

Given the scarcity of Chartreuse — the hard-to-find French liqueur made by monks from a secret recipe — SFR took up the challenge to make it themselves. After 18 test batches and 18 months of experimentation, they perfected their own secret recipe — now served in drinks at Michelin-star restaurants. “I always suggest trying it neat to get a flavour for it, before mixing,” he says. Essential for cocktails like The New Standard or Last Word, you could also follow local custom and “try it in hot chocolate, if,” like this distiller, “you’re adventurous.”

Lead distiller Mike Heisz started Junction 56 Distillery to create small-batch spirits using “natural, local ingredients” and “originality.” You’ll find them in Stratford at the crossroads of craft and creativity. 

Junction 56 is built on local ties — not just with local farmers but local businesses, like the hometown chocolatier and coffee company — to produce its products. “Even our name,” a nod to the place and year the train first arrived in town, “was locally inspired and crowd-sourced,” he says. This uncommon approach extends to their lineup: “We’d never look at another product and say, ‘Let’s make one of that.’” Bucking the trend for pink, they made Purple Gin with local berries and butterfly pea flowers. Black Raspberry Gin is another unique twist, inspired by a bounty of wild berries offered by a local farmer.

In all cases, the grains used are from Mike’s cousin’s farm, and milled on site. The result is smooth, flavourful spirits ideal for cocktails. This includes Canadian whisky — “also unique for being good on the rocks and sippable too.”