Name: Alberta whisky could become a thing – legally
Uploaded: 2025-11-05T03:12:30.369Z
Duration: 2 min 16 s
Description: Kentucky bourbon, French champagne or even Mexican tequila are all iconic drinks known for their region of origin. Does Alberta whisky deserve a place on that shelf?

Kentucky bourbon, French champagne or even Mexican tequila are all iconic drinks known for their region of origin. Does Alberta whisky deserve a place on that shelf?

Alberta

The Alberta government is exploring the creation of an Alberta Whiskey Act, which would establish a legal definition for 'Alberta Whiskey' and allow producers to label their spirits accordingly. This move is intended to help local whisky gain recognition similar to other region-specific spirits like Kentucky Bourbon and French Champagne.

Officials and producers also see potential in developing a whiskey trail to attract tourists, inspired by Kentucky's Bourbon Trail. While some industry experts support the initiative, others caution against overly strict regulations, suggesting a broader approach that emphasizes origin over production specifics.

Alberta whisky could become a thing – legally

You've probably heard about Kentucky Bourbon, French Champagne, or even Mexican Tequila. Iconic drinks known for their region of origin. But does Alberta Whiskey deserve a place on that shelf? Local producers and the Alberta government sure think so. And to help get it on the map, the government wants to create an Alberta Whiskey Act. With that comes a legal definition of what Alberta Whiskey actually is. Producers could then slap a special label on their homegrown spirits. And there's also talk about developing a whiskey trail to draw tourists in. Inspired in part from a trip this Alberta minister took to Louisville, Kentucky. You know, they have the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky, attracts two million visitors a year. Well, look at all the people that come to Alberta for BAMF and Jasper, we could just get a small fraction of them to come check out the whiskey trail, which doesn't exist by the way. Who knows? Maybe, maybe that's in the future. Producers say they can see the benefits, bringing in more business, jobs and even tourism opportunities. Alberta has never really, you know, celebrated the fact that we have all of the ingredients for making a great whiskey. People are split on what exactly those ingredients might be. Is it the mountain water, the climate, the grain or corn? Or is it about something less tangible, like Alberta's entrepreneurial spirit? Some 80% of whiskeys in Scotland are made with Alberta barley. So the question is, why aren't we doing it here? One whiskey expert says Alberta already has the foundations of a great whiskey region. But a legal definition of whiskey? He's not sure that's what will take things to the next level. Passing legislation seems a little bit heavy handed. I think, especially when you consider how many distilleries you're working with, people are going to keep changing what they're doing and keep changing their minds. I think it would be better to have a broad outline, you know, like if you qualify for Alberta tax breaks, your whiskey is called Alberta whiskey or something like that. And if there needs to be a definition, he hopes the province doesn't get too specific, keeping things more about where it's made than how it's made. Joel Dryden, CBC News, Calgary.

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