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{{Primary sources|date=March 2022}}
[[Image:Alberta premium.jpg|thumb|100px|right|A bottle of Alberta Premium whisky]]
{{Infobox Beverage
| name = Alberta Premium
| logo =
| image = Alberta Premium.png
| caption = '''Alberta Premium'''
| type = [[Rye whiskey]]
| proof =
| manufacturer = [[Suntory Global Spirits]]
| origin = [[Canada]]
| introduced =
| variants =
| discontinued =
| related =
| website = {{URL|albertadistillers.com}}
}}


'''Alberta Premium''' (produced by [[Alberta Distillers Ltd]], of [[Calgary]], [[Alberta]], [[Canada]]) is one of the few remaining 100% [[rye]] grain [[rye whiskey|rye whiskies]] produced in North America. The brand is owned by [[Beam Suntory]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.beamglobal.com/cs/about_beam/brands|title=Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc.
'''Alberta Premium''' (produced by [[Alberta Distillers Ltd]], of [[Calgary]], [[Alberta]], [[Canada]]) is one of the few remaining 100% [[rye]] grain [[rye whiskey|rye whiskies]] produced in North America. The brand is owned by [[Suntory Global Spirits]], an subsidiary of [[Suntory Holdings]] of [[Osaka, Japan]].<ref>
|accessdate=2010-11-23| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20101119101123/http://beamglobal.com/cs/about_beam/brands| archivedate= 19 November 2010 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref><ref>http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-177343258.html</ref>
{{cite web| url= http://www.beamglobal.com/cs/about_beam/brands| title= Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc.| accessdate= 2010-11-23| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101119101123/http://beamglobal.com/cs/about_beam/brands| archivedate= 19 November 2010| url-status= dead| df= dmy-all}}
</ref><ref>[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-177343258.html HighBeam]{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>


Alberta Premium won "Canadian Whisky of the Year" in Jim Murray's 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 Whisky Bibles.<ref>[http://www.whiskybible.com Whisky Bible]</ref>
Alberta Premium won "Canadian Whisky of the Year" in Jim Murray's 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2021 Whisky Bibles.<ref>[http://www.whiskybible.com Whisky Bible]</ref>


Introduced in 1958,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-06 |title=Alberta Premium Is Finally Available in the US & Why It Matters |url=https://www.alcoholprofessor.com/blog-posts/alberta-premium-us |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=Alcohol Professor |language=en-US}}</ref> Alberta Premium was originally only available in Canada, until its launch of their cask strength rye whiskey.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye Whisky |url=https://www.binnys.com/spirits/whiskey/alberta-premium-cask-strength-rye-whisky-111314 |access-date=2022-03-25 |website=www.binnys.com |language=en}}</ref> Following the success of that product, they decided to introduce the original to the United States as well.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alberta Premium Is Finally Available in the US & Why It Matters |url=https://www.alcoholprofessor.com/blog-posts/alberta-premium-us |access-date=2022-10-07 |website=Alcohol Professor |date=6 July 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref> Despite its unique composition, it occupies the same shelving and price bracket as the staple [[Canadian whisky]] brands.
The whisky is quite strongly flavoured for a Canadian whisky, and could be considered less approachable (analogously to the [[Islay whisky|Islay malts]] in the [[Scotch whisky]] domain).{{Citation needed|date=October 2011}} There is a distinctively firm, somewhat acid note from the [[rye]] grain, which distinguishes Alberta Premium to any taster in a blind lineup of Canadian Whiskies.{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}} Unlike its 10-year-old [[blended whisky|blended]] stablemate, [[Alberta Springs]], Alberta Premium is only aged for five years {{spaced ndash}} perhaps accounting for some of the comparative feistiness.{{Fact|date=January 2009}}


== Production process ==
Alberta Premium is currently only available in Canada. Despite its unique composition, it occupies the same shelving and price bracket as the staple [[Canadian whisky]] brands.


The process uses 100% Canadian Prairie rye grain that is unmalted. The rye grain is ground to a fine flour by a hammer mill at the distillery.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.insidehook.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mash.jpg|title=The Mash Hall at Alberta Distillers in Calgary|date=21 July 2022 |website=InsideHook}}</ref> This meal is added to water, the mash is exposed to a proprietary enzyme, cooked, and fermented. The resulting liquid is distilled using two different distillation types - continuous distillation and the pot still. The liquid is aged in three different barrel sources: ex-bourbon barrels, once-used bourbon barrels, and the new white oak charred barrels. It is then blended to create the final liquor. The blended rye whiskey is believed to be five years old; the age is not stated on the bottle label.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2022/07/21/alberta-distillers-makes-the-worlds-best-selling-rye-whisky/|title=Alberta Distillers Makes The World's Best Selling Rye Whisky|date=21 July 2022 |website=Forbes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.insidehook.com/article/booze/alberta-distillers-rye/|title=Meet the Canadian Distillery Behind the World's Best Rye|date=29 June 2022 |website=InsideHook}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.alcoholprofessor.com/blog-posts/alberta-premium-us|title=Alberta Premium Is Finally Available in the US & Why It Matters|date=6 July 2022|website=The Alcohol Professor}}</ref>
Although blurred out for copyright reasons, the distinctive bottle (and some parts of the label uncensored) can be seen in the ''[[Trailer Park Boys]]'' series as [[List of Trailer Park Boys characters#Jim Lahey|Jim Lahey]]'s ([[John Dunsworth]]) brand of choice. In the episode "Jump the Cheeseburger" (S07E07), the label on Lahey's bottle reads "Jeddore Premium", a fictitious brand in an Alberta Premium bottle. [[Jeddore, Nova Scotia|Jeddore]] is a small community in [[Nova Scotia]] near [[Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia|Cole Harbour]] where ''Trailer Park Boys'' is filmed.

== Company history ==

Alberta Distillers Limited was started in 1946 by Canadian oilman [[Frank McMahon (oilman)|Frank McMahon]] and Canadian newspaper publisher [[Max Bell]], built on 23 acres of land on what was then the outskirts of Calgary, Alberta. [[George_C._Reifel_Migratory_Bird_Sanctuary|George Conrad Reifel]], a Canadian brewer and distiller who had worked in Japan to establish the Anglo Japanese Brewing Company,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://brianbeer.blogspot.com/2007/02/george-conrad-reifel.html|title=George Conrad Reifel, 1893-1958 |date=5 February 2007|website=The Beer Life of Brian, quoting plaque at George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary}}</ref> joined the company to assist with the complex process of distilling rye. By 1957, the distillery expanded to have three heat-controlled warehouses and contained upwards of 100,000 barrels of aging whiskies on over 28 acres of land. In 1967, National Distillers & Chemical Corporation purchased Alberta Distillers to expand their own liquor portfolio. Alberta Distillers was sold off after Standard & Poor gave a negative outlook for whiskey. By 1975, the plant site grew to 42 acres in Calgary. The final warehouse construction gave the distillery storage for over 600,000 barrels. The site is one of the few in Canada that can age barrels in both rack and pallet style warehouses. With two rail spurs onsite, the distillery can ship and receive by rail, ISO tankers, and tanker trailers. In 1986, Alberta Distillers was purchased by [[American Brands]], which itself was renamed as Fortune Brands in 1997 and split apart in 2011 into [[Fortune Brands Home & Security]] and Beam Inc. Beam Inc. was then purchased by the [[Suntory]] multinational holding company of Japan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.southcountryliquor.crs/sites/01/news/detail/75-years-of-alberta-distillers|title=75 years of Alberta Distillers|date=30 August 2021|website=South Country Co-op}}</ref>


== See also ==
== See also ==
Line 16: Line 36:
**[[Century Distilling]]'s Century Reserve 13 Year Old
**[[Century Distilling]]'s Century Reserve 13 Year Old
**[[Anchor Brewing Company|Anchor Brewing]] Old Potrero
**[[Anchor Brewing Company|Anchor Brewing]] Old Potrero
**[[Woody Creek Distillers]] Colorado Straight Rye Whiskey
**[[Distillers in Canada|Goodridge & Williams Independent Craft Distillers]] has a 100% rye currently in the process of aging
**[[Canadian Club#Types|Canadian Club]] Chairman's Select 100% Rye


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
<references />


{{Suntory}}
⚫
[[Category:Suntory brands]]
[[Category:Canadian whisky]]
[[Category:Canadian whisky]]
[[Category:Rye whiskey]]
[[Category:Canadian brands]]
[[Category:Canadian alcoholic beverages]]
[[Category:Alcohol in Alberta]]
[[Category:Beam Suntory]]
[[Category:Cuisine of Alberta]]
⚫
[[Category:Culture of Alberta]]




{{whisky-stub}}
{{whisky-stub}}
[[Category:1946 establishments in Canada]]

Latest revision as of 22:19, 11 May 2024

Alberta Premium
Alberta Premium
TypRye whiskey
ManufacturerSuntory Global Spirits
Country of origin Kanada
Websitealbertadistillers.com

Alberta Premium (produced by Alberta Distillers Ltd, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada) is one of the few remaining 100% rye grain rye whiskies produced in North America. The brand is owned by Suntory Global Spirits, an subsidiary of Suntory Holdings of Osaka, Japan.[1][2]

Alberta Premium won "Canadian Whisky of the Year" in Jim Murray's 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2021 Whisky Bibles.[3]

Introduced in 1958,[4] Alberta Premium was originally only available in Canada, until its launch of their cask strength rye whiskey.[5] Following the success of that product, they decided to introduce the original to the United States as well.[6] Despite its unique composition, it occupies the same shelving and price bracket as the staple Canadian whisky brands.

Production process

[edit]

The process uses 100% Canadian Prairie rye grain that is unmalted. The rye grain is ground to a fine flour by a hammer mill at the distillery.[7] This meal is added to water, the mash is exposed to a proprietary enzyme, cooked, and fermented. The resulting liquid is distilled using two different distillation types - continuous distillation and the pot still. The liquid is aged in three different barrel sources: ex-bourbon barrels, once-used bourbon barrels, and the new white oak charred barrels. It is then blended to create the final liquor. The blended rye whiskey is believed to be five years old; the age is not stated on the bottle label.[8][9][10]

Company history

[edit]

Alberta Distillers Limited was started in 1946 by Canadian oilman Frank McMahon and Canadian newspaper publisher Max Bell, built on 23 acres of land on what was then the outskirts of Calgary, Alberta. George Conrad Reifel, a Canadian brewer and distiller who had worked in Japan to establish the Anglo Japanese Brewing Company,[11] joined the company to assist with the complex process of distilling rye. By 1957, the distillery expanded to have three heat-controlled warehouses and contained upwards of 100,000 barrels of aging whiskies on over 28 acres of land. In 1967, National Distillers & Chemical Corporation purchased Alberta Distillers to expand their own liquor portfolio. Alberta Distillers was sold off after Standard & Poor gave a negative outlook for whiskey. By 1975, the plant site grew to 42 acres in Calgary. The final warehouse construction gave the distillery storage for over 600,000 barrels. The site is one of the few in Canada that can age barrels in both rack and pallet style warehouses. With two rail spurs onsite, the distillery can ship and receive by rail, ISO tankers, and tanker trailers. In 1986, Alberta Distillers was purchased by American Brands, which itself was renamed as Fortune Brands in 1997 and split apart in 2011 into Fortune Brands Home & Security and Beam Inc. Beam Inc. was then purchased by the Suntory multinational holding company of Japan.[12]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc". Archived from the original on 19 November 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
  2. ^ HighBeam[dead link]
  3. ^ Whisky Bible
  4. ^ "Alberta Premium Is Finally Available in the US & Why It Matters". Alcohol Professor. 2022-07-06. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
  5. ^ "Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye Whisky". www.binnys.com. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  6. ^ "Alberta Premium Is Finally Available in the US & Why It Matters". Alcohol Professor. 6 July 2022. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  7. ^ "The Mash Hall at Alberta Distillers in Calgary". InsideHook. 21 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Alberta Distillers Makes The World's Best Selling Rye Whisky". Forbes. 21 July 2022.
  9. ^ "Meet the Canadian Distillery Behind the World's Best Rye". InsideHook. 29 June 2022.
  10. ^ "Alberta Premium Is Finally Available in the US & Why It Matters". The Alcohol Professor. 6 July 2022.
  11. ^ "George Conrad Reifel, 1893-1958". The Beer Life of Brian, quoting plaque at George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary. 5 February 2007.
  12. ^ "75 years of Alberta Distillers". South Country Co-op. 30 August 2021.


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