On Friday, May 23 Ontario’s Still Waters Distillery announced the planned release of its Stalk & Barrel single malt whisky at the LCBO. This is the first single malt whisky to be distilled, aged and bottled in Ontario. The whisky, available in limited quantities, will be launched at the Summerhill LCBO store on May 31, 2014. The distillers will be on hand from 11:30am until 3:30pm to meet customers, offer samples, and sign bottles. They will also be at the Oakville LCBO on Cornwall Drive on June 7 from 4:00pm to 7:00pm.

Stalk & Barrel single malt whisky was first released last year directly by the distillery and in other markets, but this is the first LCBO release. It has received excellent reviews from critics and consumers alike. It is bottled as a single cask offering in individually numbered bottles. The whisky is made by hand from 100% Canadian two-row malted barley in small batches in a custom built copper pot still. It is bottled with no chill-filtering or artificial colouring.

Distiller and company co-founder, Barry Bernstein, said, “We set out to restore the tradition of small batch craft distilling in Ontario that goes back centuries. We are excited to be releasing Ontario’s first craft whisky.” Barry Stein, co-founder and fellow distiller remarked, “We are pleased with the support the LCBO has given to locally produced products that consumers are now seeking”.

Still Waters Distillery is Ontario’s first craft distillery. Their focus is on handmade whiskies, and Stalk & Barrel is the first release. A 100% rye whisky will be released in the fall. They also produce an award-winning blended Canadian whisky and an award-winning vodka, and are the recipient of the 2013 Canadian Whisky Awards, “Distillery of the Year”.