Palm Trees & A Tropical Breeze wins Canadian Whisky of the Year award
by CM staff
Co-Hosts Davin de Kergommeaux & Heather Leary with the Proximo Spirits Canada team, who received three awards and four medals during the ceremony. (CNW Group/Canadian Whisky Awards)
VICTORIA — Results of the 2023 Canadian Whisky Awards were announced at the Victoria Whisky Festival in Victoria, B.C. For the first time in the thirteen-year history of the awards, a regional producer has taken the top spot.
Following a blind tasting by a panel of nine whisky experts, Palm Trees & A Tropical Breeze, distilled by North Vancouver’s Sons of Vancouver Distillery was named Canadian Whisky of the Year, Artisan Producers.
Described as sweet, fruity, and spicy, Palm Trees & A Tropical Breeze also took home overall Canadian Whisky of Year, and All-Rye Whisky of the Year.
Pendleton Directors Reserve was awarded Canadian Whisky of the Year, Large Producers. Pendleton, which specializes in blending whiskies that are distilled in Canada, also walked away with Blended Whisky of the Year and Ultra-Premium Whisky of the Year, Multi-Market.
“The industry has come a long way in the last few years, and it’s reflected in both the calibre of submissions and the range of expressions,” said Davin de Kergommeaux, chair of the judging panel and author of Canadian Whisky: The New Portable Expert. “In addition to their strong core range of whiskies, distilleries are producing small batches and limited releases, offering an amazing variety of regional profiles. The world has noticed and so has Canadian whisky’s global fan base.”
Other major winners include Crown Royal, Reifel Rye, Two Brewers, Lot No. 40, DEVINE Distillery, and Last Straw Distillery, making a near even split of awards earned by Canada’s largest and artisan distillers.
