Saskatchewan whisky maker Canada’s top micro distillery, credits local grain

LUMSDEN, Sask. — It turns out some of Canada’s best-made whisky comes from a small town just northwest of Regina.

Last Mountain Distillery in Lumsden has been named the 2019 Micro Distillery of the Year at the annual Canadian Whisky Awards in Victoria.

Its single cask whisky was also awarded a gold medal.

Master distiller Braeden Raiwet credits Saskatchewan’s natural ingredients for helping Last Mountain’s products to stand out.

Raiwet also says the distillery makes some extraordinary libations, such as a 100 per cent wheat whisky.

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The Canadian Whisky Awards are judged by an independent panel of experts who do a blind-tasting.

“It’s quite a privilege to get awarded something like that, especially against some of the top-end whiskies that are in this awesome country that we have,” Raiwet said Wednesday.

“We have the privilege of having some of the best grain and we like to think that quality in gets quality out so thank you to those farmers that are growing those awesome grains for us.”

Last Mountain Distillery was founded in 2010 by Colin and Meredith Schmidt.

Raiwet say the town has embraced their accomplishments.

“I think there’s a lot of pride from start to finish.”

The Canadian Whisky Awards says it is fully independent of the Canadian whisky industry and operates on a not-for-profit basis. (CJME, The Canadian Press)

CJME, The Canadian Press