It’s been a long time since you had to go to the local liquor store to find a good bottle of vodka or whisky.
These days you only have to go to 6863 Lundy’s Lane to find it at Niagara Falls Craft Distillers. Or order some of the best spirits available off their website.
Proudly local, the company is only the 12th craft distiller in Ontario and came together with the aim of producing the best possible spirits that you’ll remember not only for the taste but for the stories behind them.
For instance, how about sampling some Barrelling Annie’s Rye Whisky?
It’s named for Annie Edson Taylor, who in 1901 became the first woman ever to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. And the school teacher did it on her 63rd birthday.
Or maybe some Lundy’s Lane 1814 Small Batch London Dry Gin?
It celebrates the historic battle that took place a very short walk from where Niagara Falls Craft Distillers is located – the Battle of Lundy’s Lane, in 1814 one of the key fights in the War of 1812.
After you visit the store, stop by the battlefield, take a tour and visit Fralick’s Tavern to learn more about the battle and life during 1812 wartime.
Another product, the Eighth Wonder Aging Single Malt Whisky, even comes in a little wooden barrel. Name another city in the world synonymous with barrels?
On their website, craft distiller and company owner Chris Jeffries recounts how their “goal is to create premium tasting products you can be proud of, with each of our brands representing the history that has shaped the city of Niagara Falls.”
Jeffries co-founded the Distillers with Andy Murison and Ian Kowalchuk.
“It starts for a general passion for what you want to do,” Murison told Niagara This Week when the company first opened its doors, in 2017.
“Chris and Ian crafted the idea about three years ago and I came in a year ago. It took us about two years to get the idea fleshed out.”
Added Kowalchuk: “Niagara is big in history, and obviously we want to try to capture that.”
Inside the workings of the company, the distillery works with a thousand-litre copper kettle that has stainless steel fermenters.
Before the products are cut using water filtered through a reverse osmosis process, they are distilled to high proof.
All the bottling and labelling is done by hand, on site. And did you know – they can produce a bottle of vodka from start to finish, in about five days? Or that an unopened bottle of whisky, gin or vodka can be stored nearly indefinitely without any loss of quality or taste?
Their website also includes a brief history of Niagara Falls – possibly Canada’s most colourful, fascinating city – by local historian Sherman Zavitz.
