HIGHWOOD DISTILLERS
A lot can happen in 50 years. Canadians have been creative contributors to our economy in the last half-century and one of the fastest growing parts of that equation has been in the world of spirits. From small producers to larger distributors, our local distilleries are hard at work raising the bar at the bar. Among them is Highwood Distillers. The distillery’s history dates to 1974 when it originated under the name ‘Sunnyvale’. A group of southern Alberta farmers in High River founded Sunnyvale Distillers as a collective effort to showcase the exceptional
wheat grown locally. They committed to traditional distilling methods and produced a range of handcrafted spirits; their first was Marushka Vodka, a Russian/Ukrainian style of vodka still produced today. “We’re approaching our 50th anniversary”, says Sheldon Hyra, National Sales Manager for Highwood Distillers. “We’ve maintained a commitment to the vision of the founders, combining those original distillation methods with innovative practices.” Highwood offers a wide variety of spirits and liqueurs including notable Canadian whiskies like White Owl and
Potter’s Special Old. Potter’s Distillers came into the Highwood fold in 2005, allowing the company to significantly expand their portfolio. “We produce a well-curated selection of vodkas, rums, gins, and liqueurs, all crafted with precision in small batches and aged properly in oak barrels.” In 1984, what was Sunnyvale evolved into Highwood Distillery. The name is homage to the famous river and region that surrounds the distillery in the foothills of western Canada’s magnificent Rocky Mountains. While their business offices moved to Calgary in 1997, the Highwood ADVERTORIAL
16 Culinaire | December 2023
