At the 2024 Canadian Whisky Awards, held on Thursday, January 18, in Victoria, British Columbia, an Ontario distillery claimed the coveted Whisky of the Year Award. Paradigm Spirits’ 2022 Heritage Collection was awarded the title by a panel of 10 judges who tasted and scored nearly 200 other competing whiskies in a blind tasting.
The award-winning corn whisky had spent 19 years maturing in American oak barrels and was finally blended with a splash of Oloroso sherry, a recognized practice under Canada’s whisky-blending regulations.
Davin de Kergommeaux, chair of the judging panel and author of Canadian Whisky: The Essential Portable Expert, commented: “This is remarkable whisky. Long maturation in oak imbues it with sublime complexity and elegance, while meticulous blending animates its fresh, fruity top notes.”
Paradigm Spirits Co. is based in London, Ontario, at the site of the old Kellogg breakfast cereal factory, a once bustling landmark in the city’s heritage. The distillery opened its doors in 2020 and currently produces a range of whisky, vodka, and gin on its premises.
At this year’s 14th annual edition of the Canadian Whisky Awards, other honours included:
- Corn Whisky of the Year – J.P. Wiser’s 18-Year-Old
- Wheat Whisky of the Year – LMD Whisky Release no.0005-Straight Wheat
- Rye Whisky of the Year – GrainHenge Arrowwood
- Single Malt Whisky of the Year – Two Brewers Release 41
- Blended Whisky of the Year – Wayne Gretzky Distillery No.99 Maple Cask Whisky
- Mixed Mash Whisky of the Year – Crown Royal Aged 30 Years
- Whisky Spirit of the Year – DEVINE Distillery Ancient Grains ‘Young Whisky’
- Alternative Grain Whisky of the Year – Last Straw Distillery Rice Whisky
- Flavoured Whisky of the Year – Crown Royal Golden Apple Aged 23 Years
- Cream Whisky of the Year – Forty Creek Original Cream
Held annually since 2010, the Canadian Whisky Awards recognize the very best Canadian whiskies. An independent panel of experts scores each whisky in blind tastings, based on ranking criteria that reflect the industry’s highest standards.
