LCBO Food and Drink Autumn 2016

TRENDS  LOCAL AUTHORITY

BARRY STEIN & BARRY BERNSTEIN

STILL WATERS DISTILLERY Concord, Ont., stillwatersdistillery.com

tion for the Still Waters Distillery. “From the beginning, we had an eye on what was going on in the U.S. in terms of micro-distilling,” recalls Stein. The successes they witnessed were enough to con- vince the duo to try it for them- selves, and in 2009 the bottlers became distillers.    While their whiskies were ag- ing the mandatory legal mini- mum of three years, the partners marketed both their own vodka and a Blended Canadian Whisky sourced largely from other distill- eries. Then, in a classic “a-ha!” mo- ment in 2011, they decided to make a 100-percent rye grain whisky.    The friends admit it was luck rather than prophetic genius that saw them begin production of rye whisky when they did, launching Stalk & Barrel Rye to join their flag- ship Stalk & Barrel Single Malt just in time for the current rye whisky revival. Proof, perhaps, that passion can sometimes trump planning.

For two long-time friends with al- most comically similar names, the road to launching their own distill- ery led through Scotland. Not just a shared affection for the Scottish spirit, mind you, but a dedication and appreciation so strong that it prompted Barry Stein and Barry Bernstein to abandon their secure and conventional lives in favour of establishing a bulk whisky import- ing company, something never pre­ viously attempted in Ontario.    Since the law prevented the importation and domestic bot- tling of 100-percent foreign spir- its, Premium Bottlers, as their firm was called, blended a soupçon of Canadian-made whisky into their batches and marketed the results as “pure malt whiskies,” even though they were, in effect, single- cask Scottish single malts.    The effort was, Bernstein re- calls, challenging, often frustrat- ing and, in the end, enormously satisfying. It also laid the founda-

Among the challenges Barry Stein and Barry Bernstein have faced was mashing their rye whisky for the first time, which left their distillery completely covered in rye.

Rye typically produces a very spicy spirit when distilled, and this 100-percent rye whisky is no exception, from its quite peppery aroma accented by hints of vanilla to the robust and zesty body rife with flavours of caraway, toasted grain and alcohol. A cube of ice will act to tame its fiery nature, but connoisseurs may prefer its character fully unleashed. Stalk & Barrel 100% Rye Whisky LCBO 415810, $69.95

70  FOOD & DRI NK AUTUMN 2016