Stories

Whisky is a passion to explore. From the history of the spirit to the evolution of the industry, the story of whisky helps fuel that passion. Often, it’s easy to forget that whisky is also a global multibillion dollar industry. The stories of whisky — from news and new releases to in-depth inquires and what goes on behind the label — blend together to help us appreciate the spirit of whisky.

Our on-demand video segments focus on everything from whisky festivals and special events to historical features and distillery visits.

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Whisky Starts With the Grain … and “The Gatekeeper”

If you’re watching this while sipping a dram, raise a glass to the world’s farmers – because without the grain they grow, there would be no whisky for us to drink. We’ll visit the Hiram Walker & Sons distillery in Windsor, Ontario, which uses around 100 million metric tons of grain each year to distill its Canadian whiskies, and we’ll meet “The Gatekeeper.” Kristy Fregonese is in charge of the distillery’s grain supply, and it’s her job to make sure that every one of the 2,700 truckloads of corn, barley, rye, and wheat that arrive at the distillery over the course of a year meet the distillery’s strict quality control standards.

Links: Hiram Walker & Sons