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Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery has won the prestigious “World-Class Distillery in Worldwide Whisky” award at the 2025 World Spirits Awards – the second time this decade that the small, family-run distillery has won this top honour. Competing in blind taste tests, the distillery brought home the hardware in several categories, winning 11 gold and 5 silver medals.
“To represent Canada and claim the Worldwide Whisky designation again is a dream come true for our little family distillery”, said distillery president, Tony Dyck. “To sweep seven whisky categories and even nab gold for Poire Williams – a spirit that is notoriously tough to nail – it’s beyond what we could’ve imagined”. Read the full article at the Okanagan Spirits blog.
Not on Government Liquor Store Shelves
While you can buy the winners direct from the distiller, you won’t find them on BC government liquor store shelves. Why? The “Buy BC, Support BC” agricultural subsidy available to BC wineries that use local ingredients is not available to BC distillers that do the same. As reported by CTV News, Mr. Dyck noted that if you’re a BC winery receiving the subsidy, you pocket $33 of every $40 bottle of wine sold at a provincial store. Craft distillers would only receive $13 of $40.
Dyck has been lobbying government for a decade to level the playing field. Now, that the “Buy BC” movement is much in the zeitgeist of consumers – thanks to President Trump’s tariffs and musings about annexation – BC Liquor Distribution Branch needs to add more BC products to shelves once occupied by American products. According to the CTV article, the provincial government is reviewing the distillery sector’s request to have a similar subsidy.
Need an Alcohol Distilling Permit? Talk to the Liquor Consultants at Thrive
If you need an alcohol distilling permit in western Canada, get Thrive Liquor & Cannabis Advisors on your side. We make liquor licensing easier than you think! Our liquor consultants work with producers in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario. View Areas We Serve.
