A legacy of excellence, crafted in the heart of the Rockies
Our history
Originating as ‘Sunnyvale’ in 1974 and now part of the Caldera family, our High River distillery marries tradition and innovation. Our spirits are crafted through a careful distillation process that combines time-honoured traditions with innovative techniques to bring you the finest flavours.
Quality
Our spirits begin with exceptional grains
At Highwood Distillery, we start with the best grains sourced from Twin Valley Farms, a family-run operation we’ve partnered with for over 15 years. We harness the natural aquifer water and never mill our grains, ensuring each spirit we craft reflects the essence of our unique landscape and the dedication to our family-to-family connection
From grain to gold
The art of fermentation
At Highwood Distillery, our journey from grains to exceptional spirits centres on the art of fermentation. We start by releasing the hidden starch within the grains when the kernel bursts open, setting the stage for transformation. Enzymes and yeast are introduced, kickstarting the conversion of starch into alcohol. Our fermentation process, spanning a patient 90-hour period, embodies a delicate and artistic balance, guided by nature rather than strict scientific formulas.
Crafting spirits with artistry
We’ve honed our craft since 1974, and we believe that small things make a big difference. That’s why we carefully oversee every step of our distillation process, combining tradition with innovation. Our hands-on approach means we have precise control over every drop. Beginning with our beer still and refining it through our pot, we carefully make the right cuts at just the right moments. We rely on the senses of touch, feel, and taste, embracing an intimate and authentic artisanal approach instead of relying on computer-driven models.
Flavour perfected over time
We transfer our liquid to oak casks for maturation, a crucial step that lasts for a minimum of three years. Our commitment to quality extends to the cask’s choice and storage duration, because we know that higher quality casks and longer storage times yield richer, more complex flavours. Our climate-controlled environment speeds up the aging of our whisky, which helps extract more flavours from the oak barrels’ tannins. This results in a whisky that beautifully combines tradition and the local environment.
Creating the perfect blend
When it comes to our blending and finishing process, we really sweat the details. We distill each wheat variety individually, storing them separately, then later combining them to create our desired flavour profiles.
From still to bottle
Our bottling line concludes our spirits' journey: liquid bottled, sealed, and packaged for global distribution. Yet, the journey continues in our warehouse, where we store our aging barrels - a testament to our commitment to quality at every stage.
tours
Visit us
On-site visits are by invitation only.
For commercial inquiries, please reach out to us using our email address.
Location
Caldera Distilling Inc. 114-10th Avenue S.E., High River, Alberta, Canada T1V 1E7
Contact us
Phone: 403 652 3202
Fax: 403 652-4227
Email: info@caldera.ca
