Premier Danielle Smith and Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally unveil the official Alberta Whisky logo alongside representatives from the Alberta Craft Distillers Association and Spirits Canada at True Wild Distilling in Calgary on Monday, July 6, 2026. The announcement marks the next step in promoting Alberta whisky and is aimed at growing the province’s spirits industry and raising the profile of made-in-Alberta products at home and abroad. Robert Lee/Postmedia

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Three mustard-hued triangles, symbolizing the Rockies, over a U-shaped layer containing two parallel grains.

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Liquor enthusiasts will soon see this logo embossed on some of their local favourites, as Alberta unveils its newest emblem for regionally produced whisky.

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“Distillers are turning Alberta-grown ingredients into something truly special, products that are earning attention well beyond our borders,” Premier Danielle Smith told a distillery packed with industry players on Monday.

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“We saw an opportunity that helped success grow, so we worked with industry to join what makes Alberta Whisky stand out in the support of the Alberta Whisky Act.”

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Premier Danielle Smith unveils the official Alberta Whisky logo alongside representatives from the Alberta Craft Distillers Association and Spirits Canada at True Wild Distilling in Calgary on Monday, July 6, 2026. Robert Lee/Postmedia

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The legislation, passed in May, lays out the rules for what counts as Alberta whisky.

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The regulations dictate that the distiller must first meet globally recognized standards — that the spirit must be aged at least three years in wood barrels, and that it must be a minimum of 40 per cent alcohol by volume.

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To obtain the “Alberta whisky” label, the spirit has to be made using all of its water from Alberta, and at least two-thirds of the grain has to be sourced from this province’s crops. The whisky has to be mashed, fermented, aged and bottled in Alberta.

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“It’s the best kept secret that our barley goes to Scotland and our barley goes to Kentucky and Tennessee,” said Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction. “That’s because we truly do have the best grains.”

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Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, speaks at the unveiling of the official Alberta Whisky logo at True Wild Distilling in Calgary on Monday, July 6, 2026. Robert Lee/Postmedia

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Part of the initiative also includes carving a tourist destination out of the province’s distilleries, called the Alberta Whisky Trail, named after the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, which boasts more than 60 distilleries.

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Nally, a whisky drinker, noted that Alberta whisky producers — including Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye and GrainHenge Arrowwood Rye Whisky — have won international awards for their products.

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The Alberta Whisky Trail illustrates the potential growth of whisky produced in Alberta as seen at True Wild Distilling in Calgary on Monday, July 6, 2026. Robert Lee/Postmedia

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Michael Flynn, executive director of Alberta Grains, an industry association for farmers, said the move will highlight the quality of Alberta’s grains that make these spirits possible.

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“It’s been a long time coming, and I think everyone’s proud of what has been accomplished.”

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Samples are generously shared with attendees of the unveiling of the official Alberta Whisky logo at True Wild Distilling in Calgary on Monday, July 6, 2026. Robert Lee/Postmedia

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Premier Danielle Smith, Minister Dale Nally, Bryce Parsons and Via Dulay toast to the unveiling of the official Alberta Whisky logo at True Wild Distilling in Calgary on Monday, July 6, 2026. Robert Lee/Postmedia

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