Alberta Springs is produced by Alberta Distillers Ltd. (owned by Beam-Suntory) in the City of Calgary at the ADL Distillery which is renowned for producing the largest quantity of rye grain whisky in the world. This means that Alberta Springs is very much a rye based whisky. However, Rick Murphy, the Production Superintendent at ADL did tell me that the blend is subject to economic dictates, and therefore the distillery will also use varying amounts of corn in the blended whisky.
Despite the small changes in the blend, I have consistently found Alberta Springs to be one of the best ‘economy’ whiskies in the world with a strong rye forward flavour profile that is hard to beat.
Here is a link to the Rum Howler #14 Canadian Whisky of 2015
Alberta Springs 10 Year Old Canadian Whisky
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You may read about the Top 25 Canadian Whisky Countdown here:
I have tasted Alberta Springs many times over the past six years, and in fact it is one of the more decorated whiskies upon my website regularly winning Rum Howler Awards as one of the great whisky bargains in the world. I (like the distillery’s tasting panel) have not noticed any changes in the whisky’s flavour profile over the past six years; and more importantly, I have found that Alberta Springs is a great whisky!
Alberta Springs is produced by Alberta Distillers Limited (ADL). It is a rye forward whisky aged for 10 years just west of the Rocky Mountains at the ADL facilities in Calgary Alberta. When I met Rick Murphy, the Production Superintendent at ADL , he explained the heritage of Alberta Springs to me, how it started as a 10 Year Old pure rye whisky, and then how economics dictated a move to rye as well as corn in the 90s.
But, Rick steadfastly maintained that the whisky is currently (and has always been) a predominantly rye based whisky with a consistent taste profile. He also explained how his computerized dials and gauges in the distillery, and his quality assurance tasting panel, ensure that the flavour does not change as the mash bill may change slightly over time. Rick Murphy also made it very clear to me during the tour I was given in 2012, that of all the whiskies he makes at ADL, Alberta Springs was his favourite.
I tasted my first bottle of Alberta Springs in the fall of 1988 when I was gifted a bottle on my birthday. It came in a cool wooden box, and it proudly proclaimed its ‘Alberta’ heritage. It was also, I believe, back in those days, a pure 100 % rye whisky. My love for rye whisky was cemented, and for years the Alberta Springs was my favourite whisky.
But, he also steadfastly maintained the whisky is currently (and has always been) a predominantly rye based whisky with a consistent taste profile. He also explained how his computerized dials and gauges in the distillery, and his quality assurance tasting panel, ensure that the flavour does not change as the mash bill may change slightly over time. Rick Murphy also made it very clear to me during the tour, that of all the whiskies he makes at ADL, Alberta Springs is his favourite.