Grimsby Distillery Opens
Otto Rieder concluded that Niagara with its abundance of tender fruits would be the perfect place to establish a Distillery focusing on eau de vie, carry on the tradition of his Grandfather’s Distillery in Switzerland.
Eau de vie meaning water of life is made by fermenting and distilling tender fruit which is in abundance in the Niagara area. With the help of a multitude of private investors and two venture capitalists, Mr. Rieder was able to realize his dream, and in 1971 obtained a Distillery license and opened the doors on the original Grimsby facility in 1972, which is still the core building today.
In addition to eau d vies Mr. Rieder produced Alpenbitter from an original recipe of his Grandfather, Alpenbitter is still produced to this day.
John Hall and Bill Ashburn join forces
Our Founder, John Hall and our Master Blender,
Bill Ashburn joined forces to carve a bold new path for Canadian whisky - challenging the status quo of what Canadian whisky could be.
It would become a relentless challenge that took eight years to plan, perfect and produce.
Barrel Select is born
Our most awarded whisky, Barrel Select was first tasted in Canada. A blend of grain whiskies aged in a mix of seasoned ex-Bourbon barrels and new American White Oak. This bold and flavourful whisky changed the game of Canadian whisky.
Barrel Select is born
Our most awarded whisky, Barrel Select was first tasted in Canada. A blend of grain whiskies aged in a mix of seasoned ex-Bourbon barrels and new American white oak. This bold and flavourful whisky changed the game of Canadian whisky.
Copper Bold is born
Copper Bold's release in 2007 marked the next step in our journey of pushing the boundaries of Canadian whisky.
This technique of blending three types of grain whiskies, all individually aged, resulted in an intense spirit with flavour and depth unmatched in the market.
Copper Pot was originally crafted to be a bigger and bolder Canadian whisky - something more in line with a bourbon or scotch, but still with the characteristic smoothness of Forty Creek.
In 2022, we updated the name to Copper Bold to better reflect this bold whisky.
Forty Creek is acquired by Campari Group
As the fastest growing player in Canadian whisky, Forty Creek was acquired by Campari Group, the world's 6th largest spirit holding group. With the acquisition, came a new path for innovation and excellence.
Whisky Maker of the Decade
Forty Creek is named Whisky Maker of the Decade at the 2020 Canadian Whisky Awards solidifing its reputation for changing the game in Canadian whisky.
Respecting the past.
Shaping the future.
