Tasty things are happening out in Turner Valley.
The Eau Claire Distillery in the southern Alberta town has recently announced a few new delicious additions to its already incredible boozy lineup.
The first is a “family of canned cocktails” just in time for the sunny, summer months. The trio of ready-to-drink delights that should now be inhabiting your local liquor store are the Cherry Gin Collins, EquineOx Mule and, a holdover from last year, their Gin & Tonic.
The craft cocktails use “local and fresh ingredients, including fresh ginger, cherries and Saskatoon berries.”
“We wanted to create a family of canned cocktails that were refreshing and easily enjoyable for all your summer adventures,” said Eau Claire Distillery master distiller, Caitlin Quinn, in the release.
When the mercury finally starts rising, you’re going to want to reach for one of these.
Also new to the Eau Claire stable is the Hawthorn Gin, which was distilled in conjunction with and to celebrate the opening of the Hawthorn Dining Room & Bar in the Fairmont Palliser, to be served exclusively in the new space.
Here’s the story behind the new gin:
“The idea of Hawthorn Gin began over a year ago, when the Hawthorn Dining Room & Bar renovation was just a dream,” a release to mark the creation said. “Calgary’s most iconic hotel, Fairmont Palliser, was about to embark on the first renovation of the dining room in over a decade.
“Palliser’s executive chef and food and beverage manager, Eraj Jayawickreme, wanted a collaborative spirit to commemorate this historic occasion. The choice to collaborate with Eau Claire Distillery was obvious for the Hawthorn Dining Room & Bar. With a focus on quality and local ingredients, a partnership with a distillery that has proudly adopted the farm-to-glass philosophy meant traceability in every bottle. Hawthorn berries perfectly marry with the Alberta malted barley base, both ingredients native to the province.”
The lobby bar re-opened early in April and features a new cocktail list, including a signature drink using the Hawthorn Gin, The Home Grown, which is a gin and tonic using the Eau Claire creation.
“This is a new era for the Fairmont Palliser with the opening of Hawthorn. The moment we realized that the focus of the restaurant would be to focus on local producers, crafts men and artisans, I knew that I wanted to work with Eau Claire on something special for Hawthorn,” said Jayawickreme. “The final product is our Hawthorn Gin that ties in perfectly with our philosophy and the food that our kitchen produces.”
