4 minute read
A True Spirit
A St. John's based craft distillery shines on the international stage.
By Dillon Collins
What business, artist or craftsman can claim they’re the best in the world?
Wooden Walls Distilling, one of only two craft distilleries in Newfoundland and Labrador, can now lay claim to such an achievement.
Wooden Walls, the much-acclaimed distillery and tasting room which launched on the historic waterfront of Downtown St. John’s in 2023, has earned the immense distinction of capturing World’s Best Varietal Vodka and Best Varietal Vodka in Canada at the 2024 World Vodka Competition for their premium spirit Evening Tide Vodka.
“It just puts that recognition on the product,” Head Distiller James Walsh shares with Downhome. “We believed it was a really good product, that’s why we entered into these competitions. But then getting that feedback is everything and getting some recognition on the national real stage, really helped our brand awareness.”
“To get our vodka to be the best in the world in our first year, it wasn’t even something that we were considering. But we have a distiller that’s incredible,” adds Director and Co-Owner Dean Sullivan, tipping his hat to the craftsmanship of James and company. “Everything he makes is fantastic. So we know the product’s good and we’re not trying to compete with Iceberg and Smirnoff. The whole plan for us was to make a premium product. So we’re playing in a different market with premium spirits.”
Celebrating the best in internationally recognized vodka styles and judged by a panel of leading distillers and experts, the World Vodka Awards recognize and promote the best vodkas globally.
Handcrafted into small batch spirits using slow distillation and fermentation techniques, Evening Tide is made using a blend of wheat, rye and oats sourced throughout Atlantic Canada for a wonderfully smooth pour that stands a cut above their contemporaries.
“If you ever take a sip of Evening Tide you’ll probably realize that it doesn’t have that classic harsh vodka burn to it,” James shares. “It’s extremely smooth and that’s from every step of the process.”
We don’t try to let synthetic flavours influence our product,
That painstaking process – from grain selection to fermentation –requires time, precision and attention to detail, resulting in a truly delectable premium spirit. But that’s not the only top-shelf beverage the Wooden Walls team has crafted.
From their award-winning coffee liqueur and new blueberry liqueur to eye-catching cocktails using local ingredients mixed with their handcrafted blends of vodkas and gins, Wooden Walls aims for the highest level of experience with every sip.
“We don’t try to let synthetic flavours influence our product,” assures James. “We want it all from the source.”
Paying homage to the sturdy oakhulled steamers of the 1800s which were pivotal for Newfoundland trade and commerce, Wooden Walls draws inspiration from Newfoundland and Labrador’s colourful heritage, saluting a heartiness and resilience in a region that boasts more than a few diverse offerings to satisfy wayward pallets.
Take Walsh’s Welsh Gin, a modern twist on the classic London Dry style, crafted through maceration and vapour infusion with a marriage of citrus, juniper and warm spices. Or the aforementioned Coffee Liqueur, a World Liqueur Awards-winning mouth punch crafted with Bonavista Coffee Company’s Tanzanian Korongo Peaberry cold brew, vanilla beans, and cacao nibs.
“Everything’s about being premium,” Deansays proudly. “Everything’s about trying to be the best: best products, best spirits, best process, best cocktails, best service.”
Visit Wooden Walls Distilling at 140 Harbour Drive or find their products at NLC locations.
Find this story in the September 2024 issue of Downhome Magazine. For more content like this, subscribe online at downhomelife.com, mail@downhomelife.com or call 1-888-588-6353.
