Local BOOZE

  Paradigm Spirits Co.

   The muse responsible for much of the content in MM (especially the bad stuff) went  AWOL a while back when the sun began to shine and, like most Canadian workers, has been reluctant to return to the office. On this rainy day a short post is provided under a title likely to be attractive to many people searching the Internet. I also will throw in here the words "bourbon" and "whisky", as well as "whiskey."
   Trump and tariffs are also mentioned since they are responsible for what follows. Given that free trade is no longer an option with the U.S., Canadians finally realized that they could not freely trade with Canadians in the other provinces in this country. For example, an award-winning whisky produced here in London at the old Kellogg Plant could not be purchased by a Manitoban.
   The irony involved was noticed in a foreign newspaper and both the irony and the article have not been reported on in the local press, since there isn't much of one (although De Bono does what he can.) Here is the important part of the piece about Paradigm Spirits:

"Trump’s Tariffs are Promoting Free Trade — in Canada: Politicians and Industry Leaders Have Long Pushed to Remove Barriers to Interprovincial Trade. Trump’s Tariffs are Giving the Effort New Momentum," Amanda Coletta, The Washington Post, July 26, 2025:

TORONTO — "In 2024, the grand prize at the Canadian Whisky Awards went to Paradigm Spirits. Its entrant, made with Canadian corn, aged for 19 years in American oak barrels and blended with a splash of Spanish sherry, beat some 200 competitors to be crowned Whisky of the Year. A judge called it “remarkable.” 
   It was a break for Paradigm, which had opened in an old Kellogg’s factory in London, Ontario, just a few years earlier. The women-owned-and-operated distillery was soon inundated with messages from Canadians across the country eager to buy the award-winning spirit, co-founder Irma Joeveer said.
   But there was a problem: Canada’s internal trade barriers. With few exceptions, alcohol producers in one Canadian province are prohibited from selling directly to consumers in another. Vintners in British Columbia, for instance, can often more easily sell their merlots to oenophiles in other countries than within their own.
   Politicians and industry leaders have long pushed to knock down these and other internal trade barriers, a patchwork of federal and provincial laws, regulations and professional licensing standards that add costs to doing business and complicate the flow of goods, services and workers inside the country."

   You can learn more about the award-winning whisky here:

"Paradigm Spirits Co. Crowned 2024 Whisky of the Year by Esteemed Judges at the Canadian Whisky Awards," Canada Newswire, Jan.25, 2024.

LONDON, ON, Jan. 25, 2024 /CNW/ - "Paradigm Spirits, a young and innovative distillery based in London, Ontario, is proud to announce that its 2022 Heritage Collection Whisky has been named 2024 Whisky of the Year by the distinguished panel of judges at the Canadian Whisky Awards. 
   The enduring yearly awards ceremony took place on January 18, 2024, coinciding with the Victoria Whisky Festival. It stands as the singular competition exclusively devoted to Canadian whisky. The panel of judges, numbering 10, meticulously sampled and rated close to 200 competing whiskies during blind tastings.... 
   This prestigious recognition reinforces Paradigm Spirits' commitment to excellence in crafting exceptional whiskies that captivate a broad spectrum of whisky enthusiasts, from newcomers to seasoned connoisseurs.
   Michelle Debus, partner at Paradigm Spirits, expressed her excitement stating, "We are thrilled to receive this prestigious award. As a young distillery, our passion for whisky drives our commitment to innovation. The 2022 Heritage Collection, a 19-year-old, 100% corn whisky, showcases our dedication to pushing boundaries in Canadian whisky making."
  To learn more about the company - Paradigm Spirits. To buy some, visit 100 Kellogg Lane.

Christmas Spirit$

 Alcoholic Beverages
     I looked in MM to see what I have written about booze and I will just say that the MADD members would not approve. Last year, I admitted in "Sober Hypochondria" that I was not able to stay dry, even for just January, and I provided some evidence that perhaps alcohol was not as bad as the health people suggest. The title and sub-title of this post is all you will need to determine where I stand: "Sobriety May Be Overrated: Ammo for Alkies."
   Many of us plan to drink a lot in the next few days and promise not to drink once the bell rings in the new year. Most of us are better at planning, at least about things that are booze-related, than we are at keeping promises. That the promise part is difficult is attested to by a fellow British boozer.
   Although he knew it would be difficult he was determined to limit his consumption to 100 bottles of wine for the year. How difficult that goal is, you abstainers won't appreciate. He thought that if he stayed dry for January, he would have about eight bottles to his credit and only eleven months left. While he did have some alcohol-free days during that dreadful month, "the long and the short of it is I got through my 100-bottle quota in the first three months of the year!" (the exclamation point is provided by me, since I know you sober people probably gasped.)
   Wait, it gets worse. Having decided to drink less, he also decided to purchase wines of a better quality.  "I immediately splurged on good wine - claret and white Burgundy for the most part - and then guzzled it all by springtime. Some of it was around £75, such as 2009 Domaine de Chevalier, but most of it was in the £30-£40 range, such as 2015 Segla, which worked out at £33.20 a bottle." Note the £ symbol. I drink mostly "plonk" as the Brit would say, but I do realize that booze is expensive.

Very Expensive Bottles
  How expensive, you ask? Here are the five most expensive bottles in stock at the LCBO stores here in Ontario. They are all Scotch whiskies. The Scots have to be frugal to afford these.

1. $69,999.95

Coming in at number one is The Dalmore Cask Curation Series: The Sherry Edition.

2. $55,849.95

For nearly $56,000, you can purchase a single 700 ml bottle of The Dalmore Constellation Collection Cask 2 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 1971.

3. $55,000

For $55,000, you can get a 700 ml bottle of Bowmore 1969 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

4. $47,000

A 700 ml bottle of The Dalmore 45-Year-Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky goes for $47,000.

5. $40,000

At number five, for $40,000 you can buy a 750 ml bottle of Highland Park 50-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Scotland

Booze That People Purchase
   According to the LCBO data, folks here were more likely to buy American whiskey than Scotch, and Tequila is very popular. About 35% of sales was for spirits, 28% for wine and 23% for beer, which is easily purchased elsewhere. The illustrations are from the LCBO Quarterly Update, June 23 to Oct. 12

 

Sources: "Could I Limit Myself to 100 Bottles of Wine A Year?" Toby Young, The Spectator, Dec. 14, 2024.

"The 5 Most Expensive Bottles of Alcohol at the LCBO in Ontario," Ryan Rocca, Insauga.com, Dec. 4, 2024

P.S. "Both spellings of the word, "whiskey" and "whisky," are correct. The tricky part is matching the right spelling with the right country of origin. If you’re talking about a drink that’s been made in Scotland, Canada, or Japan, use the spelling without the e—whisky. When referring to drinks distilled in the United States or Ireland, use the e—whiskey."