Distilled knowledge: Students and industry raise the bar for Niagara whisky

A sold-out crowd raised a glass to the future of the industry on Jan. 22 as the College’s Artisan Distilling program hosted Celebrating Niagara Whisky.

Capping off Canadian Whisky Week, the event united students and local distillers for a unique tasting showcase that highlighted the region’s distinct spirit.

Prominent whisky consultant Ajay Bhardwaj, Director of Spirits at Iron Gate Auctions, provided an introduction for the evening. Chris Thompson (North American Brand Ambassador) from Forty Creek, Tim Wilson (Master Distiller) from Dillon’s, Joshua Beach (Head Distiller) from Harris Beach and Spirit in Niagara, Matt Orton (Distiller) from Wayne Gretzky Estates, and David Dickson (Head Distiller) and Ian Bickle (Assistant Distiller) from the NC Teaching Distillery, were all on site to present their products.

“The evening brought together many whisky enthusiasts who really seemed to appreciate the intimate atmosphere and candid, insightful commentary by the distillers and distillery representatives about the remarkable products being sampled,” said Maija Saari, Associate Dean, School of Wine, Beer and Spirits. “There was enthusiastic support for a repeat event next year from the audience and a terrific sense of community as many whisky lovers had the chance to connect with each other and the experts throughout a rich and informative evening.”

Event lead Andrea Fujarczuk, Professor and Program Coordinator of Artisan Distilling, noted that the idea for this showcase sparked last year when Reece Sims, founder of Flavor Camp and SIP Spirits Consulting, launched Canadian Whisky Week.

“When Reece asked me to step in as East Coast Chair, I knew the best way to mark the occasion was to get the Niagara distilling community into one room,” she said. “My goal was simple: celebrate the incredible craft coming out of our backyard while giving my Niagara College students a front-row seat to the industry.”

Seeing the community rally behind the event has been the best part, for Fujarczuk. “The energy was so high that we’re already being asked for next year’s dates.”

She noted that the event marked a historic milestone as the first-ever unified gathering of every distillery in the region.

“It was a rare and powerful experience to witness the area’s leading distillers and ambassadors, including Forty Creek Distillery, Dillon’s, Spirit in Niagara, Harris Beach, Wayne Gretzky Estates, and the Niagara College Teaching Distillery, presenting their portfolios alongside one another,” she said.

The event served as a high-impact learning laboratory for Artisan Distilling students.

“By working directly alongside established industry professionals, students gained firsthand insight into the regional whisky narrative while building vital professional connections with local leaders,” said Fujarczuk. “This immersive experience highlighted the importance of learning beyond the classroom, providing students with a practical understanding of how community collaboration and regional innovation drive the success of the modern spirits market.”

For Fujarczuk, the evening’s significance was best summarized by a message from Davin de Kergommeaux, the leading global authority on Canadian whisky.

“Invoking the wisdom of the late John K. Hall, he reminded the room that ‘a rising tide raises all ships,'” she said. “His message emphasized that local distillers serve as colleagues rather than competitors, and that through this collective craftsmanship, Niagara is rapidly evolving into a world-class whisky region.”

Following the tastings, the event featured a panel discussion for a deeper dive into the Niagara spirits scene.

“A central theme emerged during the industry panel discussion: while Niagara may not adhere to a singular, uniform flavour profile, there is an unmistakable ‘regional thumbprint’ driven by a unique environment and community,” said Fujarczuk. “Whether through the utilization of locally sourced grains or innovative barrel-aging programs that leverage the region’s world-class wine industry, the spirits showcased were bold, diverse, and of undeniable quality.”

Dickson applauded the event.

“For the Teaching Distillery, it allowed us to interact with industry leaders in our area. It gave the students a chance to both learn through experience via their participation, learn directly from producers in their offerings and explanations and hopefully inspire their future career trajectories,” he said.

“I think, as producers, we all had a good time connecting with each other … events like this can help bring us together and by extension bring the industry forward,” said Dickson.

Dickson noted that the event gave students a chance to learn through the experience, by hosting the event and interacting directly with producers about their offerings, which could inspire their future career trajectories.

“There was a good amount of focus on advice from the industry members, their journey to success and what success can look like,’ he said.

For Artisan Distilling student Tanner Cuthbert, the evening was a “full circle” moment.  A St. Catharines native and former high school teacher, Cuthbert pivoted to NC to turn his interest in history and mixology into a new career. The event offered him the chance to work alongside producers renowned on the international stage. He was paired with Chris Thompson from Forty Creek to help lead the tasting.

“It was an excellent opportunity to network with industry professionals and learn more about the featured distilleries and products. Candid conversations allowed us to learn more about their backgrounds, interests, and what got them into distilling, blending whisky, or becoming an ambassador for their respective brands,” said Cuthbert.

From the perspective of a whisky enthusiast, he noted that the event really showcased the diverse range of whiskies from the Niagara region.

“I am very optimistic about the state and future of distilling in the Niagara region as we continue to make our own identity and develop beyond a wine and food tourism destination,” said Cuthbert.

For information about Canadian Whisky Week, visit canadianwhiskyweek.com/.

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Media: Poured Canada: NC Teaching Distillery hosts Canadian Whisky Week event