40 Creek Whisky
Julie takes a trip down to Grimsby to meet up with whisky maker John Hall. You are in for a treat as they discuss the way this unbelievable tasting and award winning whisky is made.
Watch an interview with Julie and John at Whisky Live Toronto.
John Hall Whisky Maker
Confucius once noted that if you find a job you love, you will never work a day in your life. This blessing has graced John Hall, Forty Creek Whisky Maker, and proprietor of Kittling Ridge Estate Wines & Spirits. With over thirty years winemaking experience, John finds every moment an exciting taste adventure.
Upon completing a formal education in microbiology, one of his first jobs was as a chemist for an international soup company, and one of his duties was to taste and approve hundreds of herbs and spices used for making soup. After a year of being an official soup taster, John's palate was a finely honed tasting machine. Little did he know that this experience would be the key to opening a new world of opportunities. John's microbiology background and scholarly palate were about to lead him into his first winemaking adventure.
For the next three decades, John won wide recognition in the Niagara wine industry, both as a winemaker, and creative businessman. After thirty years, he was ready to embrace a new challenge, and explore the craft of distilling spirits. Where an artist has several canvases on which to paint, the winemaker is limited to one "canvas" a year: a harvest. And, while every winemaker appreciates the patience required to make wine, John soon realized that distilling fine spirits such as whisky requires even greater patience and equal passion. Where some wines might age in oak for two or three years before release, his whiskies age for six, eight, twelve years or more!
With a penchant for fine whisky and a knack for innovation, John has translated his winemaking experience into the art of distilling. Most distillers traditionally blend a variety of grains together, ferment, distil and age. Instead, John treats each grain separately, as though it were a varietal wine. He believes that being a first generation wine & whisky maker gives him the freedom to be innovative & explore. "Sometimes, when you have generations behind you, that can hinder you from trying new things, or taking chances. My ultimate goal is to provide customers with a memorable taste experience and quality products they can't find anywhere else."
Confucius once noted that if you find a job you love, you will never work a day in your life. This blessing has graced John Hall, Forty Creek Whisky Maker, and proprietor of Kittling Ridge Estate Wines & Spirits. With over thirty years winemaking experience, John finds every moment an exciting taste adventure.
Upon completing a formal education in microbiology, one of his first jobs was as a chemist for an international soup company, and one of his duties was to taste and approve hundreds of herbs and spices used for making soup. After a year of being an official soup taster, John's palate was a finely honed tasting machine. Little did he know that this experience would be the key to opening a new world of opportunities. John's microbiology background and scholarly palate were about to lead him into his first winemaking adventure.
For the next three decades, John won wide recognition in the Niagara wine industry, both as a winemaker, and creative businessman. After thirty years, he was ready to embrace a new challenge, and explore the craft of distilling spirits. Where an artist has several canvases on which to paint, the winemaker is limited to one "canvas" a year: a harvest. And, while every winemaker appreciates the patience required to make wine, John soon realized that distilling fine spirits such as whisky requires even greater patience and equal passion. Where some wines might age in oak for two or three years before release, his whiskies age for six, eight, twelve years or more!
With a penchant for fine whisky and a knack for innovation, John has translated his winemaking experience into the art of distilling. Most distillers traditionally blend a variety of grains together, ferment, distil and age. Instead, John treats each grain separately, as though it were a varietal wine. He believes that being a first generation wine & whisky maker gives him the freedom to be innovative & explore. "Sometimes, when you have generations behind you, that can hinder you from trying new things, or taking chances. My ultimate goal is to provide customers with a memorable taste experience and quality products they can't find anywhere else."
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