Gimli

Introduction:

The Gimli distillery produces many different Canadian Whisky labels, with Crown Royal being the most well – known and best – selling Whisky in Canada. Crown Royal gained worldwide attention when Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Whisky was named the World Whisky of the Year 2016 by Jim Murray in his Whisky Bible.

Crown Royal’s name originates from the 1939 visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to North America, during which the Whisky was created and presented as a gift to the royal visitors. Even today, the packaging of Crown Royal is adorned with royal colors and symbols, honoring its regal beginnings.

From the five basic Whiskies produced at the Gimli distillery, approximately 50 different bottlings are crafted, showcasing the vast diversity of their industrial Whisky production. The best-selling standard Whisky from Crown Royal is the Crown Royal Deluxe, a smooth and full-bodied blend with fruity, creamy vanilla, and oak notes.

Crown Royal Reserve, made from hand – selected casks, exhibits the smooth and velvety character of the distillery’s Whiskies, enriched with spicy aromas. On the other hand, Crown Royal Black, matured in heavily charred casks and bottled at a higher alcohol content, offers a more powerful profile with dried fruit notes.

Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye, the award – winning expression, exemplifies Canadian rye Whisky at its finest, with spiciness, oak, butterscotch, vanilla, and a hint of pepper.

In line with the Canadian preference for flavored Whiskies, the Crown Royal Regal Apple is a top – notch product with harmonious apple aromas complementing toffee and spice notes, catering to those with a penchant for unique and delightful flavor combinations.

The Production:

Indeed, the Gimli plant is not a small, picturesque distillery focused on handcrafted Whisky production. On the contrary, it is a massive spirit plant with automated production processes that operate around the clock, 24/7. The scale of the facility is evident from its external appearance.

At the Gimli plant, the emphasis is on efficiency and high – volume production. As such, about 90% of the total production volume is dedicated to Crown Royal, the flagship and best-selling Canadian Whisky brand. The plant’s ability to produce large quantities of Whisky is a key factor in meeting the global demand for Crown Royal and ensuring its widespread availability in the market.

Mashing:

The Gimli distillery sources its water from an onsite well, and this water is notable for its high magnesium content. The surrounding area’s abundance of limestone results in exceptionally pure and smooth water as it filters through the limestone formations.

The water plays a crucial role in the production process, starting with the cooking of corn for the mash. With a processing capacity of 8.5 tons per hour, a significant amount of water is used in the high – pressure cookers. The distillery has been using pressure for cooking since 1983, likely as a means to optimize the cooking process and enhance efficiency in the production of their Whiskies. The carefully selected water and use of pressure cooking contribute to the unique characteristics of the Whiskies produced at the Gimli distillery.

Fermentation:

The Gimli distillery boasts a total of 28 fermentation tanks, each playing a crucial role in the production of their Whiskies.

Out of the 28 tanks, 16 are dedicated to fermenting the mash into beer, also known as wash, which serves as the base for the production of the distillery’s core Whisky offerings. The fermentation process for this beer is controlled using dry yeast and takes approximately 60 hours.

The remaining 12 stainless-steel fermentation tanks are utilized for producing beer for the flavored Whiskies. This process involves a longer fermentation period, typically lasting between 72 to 76 hours. To achieve particularly intense fruit aromas in these flavored Whiskies, the distillery employs living yeast cultures cultivated in nine small and special yeast tanks. These yeast cultures contribute significantly to the unique and vibrant fruit flavors found in the flavored Whiskies produced at the Gimli distillery.

Distillation:

The Gimli distillery employs a variety of stills to distill five fundamental types of alcohol, each contributing to the diverse range of Whiskies produced.

The first distillation occurs in a beer still, where the fermented wash (beer) is heated and the alcohol is separated from the liquid.

The fine distillation process takes place using different types of stills:

1. Column with a Cauldron: This setup involves a traditional column still combined with a cauldron, which refines and purifies the alcohol further.
2. Continuous Column Still: Another method of fine distillation, where the alcohol is continuously distilled, leading to a higher level of refinement and concentration of desired flavors.
3. Coffey Still: Notably, the distillery utilizes the only Coffey Still in operation in Canada. This type of still is used to distill the rye Whisky, which plays a significant role in the production of their Whiskies.

By employing various stills and distillation techniques, the Gimli distillery can achieve a wide range of flavors and characteristics in their different types of alcohol, enabling them to craft a diverse and impressive lineup of Canadian Whiskies.

The Warehouses:

The Gimli distillery’s production scale is truly impressive, with 46 warehouses holding approximately 1.4 million casks. This substantial number gives a glimpse of the vast amounts of Whisky produced at the facility. The distillery fills an astonishing 1000 casks each day, contributing to the significant stock of maturing Whiskies.

After the maturation process, the Whisky is transported in large tankers to the blending and bottling plants operated by Diageo. Crown Royal, the most well – known product of Gimli, is bottled at two different locations: Valleyfield and Diageo plants in Amherstburg. Additionally, other labels are bottled in Relay, Maryland, showcasing the widespread distribution of Gimli’s diverse Whisky offerings. This extensive bottling operation ensures that the Gimli distillery’s Whiskies reach consumers far and wide.

History:

The history of the Gimli distillery is closely tied to the production of Crown Royal Whisky. When the distillery was established in Manitoba in 1968, Crown Royal Whisky was primarily produced at the Waterloo distillery to meet the high demand for Whisky products. However, due to changing market conditions and a significant drop in demand for Whisky during the 1980s, Seagram’s, the owner of Crown Royal, made the strategic decision to build the Gimli distillery.

The primary purpose of the Gimli distillery was to distill alcohol for Seagram’s V.O., another popular Whisky brand owned by Seagram’s, while also serving as a contingency plan in case demand for Crown Royal rebounded. As time passed, the demand for Crown Royal increased, and Seagram’s decided to consolidate most of its production at the Gimli distillery.

In 2001, the spirits giant Diageo acquired Seagram’s, subsequently becoming the new owner of Crown Royal and the Gimli distillery. Over the years, the Gimli distillery has become a vital center for producing Crown Royal and other Whisky products under Diageo’s ownership, playing a significant role in the global distribution of these iconic Canadian Whiskies.

Visitor Centre:

The Gimli distillery is a large industrial plant that is not open to the public.