Saskatoon, Saskatchewan is a city known for its picturesque setting along the South Saskatchewan River and the Meewasin Valley. The name “Meewasin” itself means “it is beautiful” in Cree. Additionally, the city experiences extreme temperature swings due to its location in the Canadian prairies, with winter lows reaching -40°F and summer highs hitting 100°F. Black Fox Farm & Distillery, located in Saskatoon, uses these temperature variances to create a one-of-a-kind whiskey.
The founders of Black Fox, Barb Stefanyshyn-Cote and John Cote, have implemented a unique aging process for their whiskey. By aging the whiskey outdoors in oak barrels, they allow the barrels to expand and contract with the changing temperatures and atmospheric pressure. This breathing process affects the way the whiskey matures, making each bottle of Black Fox’s whiskey truly unique. The extreme temperature swings in Saskatoon create a vacuum within the barrels, causing the whiskey to seep into the oak staves and then be pushed back in when the temperature changes again.
Black Fox Farm & Distillery has partnered with the Saskatchewan Research Council to study the effects of weather on aging whiskey. The research has shown that temperature variances can have a significant impact on the maturation process of whiskey. This collaboration has allowed Black Fox to track the weather conditions in which their whiskey is aged, providing consumers with detailed information about each bottle. Each bottle of Black Fox whiskey carries a unique coin with a code that reveals the specifications of that particular batch, including details about where the grain was grown and the temperatures the barrels endured.
Black Fox offers three expressions of their whiskey, all made from triticale, a wheat-rye hybrid grain. The flagship product, SE Eleven Single Grain Whisky, is complemented by special releases such as SE Eleven Cask Finish Whisky and an annually released SE Eleven Blended Whisky. These expressions have consistently won gold medals at prestigious international competitions, showcasing the quality and uniqueness of Black Fox’s whiskey. The distillery has not only catered to its local market in Saskatchewan and neighboring provinces but has also exported its whiskeys to countries like Britain, China, Denmark, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates.
Black Fox Farm & Distillery in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, has managed to turn the city’s extreme climate into an advantage when it comes to producing their whiskey. By utilizing the temperature swings and collaborating with research institutions, they have created a product that is truly one of a kind. Each bottle of Black Fox whiskey tells a story of the weather conditions it was exposed to, making it a unique and intriguing choice for whiskey enthusiasts around the world.
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