FORTY CREEK RECRUITS FANS TO SELECT 2018 LIMITED RELEASE IN HISTORIC VOTE 

OVERWHELMING RESPONSE TO SOCIAL INITIATIVE LEADS TO CANADIAN WHISKY BRAND SELECTING FIVE WINNERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY

TORONTO – Five lucky Canadians are on their way to Forty Creek’s award-winning distillery to help Master Blender, Bill Ashburn, select the 2018 limited edition release. This marks the first time that fans are invited to be part of the brand’s whisky making process.

Forty Creek recently hosted an online search where whisky fans across Canada were asked why Forty Creek was their whisky of choice. Due to the overwhelming response from fans, the award-winning brand decided to expand the VIP tasting experience at Forty Creek’s Grimsby, Ontario distillery to include five winners of the first-ever social initiative. Winners   were selected from over a thousand entries.

“We received entries from all over Canada. It was truly touching to not only see how far reaching Forty Creek is, but how ingrained the brand is in our fans’ lives and the role our whisky played in their most memorable moments,” says John Andersen, Senior Brand Manager, North American Whiskies. “We are thrilled to be welcoming fans representing different communities to our distillery for what will be a historic vote for Forty Creek.” 

The winning blend will be announced and available for reservation prior to Forty Creek’s annual Whisky Weekend in September. Whisky Weekend is Forty Creek’s annual celebration of all things Canadian and Forty Creek, with tours, tastings, seminars, and the official launch of the annual limited edition release. 

The winners hail from across the country. The five winners bringing their unique perspectives to the whisky making process and representing their communities are:

Mike Currah, Ontario

Forty Creek is always top shelf for Mike Currah. Mike was first introduced to Forty Creek in his early 20s – first the Barrel Select, then the Double Barrel Reserve – from the people he was living with in his home province of Ontario. As the brand grew, expanding to offer limited edition releases, so did Mike’s appreciation for and collection of Forty Creek whisky. To date, Mike has all but one of the limited edition releases. Learning from his previous mistake, he now makes sure to buy two bottles of each limited edition release – one to drink and one to save.

Sarah Phelps, Ontario

Sarah Phelps is a fan of whisky, specifically Forty Creek. Her love of the brand has brought her to the distillery so she could witness the process first hand. Her time spent at the distillery led to some surprising discoveries and inventive ways for Sarah to enjoy Forty Creek. Currently, some of her favourites include adding Forty Creek Cream to her coffee, hot chocolate, and ice cream.

 Mark Allanson, Alberta

For Mark Allanson, Forty Creek is the absolute best whisky. Having started off enjoying Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve, Mark has gone on to add Forty Creek Barrel Select, Cream, and Spike Honey Spiced to his cabinet. Always looking to expand his collection, Mark keeps a lookout for blends that are a rare find to bring back home to Alberta.

Steven Schmutz, British Columbia

The simple switch from drinking whisky mixed with coke to drinking it straight helped Steven Schmutz discover the different flavours that can be present in whisky. While out shopping, Steven’s eye was drawn to a bottle of Forty Creek Barrel Select that had a special tag highlighting the blend’s recent showing in a whisky competition. With Forty Creek having beat out several brands that Steven had in his cabinet, he decided to give it a try. Since then, Forty Creek Barrel Select has become Steven’s go-to whisky.

Ryan Belmore, New Brunswick

Ryan Belmore was first introduced to Forty Creek 15 years ago. Looking for something to enjoy during a night out with friends in New Brunswick, he opted to give a bottle of Forty Creek a shot. That night, Ryan went from predominantly being a rum drinker to a Forty Creek fan. Ryan prides himself on introducing Forty Creek to his friends and credits himself for dozens of them making the switch from other Canadian whisky brands. He has never had someone try Forty Creek whisky and not make the switch. 

About Campari Group:

Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A., together with its affiliates (‘Campari Group’), is a major player in the global beverage sector, trading in over 190 nations around the world with leading positions in Europe and the Americas. The Group’s portfolio includes over 50 premium and super premium brands. Internationally-renowned brands include Aperol, Appleton Estate, Campari, Cinzano, Grand Marnier, SKYY Vodka and Wild Turkey. In 2014, The Group acquired Forty Creek Distillery Ltd., a Canadian spirits company with a portfolio of brands including whisky, vodka, brandy, rum and liqueurs. Internationally-recognized for its superior taste and quality, the multi-award winning Forty Creek Whisky serves as both the fastest growing brand in its category across North America and Canada’s first successfully launched whisky brand in over 70 years. Headquartered in Sesto San Giovanni, Italy, Campari owns 18 plants worldwide and has its own distribution network in 20 countries. The Group employs around 4,000 people. The shares of the parent company, Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A. (Reuters CPRI.MI – Bloomberg CPR IM), are listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 2001. For more information: http://www.camparigroup.com. Please enjoy our brands responsibly.