Old Prairie Sentinel ensures that the smaller communities and rural markets are not passed by. “We are sort of the opposite of pretentious,” Gugin explains. “We really want to cater to a clientele that is typically a whiskey or a beer market. So, we feel there is a huge advantage in our market- ing and how we are producing our products that appeals to a different clientele that most distilleries aren’t able to tap into.” High-end vodka and gin is the name of the game at Old Prairie Sentinel. Somewhat limited by their philosophical leanings toward local sourcing and an aversion to importing and private labeling, the distillery has, instead decided to take the “drab” out of clear spirits. “The reason we chose to make a premium single-malt vodka was to redefine a boring spirit style. Vodka, admittedly, is a boring spirit style that is often void of flavour. That’s never made sense to me… So, our vodka is almost a hybrid between a vodka and a whiskey. Clean and smooth, fermented with a vodka yeast, eight-times distilled, carbon polished … no harshness or impurities.” Gugin stresses that he wanted to pay homage to the area’s agriculture and the world-class malt and barley available to his Central Alberta distillery. “We really wanted to showcase the malt and barley producers of Alberta and really pay tribute to this area of the world. So we’ve left a bit of that malted barley characteristic in the vodka. This brings forward a little bit of sweetness, and on the back end of it, you get a bit of a ‘toasted biscuit’ quality. It’s much more interesting to sip on ice than your standard high-end vodka.” Trendsetting is a definite and conscious goal for the distill- ery. Like much of the hop-forward brews that have become the signature of the craft beer movement on the West Coast, Gugin wants to focus on robust flavour and to push boundaries on consumer expectations with his spirits. “We want to showcase the malt and barley producers of Alberta and really pay tribute to this area of the world.” Their Barrel Spice Distilled Gin is a prime example of thinking out of the box and pushing boundaries. Unlike most gins, theirs is a brown spirit with a unique oak-barrel twist. “I really wanted to do something different with the gin. So, we made a brown spirit that had some barrel resting in it to give it a bit of the oak character. The mix of the barrel with the malted barley and the juniper gives it a unique look and flavour.” The Pickled Pepper Flavoured Vodka makes a classic Caesar (invented in Calgary in the 60s, by the way) a snap to make and serve. No need to scramble around for the Worcester- shire sauce or the Tabasco. Just grab a bottle of Clamato
juice, your Pickled Pepper vodka, and you’re ready to go!
At the moment, Old Prairie Sentinel Distillery is a one-man operation. Gugin mentions that some of the shareholders pitch in when needed, but for all intents and purposes, he sails the ship and swabs the deck. However, he does envision a time in the no-so- distant future that the distillery will be looking to hire. In fact, their product line is expand- ing as well. Whiskey is in the plans for 2018. “We aren’t going to turn away business or success by any means. Every day it seems there are two or three more places that want to carry our products. So, it’s just a matter of time until we have to expand. It won’t be long until we need bigger tanks and more people.” For the time being, Gugin says they are content with serving the people of Alberta. But he hints that he has received some interest from a few cocktail lounges in Las Vegas. “I’d like to go down and check out the high-end cocktail bars down there. If they’re looking for different things for their clients, it’s definitely something we’d explore tapping into.” From the horse-drawn ploughs of Central Alberta to the big city lights of Vegas baby! Grab a taste of Alberta’s com- munity spirit courtesy of Old Prairie Sentinel Distillery.
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