While working for Alberta’s famed Big Rock Brewery, David Farran wondered why Alberta didn’t have a single-malt whiskey distillery. After all, the province grows more than half of Canada’s barley. He decided he’d be the first and opened Eau Claire Distillery in 2014 in the town of Turner Valley. David’s connection to the area runs deep. His family has lived along the Cowboy Trail for four generations. In 2005 David bought a ranch where he grows grains and harvest them by horse and plow. Success came quickly with the first batch of whiskey in the fall of 2017 – selling out in four hours. Eau Claire also makes gin vodka, bottled cocktails and a line of non-alcoholic tonics using Alberta-grown ingredients. You can see first-hand how it’s all made when you take a tour of what goes on behind the scenes. Stay around for tastings and the locally-sourced menu of delicious food. The tasting room is now open as a gift shop, no tasting will be served. New speakeasy tour as well as other tours will be re-introduced in July. The picnic area behind the distillery will also be open for more outdoor recreation.