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Forty Creek
Founded
1972
Region
Canada
Status
Operational
Company
Production type
Canadian whisky
Former name
Rieder,
Kittling Ridge
Forty Creek is a Canadian whisky distillery located in Grimsby, Ontario. It was originally built in 1972 by Otto Rieder and was known as the Rieder distillery, producing eau de vie spirits in the same style as his grandfather had in Switzerland. Some whisky was also produced however, and marketed under the name Canadian Company in packaging very reminiscent of Johnnie Walker Red Label. The distillery was then acquired by a local winemaker called John K. Hall in 1992 who switched production to focus on whisky distilling under the name Kittling Ridge, and the first casks were bottled in 2000 under the name Forty Creek.
In 2012, Hall sold the winemaking side of the company (which retained the name Kittling Ridge) to the Magnotta Winery Corporation. A new company was set up to run the distillery which was renamed Forty Creek after its flagship label. It was then sold to the Campari Group in 2014 who continue to own it today. Forty Creek also produces Canada Gold whisky and several brands of vodka, brandy and liqueur.
The Forty Creek brand was launched in 2000 by what was at the time known as Kittling Ridge Estate Wines & Spirits after its takeover of the former Rieder distillery. The label was devised by company founder, John K Hall along with his master blender, Bill Ashburn, and is named after Forty Mile Creek where the distillery is located, so-called because it was believed to be 40 miles from Niagara Falls. The first product after launch was the Barrel Select, and it remains the brand's flagship expression today.
In 2007 the Copper Pot line was introduced, and in 2012 the range was relaunched to coincide with the renaming of Kittling Ridge after the now hugely successful brand. This saw the two core range releases joined by premium products called the Confederation Oak Reserve and Double Barrel Reserve. The first full redesign of the brand then took place in 2017, three years following its acquisition by the Campari Group. Despite the new packaging the whiskies in the range remained unchanged.
In 2022 to mark the 30th anniversary of the first Forty Creek casks being laid down, the brand was again relaunched with a fresh design. Again however, the core range remained mostly unchanged, with only the Copper Pot renamed to Copper Bold.
2014-present
2012-2014
1992-2012
1972-1992
Forty Creek Distillery
297 S Service Road
Grimsby
ON L3M 1Y6
Canada
Active brands
Canadian whisky