ODD SOCIETY BATCH #6

Whisky making is for the patient.

The process is at least three years from grain to glass and even then it is not guaranteed to be any good. Gordon Glanz, Odd Society founder and distiller, decided to take the long path to whisky when opening the East Vancouver distillery in 2013 and five years later his patience is paying off. Odd Society has released its sixth batch of  single malt whisky.

Glanz aged this whisky in larger barrels then his previous releases, making this batch remarkably different from previous releases.

“How you age in the barrel and the temperature of the room has a huge influence on whisky,” said Glanz. “This one is quite different from the other releases because of the larger barrels.”

Comparing Batch #6 with a previous batch is drinking two different whiskies. The previous batches were darker in colour, more intense in wood and caramel flavours, spicier and more alcohol forward. Batch #6 is lighter in colour and spicy on the first sip. It smooths out and produces flavours of honey and wood without overpowering the pallet with alcohol. The end result is a much more balanced and refined whisky.

British Columbia distillers like Odd Society must use grains grown, cultivated and malted in the province to retain their ‘craft’ designation. 

Odd Society’s single malt whisky is made from barley grown in Prince George and malted in Armstrong making it truly a whisky that reflects the quality BC agriculture.

Commercial distillers don’t have to adhere to the same restrictions and can use grains and alcohols from anywhere and often use a different distilling method using columns instead of pot stills.

The rise of small distilleries has Glanz excited about the future of Canadian whisky, which has largely been dominated by huge distilleries with closed doors. Now whisky lovers can come to the very place their whisky is made and see the process for themselves, which is rejuvenating Canadian whisky culture. 

“Little distillers like ours are coming along and going back to small batch pot distilled whisky,” said Glanz. “We’ll see what is going to happen in the next few years as more of these small distilleries come online and put their own twist on Canadian whisky.”

Gordon Glanz, Founder and Distiller of Odd Society Spirits. Photos: Abby Wiseman