Hello!

[Tomc938]

Welcome from Vancouver Island! Great forum here - I’m sure you’ll enjoy.

Big fan. Seen all your videos, some multiple times. Appreciate your skill as a hobby machinist and love for teaching. It really is a gift.

And Milo and Atlas want me to ask you to say “Hi!” to Sprocket.

 

[KeeponDragon]

Welcome to the board from Kelowna BC, in the heart of the Okanagan Valley.
As others have stated...also a fan of your channel content and easy to follow tutorials.
I have referred to your videos on several occasions
You'll find there are a lot of members here who love a good challenge, be it with a process, a material, a machine revival or whatever...it's the community and the comradery that should make anyone feel welcome.

 

[Blondihacks]

What brand of whiskey do you like?

Anything peaty and Irish or smokey and Scotch, really. Connemara is a favourite, as is Laphroaig. One thing I miss from the States is Pappy Van Winkle. Unobtainium up here, sadly.

 

[Blondihacks]

spirit fingers

I prefer to think of them as Jazz Hands.

 

[thestelster]

Anything peaty and Irish or smokey and Scotch, really. Connemara is a favourite, as is Laphroaig. One thing I miss from the States is Pappy Van Winkle. Unobtainium up here, sadly.

Lagavulin is my poison of choice....when I can afford it, or when my brother gifts me a bottle for Christmas.

 

[jcdammeyer]

Anything peaty and Irish or smokey and Scotch, really. Connemara is a favourite, as is Laphroaig. One thing I miss from the States is Pappy Van Winkle. Unobtainium up here, sadly.

I have a square foot of Peat Bog in Scotland from all the Laphroaig that has found it's way into our house. The quarter cask is still my favourite.
You mentioned you were deep in the interior. The interior is usually BC but likely not close to Penticton. There was long discussion on the kentucky style Bourbon made there. I buy that and have Canada Post ship it so my wife stays happy.

Post in thread 'Whisk(e)y, wine and cheese!'

May 8, 2025

Alright - what's the difference between whiskey and bourbon?

Whisky is made from various grains. The malted barley in Scotland. It's made that way here in a local Vancouver Island distillery but can't be called Scotch. In Alberta Rye whisky is kind of self explanatory. True Bourbon whisky uses corn but again how and in what it's aged determines how it tastes. Same with all the other whiskies.

Our Products

We distill four lines of whisky including the Laird of Fintry Single Malt Whisky, B.C. Rye, BRBN Bourbon-Style Corn Whisky, and our beer-inspired whisky. 100% Canadian.

okanaganspirits.com

• jcdammeyer

• 

 

[Susquatch]

@Blondihacks - Here's how you might be able to get Pappy Van Winkle in Canada:

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario occasionally receives very small allocations of Pappy Van Winkle and other rare whiskies. They typically sell these through highly anticipated online lotteries or controlled allocations, which are announced well in advance. You'd need to register for their special releases or Vintages email lists to be notified. The prices, while higher than MSRP, are typically still much lower than the secondary market.

The Société des alcools du Québec operates similarly. They have product pages for Pappy Van Winkle 20 and 23-year-old, but typically show them as "Not available online. Not available in stores." This indicates they are released via specific, limited allocation events only.

The BC Liquor Stores also have a "Collectibles" program. Pappy Van Winkle is listed in their brochure at specified prices (e.g., $300 for 15-year, $500 for 20-year, $800 for 23-year), but these are usually released through highly competitive special draws or allocations.

In Alberta, where liquor retail is privatized, the AGLC manages distribution. Some private liquor stores in Alberta (like BSW Liquor or Liquor Barn often showing "Sold Out" or "Unavailable" might receive allocations. These stores often run their own lottery or waitlist systems.

In Manitoba the Manitoba Liquor Marts have explicitly held "Premium Spirit Release" online draws for Pappy Van Winkle and other highly sought-after bourbons, as recently as September-October 2024. This looks to me like the best mechanism for potential acquisition.

Similar to other provincial bodies, the NSLC in Nova Scotia manage any limited allocations they receive through a lottery or special release.

There are also Secondary Market / Auctions: This is where most of the Pappy Van Winkle available in Canada appears, but at VERY significantly inflated prices like 5-10k for a bottle! (HOLY CRAP!) For example, Waddington's in Ontario is an auction house that is permitted by the LCBO to consign and sell spirits in the secondary market in Ontario. Similarly, there are a few on-line outfits that carry it for many thousands of dollars.

Hope that helps. If I were you, I'd register with the 4 western provincial liquor control boards and wait for it to pop up. Hopefully tarriffs won't apply.

 

[jcdammeyer]

@Blondihacks - Here's how you might be able to get Pappy Van Winkle in Canada:

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario occasionally receives very small allocations of Pappy Van Winkle and other rare whiskies. They typically sell these through highly anticipated online lotteries or controlled allocations, which are announced well in advance. You'd need to register for their special releases or Vintages email lists to be notified. The prices, while higher than MSRP, are typically still much lower than the secondary market.

The Société des alcools du Québec operates similarly. They have product pages for Pappy Van Winkle 20 and 23-year-old, but typically show them as "Not available online. Not available in stores." This indicates they are released via specific, limited allocation events only.

The BC Liquor Stores also have a "Collectibles" program. Pappy Van Winkle is listed in their brochure at specified prices (e.g., $300 for 15-year, $500 for 20-year, $800 for 23-year), but these are usually released through highly competitive special draws or allocations.

In Alberta, where liquor retail is privatized, the AGLC manages distribution. Some private liquor stores in Alberta (like BSW Liquor or Liquor Barn often showing "Sold Out" or "Unavailable" might receive allocations. These stores often run their own lottery or waitlist systems.

In Manitoba the Manitoba Liquor Marts have explicitly held "Premium Spirit Release" online draws for Pappy Van Winkle and other highly sought-after bourbons, as recently as September-October 2024. This looks to me like the best mechanism for potential acquisition.

Similar to other provincial bodies, the NSLC in Nova Scotia manage any limited allocations they receive through a lottery or special release.

There are also Secondary Market / Auctions: This is where most of the Pappy Van Winkle available in Canada appears, but at VERY significantly inflated prices like 5-10k for a bottle! (HOLY CRAP!) For example, Waddington's in Ontario is an auction house that is permitted by the LCBO to consign and sell spirits in the secondary market in Ontario. Similarly, there are a few on-line outfits that carry it for many thousands of dollars.

Hope that helps. If I were you, I'd register with the 4 western provincial liquor control boards and wait for it to pop up. Hopefully tarriffs won't apply.

Interesting that you know so much about buying booze anywhere in Canada... Interesting... Hmmmm....

 

[ChazzC]

Anything peaty and Irish or smokey and Scotch, really. Connemara is a favourite, as is Laphroaig.

Yes, Laphroaig is definitely peaty!

One thing I miss from the States is Pappy Van Winkle. Unobtainium up here, sadly.

While quasi available down here, too rich for one in retirement (although I keep putting my name in on the semi-annual drawings for a chance to purchase).