Red Deer has a new secret hangout that’s worth visiting.
Tucked away behind Westerner Park, the aptly named Diony Distillery and Gallery is the small town’s first distillery.
Its atmosphere gives a classy and artistic spin to your rustic warehouse brewery.
The space indulges your senses with the soft, homey scent of oak barrels and vibrant paint strokes from local artists that treat your eyes.
The name Diony is also full of intrigue: short for Dionysus, the Greek God of Wine.
Owner and Master Distiller at Diony, Stéphane Pilon, poetically describes the “legend” behind the distillery’s namesake on their website.
“In search of new horizons, Dionysus sets off westerly to find a new world.”
“On this western rim of the great dish that holds grassland to the heart of the continent…seeing the blue sky, the rolling hills, the dancing fields, the four seasons of decay and rebirth ignites new inspiration.”
“Knee-deep in fields of rye and barley, the search was over.”
“This spirit is like no other, and Dionysus must share the prairies’ finest liquid gold to all daring to taste Elysium plains, aka paradise.”
A true ode to their creation and the land they live on – their marketing team deserves a raise.
But beyond the ambiance, captivating lore and good marketing – you can get what really matters – a hell of a good whiskey!
This summer, at the International Whisky Competition, in a blind consumer test, their Port Cast Finish whiskey won silver, and their Campfire Whiskey won gold for Best Canadian Whiskey.
The latter also won gold at the SIP Awards for Canadian Barrel/Small Batch Whiskey.
As Pilon says, good whiskey starts with good grain; luckily, Alberta is rich in grain thanks to our amazing farmers.“It really is mimicking what was happening centuries ago because you’re really reliant on good grain, you’re reliant on good barrels, and that’s what you want in the end..it comes alive in your glass, and that’s what we want to do here,” Pilon told Red Deer News Now.
Diony filled their first wooden barrel in 2019, letting the whiskey age for three years.
Over the next year, Pilon says they started developing whiskey recipes that today are made up of malted rye, barley and oats.
Everything they’ve brewed so far has thrilled the local crowd.
On Friday, November 10, the distillery had its opening night, serving four hand-crafted whiskeys, ranging from 46-50 percent in alcohol.
“[We were] very well received…it’s a farming community; a lot of the grain comes from here,” said Pilon.
Diony is also conveniently located between Calgary and Edmonton, so if you’re not a Red Deer local but are looking for a day trip with an authentic artisan twist, this could be the spot for you.
Also offered are exclusive 2 to 2.5-hour whisky workshops, which cover the entire whisky-making process, from crafting to tasting.
You can learn more about the distillery from their website here.
Making spirits in the spirit of the prairies, a trip to Diony is worth adding to your weekend.
