Collingwood’s light, crisp flavour profile is ideal for sipping neat, on the rocks or in a classic lighter cocktail. Who wants to drink boring whisky? Bearface Triple Oak is a Canadian whisky brand released by the Mark Anthony Group. The brand sources single grain whisky from distilleries in Canada which have aged in American oak ex-bourbon barrels for seven years. The successes we have enjoyed have been as a direct result of all the hard work of our innovative and passionate team. My curiosity was further aroused by Mark Bylok’s interview with Andres Faustinelli, the creator of this whisky and master blender for Mark Anthony Wine and Spirits’ new Bearface brand. You might not expect Bearface One-Eleven ($49.95; LCBO 12826), a Canadian whisky adulterated with mezcal, to work but, in my opinion, it works … In fact, men were known to place classified ads in their local newspaper in search of a wife with distilling skills. To date the Dublin-based business has focused on the development and distribution of major innovation projects including the incredibly successful White Claw Hard Seltzer. Recieve the latest from Sharp with Our Newsletter and Magazine. Mezcal is also wild — both the way the agave grows and the way it’s made in the open air — so there’s a real connection there. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, the group of companies is led by Founder and CEO Anthony von Mandl. Mark Anthony Brands International today announces the purchase of the remaining shares in Glendalough Distillery to give the company complete ownership of the Irish craft spirits business. If I’m at home and in the mood for something a little more sophisticated, I like it in a cocktail called “Old Fearless,” which is very close to an Old Fashioned, but uses cedar bitters. V5L 1K5 Telephone: 604-558-2739 Web: www.parallel49brewing.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Gallery The People Who Make It Happen Mike Sleeman, Owner Anthony Frustagli, Owner Nick Paladino, Owner Scott … Led by Davin Nugent, Mark Anthony Brands International was established in Dublin in 2014. We are excited to now become full members of the Mark Anthony family and look forward to building the brand together”. Bearface Whisky was named best new whisky at the 2019 Canadian Whisky Awards. Comprising of whisky lifestyle & travel instagrammers, whisky photographers, mixologists, bar consultants, whisky tasting network and a mural festival. Yes, we’ve been working on a unique process we call “elemental aging.” We bring the barrels out into the wild and store them in repurposed shipping containers to expose the whisky to the elements of the Okanagan. Two hundred percent. The company has already developed a major new Canadian Whisky brand called BEARFACE, which was launched in North America earlier this year and is gaining significant international attention, winning the Canadian Whisky of the Year at the 2019 Canadian Whisky Awards, in addition to 10 other prestigious international whisky awards. Not us. The entire Bearface program is owned by Von Mandl Family Estates, better known for its wine holdings, which include Mission Hill Family Estate, Cedar Creek, Martin’s Lane and Check Mate. Mark Anthony Brands International is a member of the Mark Anthony Group of Companies, one of North America’s largest privately-owned alcohol beverage businesses. Explore the Cocktails. Why did you choose mezcal? Anthony von Mandl’s production and distribution company (best known for Mission Hill Family Estate, Martin’s Lane Winery, and CheckMate Artisanal Winery) has just launched what it hopes will be a significant industry disrupter: the powerfully spicy, fruity, woodsy Bearface Triple Oak. BEARFACE & SHARP Andres Faustinelli was born in Venezuela, raised in Italy, carries a French passport, lives in San Francisco and works in Kelowna, B.C. Faustinelli, who has worked in beer, bourbon, wine, and even mezcal, is also something of a renaissance man when it comes to libations. BEARFACE, a Canadian whisky brand, promoted its products in Canada with a bold personality and a crafted aesthetic to appeal to a young, modern audience. Fear nothing. Bearface is dangerously smooth. Canadian brands like Whistle Pig, Signal Hill, Twelve Barrels, and now Mark Anthony Brands' Bearface Canadian whisky have bypassed the risk and sunk costs of operating their own distilleries and instead have sourced their whiskies from established Canadian producers. It’s not a linear process. It's Faustinelli's inspired combination of oak-barrel aging that creates whisky like no other. In 2016 we welcomed Mark Anthony Brands on board as a shareholder. Not going to let any of that get in the way though: if Tim Hortons can call themselves Canadian when owned by an international corporation, Bearface can be a good Canadian whisky. It’s always a proud moment, crafting the latest batch of BEARFACE Whisky ready to go out into the world. This award-winning Canadian whisky from Mark Anthony Brands was named Best New Whisky at the 2019 Canadian Whisky Awards, and it received gold medals at the 2019 International Wine & Spirit Competition and the 2019 World Whiskies Awards. The Mark Anthony Group of Companies is one of North America's most diversified and successful private beverage companies focused on the alcohol beverage sector. Next it is placed in used French oak wine barrels, and the final finish takes place in new Hungarian oak. 11/26/2018 Gismondi on Wine . Then the whisky is transferred to French oak barrels which held Bordeaux-style red wine from British Columbia winery Mission Hill. The company does not have its own distillery for making whisky so to make their Bearface brand they begin by sourcing a mature 7-year-old Canadian single grain whisky which was aged in in ex-bourbon American oak casks. A member of the Mark Anthony Group of Companies, Mark Anthony Brands International develops, markets and distributes a range of premium alcohol brands for sale in markets around the globe. Use our product locator to find BEARFACE whisky in bars, restaurants and retail outlets across the United States. Commenting on the deal, Glendalough Director Brian Fagan said: “It's been an incredible journey for the whole team here at Glendalough. Master Blender Andres Faustinelli You’ve used oak as a bridge in the blending process. What’s the best way to enjoy Triple Oak 7 year? Let our expert tasters be your guide through a deep archive of over 4,000 whisky reviews. Distribution of the Glendalough portfolio for Ireland was recently taken on by Coca-Cola HBC Ireland, with Mark Anthony Crafted Spirits distributing in the United States. Conor Brophy, Director, TeneoT: +353 1 6342 554M: +353 86 6039476 E: conor.brophy@teneo.com. Please note that MSRP may have changed since the date of our review. Collaboration Collaboration is at the core of the Bearface brand, so we collaborated with each influencer to co-create or facilitate them to create unique content that played to their strengths and unique personalities. Bearface Triple Oak Canadian Whisky is a product of Bearface Spirits (owned by Mark Anthony Wine and Spirits). Did it take an outsider to see it as a virtue? 5 months ago. Founded in 2011 by Barry Gallagher and Brian Fagan, Glendalough has become one of the country’s most innovative Irish Whiskey and Gin makers. Whisky Advocate magazine is America’s leading spirits publication. The company moved into spirits last year with the launch of “experimental” Canadian whisky brand Bearface. County Dublin, Ireland. Faustinelli is re-imagining Canadian whisky. You said you always wanted to work in Canadian whisky. In Canada, we focus more on the role of the master blender than the head distiller. Women, like Justo, were also an asset to the whiskey industry during Prohibition (1920-1933), as female bootleggers were often able to get away with more illegal activity than their male counterparts. I brought a bottle to work and our team polished it … Other producers use it but rarely put it on the label, so I saw an opportunity. The Bearface exhibited good oak character, but was lacking in body and texture. The American oak welcomes you in at the beginning, and then the French oak gives the whisky a lot of dried fruit and cranberry and then the Hungarian oak gives it more of a dry finish, sort of a unique spicy finish. BEARFACE Whisky . To many, the “One-Eleven” rule, which allows blenders to add a small amount of other spirits to Canadian whisky, has been a kind of secret. Why is that? Whisky Advocate also sponsors WhiskyFest™, the country’s largest and most respected whisky … I later pointed out to the class that the Shelter Point product is a pot distilled whisky – hence its good mouth-feel. They give you the letters of the alphabet but, what is more interesting to me and other people in Canadian whisky, is the art of blending, which allows you to turn those letters into words and then turn those words into stories. MABI owns a number of ready-to-drink brands including White Claw Hard Seltzer. My thinking with Triple Oak was to create something that started off laid- back and mellow and finished off barrel-forward and fruity. The difference is that I said: “The rules are different up here – Let’s own it.” That was the plan from day one with Bearface and when we launched the One-Eleven, we became the world’s first-ever whisky to be blended with an agave spirit, mezcal. Bearface is shaped around a 7 year old light corn whisky which is a “canvas” in the words of Andres Faustinelli, the master blender for the brand. Using different types of oak casks and harnessing the rhythm of the seasons, our whisky is transformed by its time in the wild. Bearface is finished at Mission Hill Family Estate winery in West Kelowna by master blender Andres Faustinelli from single-grain Canadian whiskies. More than independent bottlers, these brands try to put their own spin on their sourced spirit through additional barrel finishing and blending. But proprietor Anthony von Mandl met and was impressed by, Faustinelli and the Bearface project came to life. When nature has done its work, our Master Blender selects the best casks and blends them to create each unique batch of BEARFACE. The Glendalough business will continue to operate as a separate company from Mark Anthony Brands International under the leadership of the existing management team, headed by Barry Gallagher and Brian Fagan. If you really want to invent and be creative, Canadian whisky is the most exciting space, because the regulations and definitions give you freedom to explore. In Colonial times, it was women who were in charge of making the whiskey. And, it turns out, his breadth of life and work experience is the secret to his success as Bearface whisky’s Master Blender. The Alberta Premium was the least appreciated of all with comments indicating a certain harshness on the palate. WARC subscribers can read. The distillery is owned by Pernod Ricard and operated by Corby Spirit and Wine, of which Pernod has a controlling share. Bearface will be a lot more than that if the team at Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits has anything to say about it. In fact, he is the man behind internationally renowned ready-to-drink brands such as White Claw, Palm Bay, and Mike's Hard Lemonade. As investors since 2016 we have witnessed at first hand the passion and hard work from our Glendalough colleagues in growing their business and we are delighted to now welcome them into the Mark Anthony family”. The distillation profiles of new-make spirits are like the ABCs. #HideNothingFearNothing . Explore the Homeplace. Located in Donnybrook House, Dublin, the company was established in Ireland in 2014. BEARFACE brand design: Canadian whisky – Hide nothing. Global Digital Manager- BEARFACE WHISKY Mark Anthony Group July 2019 – Present 3 months. BEARFACE whiskies sit in a totally different place on the flavor map to everything else out there. We recently sat down with Faustinelli to learn more about how he’s reimagining Canadian whisky. Whisky transformed by the wild. Receive the latest on Culture, Style, Cars and Watches, straight to your inbox. The deal comes three years after Mark Anthony Brands International took an initial 40% stake in the fast-growing distiller. Home; Can you describe how it affects the flavour in a whisky like Triple Oak? Details 1950 Triumph St. Vancouver, B.C. Now in its 8th year, the distillery has become a leader in innovating Irish spirits, releasing some world-firsts like Irish whiskey aged in rare Japanese Mizunara oak, Irish single malt aged in Irish oak, and a range of distinctive gins distilled with freshly foraged wild flora and fauna picked in the Wicklow mountains. This makes Bearface a true terroir story because we are embracing the elements completely. The company does not have its own distillery for making whisky so to make their Bearface brand they begin by sourcing a mature 7-year-old Canadian single grain whisky which was aged in in ex-bourbon American oak casks. The rules allow Canadian whisky makers to be more creative and open up different opportunities. “We love Darren and his incredible food at Ugly,” says Ellis, who co-owns Hasting-Sunrise’s Dachi with colleague Whiteside. When you say Bearface is about being exposed and in the wilderness, you’re talking both on a metaphorical and on a literal level, right? In just over twenty years the Bolgheri DOC has become an international reference point for Italian red blends. Initially selling Poitín, the business quickly grew to offer a broader range of premium Irish spirits. Bearface Triple Oak Canadian Whisky rating was calculated by tastings.com to be 85 points out of 100 on 10/17/2019. Please note that MSRP may have changed since the date of our review. White Claw Hard Seltzer was created and developed in Ireland by Nugent and his team as part of Mark Anthony’s objective to create and develop brands and liquids that better reflect the tastes and expectations of today’s consumers. Simply put, the approach to creating this whisky places the emphasis at the … BEARFACE Whisky . It’s about being out there and being exposed in the wilderness, which is how we do things in the Okanagan Valley. What’s the difference? The Whisky Advocate Buying Guide is a powerful tool for learning, discovery, and making the most of your whisky buying budget. It looks like Bearface is part of the Mark Anthony group, best known for their wine companies and Andres has been the VP of Brand Development there. Today, there are less than a dozen companies, with less than a dozen active distilleries which produce a variety of styles of whisky. In addition to owning Mission Hill, Martin's Lane, Check Mate, Cedar Creek, Road 13 and Liquidity wineries, Mark Anthony Group of Companies owns White Claw, Bearface Canadian Whisky, Glendalough and many other brands. Made at Canada’s longest continuously owned and operated distillery in the town of Collingwood, Ontario, on Georgian Bay. Founded in 2011 by Barry Gallagher and Brian Fagan, Glendalough has become one of the country’s most innovative Irish Whiskey and Gin makers. Explore the Whisky. Available in the United States since 2016, Mark Anthony International is currently examining additional international markets to launch White Claw in early next year. Andres Faustinelli was born in Venezuela, raised in Italy, carries a French passport, lives in San Francisco and works in Kelowna, B.C. — a “citizen of the world” if we’ve ever met one. There’s a wild element to Bearface. Vancouver, BC | The Drive is gaining two new hospitality vets to its tight knit community today as Dachi’s Miki Ellis and Stephen Whiteside are joining forces with Ugly Dumpling’s (Ugly) Darren Gee as co-owners. Brands produced at the Walker Distillery include Lot 40, Pike Creek, Gooderham and Worts, Hiram Walker's Special Old, Corby's Royal Reserve, and J.P. Wiser's brands. Since its inception over 25 years ago, it has been the premier source for information, education, and entertainment for whisky enthusiasts. Gismondi on Wine . They have always shared our vision for Glendalough and supported our efforts to grow the business. — a “citizen of the world” if we’ve ever met one. Always bold, smooth and mixable, BEARFACE appeals to adventure-loving whisky drinkers and bartenders. Glendalough Distillery was founded by Barry Gallagher & Brian Fagan in 2011. However, after a few notable nods in the whisky awards world, Japanese whisky has since grown to become highly desirable around the globe. In total, Glendalough is now available in over 40 international markets. Bearface “It’s all about innovation,” Faustinelli says of making whisky in … Bearface first sources an exceptional 7-year-old Canadian whisky, matured in ex-bourbon American oak. The purchase of Glendalough is the first spirit acquisition for Mark Anthony’s Irish business, but not its first move into the spirits category. Commenting on the transaction Mark Anthony Brands International Chief Executive Davin Nugent said: “As the pioneer of craft Irish whiskey and gin, Glendalough has quickly established itself as one of Ireland’s leading premium spirit brands. 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