CANADIAN CLUB — THE CHICAGO BRAND MUSEUM

THE MAKING OF A CANADIAN LEGACY

Canadian Club Whiskey, originally Walker’s Club Whisky, was created in 1858 by Hiram Walker when he purchased a distillery in Walkerville, Canada. Hiram Walker first discovered the art of distilling cider vinegar while operating a grocery store during the 1830s. He later turned his attention to whisky production, producing his first barrels in 1854. The whisky quickly gained a reputation for its taste and quality, becoming especially popular in exclusive gentlemen's clubs throughout Canada and the United States. Club Whisky became so popular in the United States that it began outselling many American bourbons, prompting competing distillers to lobby for laws requiring imported whiskies to identify their country of origin. In 1882, the U.S. government required the word "Canada" to appear on the label, and by 1890 Hiram Walker officially changed the name to Canadian Club.

PROHIBITION AND RECOGNITION

Though the name change was forced it actually helped the brand stand out on shelves and made the whiskey sound fancy and imported. A few years after the name change in 1899 founder Hiram Walker passed, leaving the business to his sons who went on to employ almost the entire town of Walkerville growing the business exponentially. Later on when the prohibition began, Canadian Club gained widespread recognition as one of the most frequently smuggled whiskies entering the United States via the Detroit River, strengthening its reputation and demand. Over the years, the brand introduced a variety of aged expressions, including Canadian Club Classic 12 Year Old, 100% Rye, Reserve 9 Year Old, Reserve 15 Year Old, 20 Year Old, as well as limited edition whiskeys, broadening its product line while keeping its signature base. Ownership of Canadian Club changed several times throughout its history, beginning with Hiram Walker & Sons before passing to Hiram Walker-Gooderham & Worts in 1926, Allied Lyons in 1987, Allied Domecq in 1994, and finally Beam Suntory, which continues to mass produce the whisky today. Canadian Club is now sold worldwide in more than 150 countries and remains one of if not the most recognizable Canadian whisky brands, celebrated for its smooth taste, heritage, and lasting influence on the whisky industry.