The Maligne Range Distillery and Restaurant to open September 19 as Jasper continues to recover from wildfire

JASPER, AB, Sept. 18, 2024 /CNW/ - The Maligne Range will open its doors this Thursday. The recent wildfire has impacted one third of the buildings in the small Rocky Mountain community and touched all that call Jasper home. Following extensive commercial restoration activities on-site, the distillery-pub is ready to welcome the community and visitors to experience a new era of Canadian whisky appreciation and food pairings.

The Maligne Range in Jasper, Alberta. (CNW Group/Bearhill)

The Jasper wildfire is not the first natural disaster to impact the Bearhill group of companies. In May of 2016, the Fort McMurray wildfire, nicknamed "The Beast", would alter the fabric of this local brewery with original roots in Jasper, and set a new course for Bearhill.

The Maligne Range's Master Distiller, Bryce Parsons, recalls the impact the Fort McMurray wildfire would ultimately have on such a malleable product like whisky. "Whisky, like life, is a storyteller, weaving the rich narratives of land, people, and time. The fire, though devastating, is now a part of that story—scarring the land, reshaping the community, and forever etching itself into history." The Beast whisky, named for the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire, is a limited-edition whisky distilled from malt flavoured by the wildfire smoke.

The whisky distilling process takes time, and patience. "We have been crafting our whisky for more than 11 years, blending tradition with innovation to create something unique," says Spike Baker, Distiller and Barrel Manager for The Maligne Range. "Just as the distilling process takes time, so too will recovery from the Jasper wildfire. As we return to business operations, we recognize it's anything but business as usual for many people in Jasper. As we reflect on our commitment to redefine how people think about and enjoy Canadian whisky, we celebrate the resilience and the spirit of Jasper and its people. We look forward to welcoming our neighbours, Albertans, Canadians, and the international tourist community to The Maligne Range."

For more information about any of our local establishments, please visit
https://bearhill.ca/.

For those looking to support Jasper's continued recovery, donations can be made to the Jasper Community Team Society, an organization that is providing assistance to those affected by the wildfire.

SOURCE Bearhill

Media Contact: Spike Baker - [email protected] - 780 293 2276