From ice skates to booze in 5 generations.

Life is an adventure.  Abraham Lincoln was the US President when Starr began in 1861.  Canada would be ‘founded’ 6 years later.  The Starr name pays homage to The Starr Manufacturing Co. which gained early fame by inventing the modern ice skate in the 1860’s.  Our family business went from making some 11 million pairs of skates (1861-1939) to wartime supply (twice) to forging industrial components over 150 years.  As globalization shifted manufacturing out-of-country the business eventually ceased operations and closed in 1998.  In a symbolic gesture, Mike (5th generation) bought the business from his father in 2015* for one dollar and set out to reinvent Starr.

 

Start with what you love.

The greatest gem in Canada’s crown is our rugged, wild and endless landscape; it’s the envy of the world. The most cherished moments are spent with family and friends whether that’s at the lake, hiking in the mountains, or going for a skate.

Those moments are the inspiration for Starr’s spirits.  

 

Explore, forage, create.

Today, Starr Distilling’s mission is to bottle those moments.  To do so makes our days an exploration of taste.  The kind of taste that comes from foraging and picking through the wilds.  Heirloom varietals, fruits, berries, herbs and spices, native plants, you name it we’ll try to coax flavour from it.  Alcohol is our canvas on which to create and bottle.

Join us on our journey - we bring our dogs along, spend time immersed in nature, follow the sun’s arc and stop for cocktails along the way.

*From 2000-2015, the business existed only on paper to satisfy pension and benefits obligations.  5 generations of employees fully paid.