The Niagara College Teaching Distillery continues to make its mark in the craft distilling industry – this time, on the international stage.

Three Spirits 101 products have won medals at the 2025 U.S. Open Spirits Championship: Absinthe and Spiced Old Fashioned both won gold – in the Specialty Spirits and Bottled Cocktails categories, respectively – while Canadian Rumcaptured bronze in the Spiced/Flavoured Rum category.

“The awards for our Teaching Distillery are a testament to the outstanding applied education that continues to set Niagara College apart,” said Marc Nantel, PhD, Vice President, Research, Innovation and Strategic Enterprises. “Guided by expert staff and faculty, students gain hands-on experience in our unique learning enterprises, which equips them with the skills they need to succeed and raise the bar for the industry.”

“Working with students that start with no distilling experience and creating products that win awards in just an eight-month program feels like such an accomplishment,” said Head Distiller David Dickson. “For me, tasting those spirits again reminds me of the time we spent together and all the hard work that was put into making each unique creation.”

Absinthe was developed and distilled last summer by a small group of Artisan Distilling students. Karandeep Singh, Navdeep Kaur, Utkarsh Solanki and Sapna Rani (from the Class of 2024) created the spirit for their capstone project. The project challenges students to craft an original spirit before they graduate, demonstrating their mastery of all the skills they have learned over the course of the program. Absinthe made its debut with a Spirits 101 bottle release in August (available while supplies last).

Distilled using a special blend of botanicals, Absinthe (65% ABV) has a dominant anise and fennel character. Lemon balm used in the final steeping process gives the spirit its classic green colour and adds citrus notes. As a novel process, the group experimented with butterfly pea flower which adds some blue colour – which means that the absinthe maintains a green colour when other absinthes would fade to yellow.

“Being part of this project was a truly rewarding experience, and I feel proud that our team’s hard work and creativity received such prestigious recognition,” said Singh. “The capstone gave us the opportunity to apply everything we learned throughout the program, and it really helped me grow both technically and creatively.”

“Seeing something we crafted with so much care and passion be recognized on a global stage is beyond rewarding,” said Kaur, who not only welcomed news of the win, but valued the experience gained in all aspects of spirit production – from developing the absinthe recipe and sourcing botanicals to distillation and final presentation.

“Working closely with my team, overcoming challenges, and bringing this unique spirit to life really helped build both my skills and confidence in the field,” said Kaur.

Gold-medal-winning Spiced Old Fashioned debuted in February (available while supplies last). College distillers Dickson and Ian Bickle worked with Learning Enterprises Events Coordinator Jessica NealEllis to convert her Festive Old Fashioned recipe – which proved to be a hit during the holiday season – into a well-balanced ‘cocktail in a bottle,’ and students distilled the spirit.

For NealEllis, the gold-medal win for Spiced Old Fashioned highlights the quality of spirits produced at NC’s Teaching Distillery. As she collaborates with College distillers for the Niagara Craft Beverage Club and to host monthly cocktail seminars for the public, it sparks creative ideas.

“I’m so proud we can showcase the incredible spirits they are crafting,” said NealEllis. “It’s all part of our aim to educate guests about the ease and enjoyment of making their own cocktails with our products.”

“We have had a really good reception for this in the store and it is a good showcase of the quality of cocktails that can be made at home with our spirits,” said Dickson. “This was another avenue to showcase the types of cocktails possible, and we showed students some of the process as a precursor to their capstone production.”

Spirits 101 Southern Hospitality was used as a base spirit – also made by students – and orange peels, cinnamon and spices were added. A ready-to-pour cocktail (35% ABV), Spiced Old Fashioned leans into the spices of the orange peel character, reminiscent of a classic Old Fashioned. Just add ice and garnish with cocktail cherries, cinnamon sticks or orange peel – or get creative with a seasonal embellishment.

Canadian Rum won bronze in the Spiced/Flavoured Rum category, earning its second medal this year – following a gold and Best in Class at the Canadian Artisan Spirit Competition in March.

The dark-style rum (40% ABV) has a pronounced maple character and complex rum profile, due to the inclusion of jaggery and molasses-based rums, and a maple syrup character that washes over the palate but is striking on the nose. It was released in August 2024 and has sold out.

Canadian Rum was created by small group of Artisan Distilling students (from the Class of 2024) who sought to create a spirit that reflected both Canadian and Indian heritage. Satbir Kaur, Simerjeet Simerjeet and Mukesh Mukesh developed the recipe and crafted the spirit for their capstone project.

Simerjeet (St. Catharines) called the project a “labour of love” which validated the team’s countless trials and learning experiences along the way.

“The idea of blending these cultures into a single spirit was a unique challenge that inspired us throughout the process,” said Simerjeet. “Using jaggery as the base brought a rich, earthy sweetness, while the maple added a touch of Canadian identity. Our goal was to craft a rum that stood out, with a smooth profile and a hint of smokiness.”

Winners of the U.S. Open Whiskey and Spirits Championship were announced on April 2. For a full list and more info:usopenwhiskey.com

The new medals are on the heels of the Teaching Distillery’s recent success at the Canadian Artisan Spirit Competition (CASC) for three Spirits 101 offerings: gold and Best in Class for Canadian Rum (Alternative Rum), gold for Hail Caesar Vodka (Infused Vodka), and bronze for Grandma’s Apple Pie (fruit liqueur). View release here.

Student-crafted products from NC’s Teaching Distillery are available at NC’s Wine Visitor + Education Centre retail store, alongside products from its Teaching Winery and Teaching Brewery. Visit the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake (135 Taylor Rd.) or online at ncteachingwinery.ca.

Artisan Distilling is a one-year graduate certificate program based at NC’s Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake within the College’s School of Wine, Beer and Spirits. Students gain hands-on experience at the on-campus Teaching Distillery, which was the first of its kind in Canada.

Niagara College has a full-time enrolment of more than 10,000 students from over 95 countries, who study in 130 diploma, certificate and bachelor degree programs at specialized campuses in Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Niagara College is also involved in educational projects and partnerships around the world and is ranked Canada’s No.1 research college.Learn more at niagaracollege.ca. 

 Photos:

Dickson Bickle US Open spirits: Head Distiller David Dickson and Assistant Distiller Ian Bickle stand proudly with the Teaching Distillery’s latest medal-winning spirits.

Absinthe group: (From left): Artisan Distilling students (Class of 2024) Karandeep Singh, Navdeep Kaur and Sapna Rani conduct colouration trials for their Absinthe capstone project.

Canadian Rum group: Canadian Rum was a capstone project for Artisan Distilling students Simerjeet Simerjeet, Mukesh Mukesh and Satbir Kaur (Class of 2024).