Wild Life Distillery
Matt Widmer and Keith Robinson at Wild Life Distillery (Photo courtesy Wild Life Distillery)
Interview with Matt Widmer, co-owner and operator
NCC: Tell us about Wild Life Distillery (WLD).
MW: WLD was a way for myself and Keith Robinson (my business partner) to stay in the Bow Valley. A way for us to do something outside of the tourism industry. A way to create something with our hands, from regional raw materials, and turn it into something that we wanted to see in the market: delicious craft spirits!
NCC: You opened the distillery a little over three years ago. Is your business where you imagined it would be by this time?
MW: The brand is doing well, I would say. We are super small team (five full-time employees, plus myself and Keith), so we are proud to have gotten to where we are today with such a small group. I think we are exactly where we hoped we would be three years in; however, it has taken a lot more determination and hard work than I think Keith and myself thought it would when we set out on this journey.
In three more years, I would like to see WLD as a recognized producer of premium Albertan whisky. We have been quietly aging some delicious whisky in our warehouse, and I am excited at the thought of its release date, which will be in the next three years!
NCC: What is your favourite nature activity or memory?
MW: I love fly fishing. The east slopes streams off the Canadian Rockies are a fisherman's dream. Camping, hiking, fishing in these mountains is my favourite summer pastime.
NCC: Wild Life Distillery has been a partner of the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) since 2018. How did you learn about NCC?
MW: I had heard of NCC from a young age, as my mom has always been an advocate for the outdoors, and outdoor education.
NCC: Your Alberta Botanical Gin uses ingredients hand-harvested from NCC conservation lands. Where did this idea of collaborating between organizations come from?
MW: Former NCC employee Steven Ross played a key role in the Alberta Botanical Gin collaboration. The first time we met, we spoke about what the NCC was doing and Wild Life Distillery agreed to donate some funds. Then it dawned on me that there could be a potential partnership there to create something really special. From there, Alberta Botanical Gin was born, and it has been a wonderful partnership that we look forward to every summer!
Wild Life Distillery beverage (Photo courtesy Wild Life Distillery)
NCC: Is there anything special and unique about Wild Life Distillery that many people might not know?
MW: I think people tend to think we are a larger company than we really are. We operate in 1,600 square feet, which includes our distillery and our tasting room. We are owner operated and proud to have a team who all live and work in Canmore. We feel that this approach ensures our authenticity and transparency in everything that we do. And we are proud to "own" our products.
NCC: What’s a goal that you’ve made for yourself during this time of physical distancing?
MW: We have limited all non-essential travel and contact with others. We are doing curbside pick-up outside the distillery, and dropping bottles on people’s doorsteps, but we are really not coming into contact with anyone. In terms of goals, I guess it is really just to come into contact with as few people as possible.
NCC: Is there anything else that you would like to tell everyone?
MW: Both myself and Keith are from the Bow Valley, and are proud to be able to live and work in such a beautiful natural environment. We don't come from money or have deep pockets. We've put together this brand from a modest start-up budget, and a lot of hard work!
To learn more about Wild Life Distillery and find out where their products are sold, visit their website.
