Alberta craft whisky lands on Costco shelves as trade war looms

CONSUMER Alberta craft whisky lands on Costco shelves as trade war looms By Karen Bartko Global News Posted September 22, 2026 8:48 pm 5 min read The fall means the busiest spirit-buying season of the year and Alberta distillers are getting a huge shot in the arm, with one of the province's largest retailers now carrying select products. Skylar Peters explains why they say it's perfect timing as the ongoing trade war with the United States is set to affect the industry. LEAVE A COMMENT SHARE THIS ITEM ON FACEBOOK SHARE THIS ITEM ON X SEND THIS PAGE TO SOMEONE VIA EMAIL SEE MORE SHARING OPTIONS DESCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE INCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE Craft producers of Alberta whisky are getting a boost ahead of their busiest sales season and a looming U.S. ban on Canadian alcohol, as Costco liquor stores across the province have begun carrying a selection of locally made whiskies. Last week, the retailer started stocking eight products from seven small Alberta distilleries at its 15 liquor stores, from Medicine Hat in the south to Grande Prairie in the north. “If you’re into Alberta whisky, you’re gonna see it’s slightly different at each Costco,” said Bryce Parsons, president of the Alberta Craft Distillers Association and co-founder of True Wild Distilling, whose liquor is being stocked at Calgary’s Heritage Costco location. “Every Costco is a little bit different — a bit of a treasure hunt.” SHARE THIS ON X CLICK TO SHARE QUOTE ON X: "EVERY COSTCO IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT — A BIT OF A TREASURE HUNT." The liquor store at the Costco Tsuut’ina in southwest Calgary has whisky from Wild Life Distillery in Canmore, Bridgeland Distillery in Calgary, Anohka Distillery near Stony Plain in Parkland County, and Eau Clare Distillery in Diamond Valley. STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT “People know what they want but this allows them to explore something new,” said Brian Lerner, manager of Costco Tsuut’ina liquor store, who said customers are increasingly interested in supporting locally made products. “People want to buy things that have been made and produced with care from the people around us,” Lerner added. “They make fantastic products here in Alberta.” SHARE THIS ON X CLICK TO SHARE QUOTE ON X: "THEY MAKE FANTASTIC PRODUCTS HERE IN ALBERTA." Whisky from The Maligne Range distillery in Jasper and Burwood distillery in Calgary are also included in the Costco showcase. 2:53 Alberta Matters: Challenges small liquor producers face in the…