Black Fox Farm & Distillery wins IWSC 2025 Worldwide Whiskey Producer Trophy

On the vast Canadian prairies, where summer heat scorches at +40°C and winter plunges to -40°C, Black Fox Farm & Distillery has redefined what Canadian whiskey can be.

This year, the family-run farm distillery has claimed the IWSC 2025 Worldwide Whiskey Producer Trophy, a landmark recognition for a team that has spent just over a decade turning grain and weather into a bold new Canadian spirit. 

The difference between “whisky” and “whiskey” is more than spelling. Whisky - without an “e” - is the convention in Scotland and Canada, while “whiskey” with an “e” is associated with Ireland and the US. Black Fox deliberately embraces the latter, a small signal of their mission to break from convention and push Canadian whiskey into new territory. 

Founded by John Cote and Barb Stefanyshyn-Cote, Black Fox is the antithesis of Canada’s historic whiskey giants. As fifth-generation farmers, they grow 95% of their own grains, control every step “from crop to connoisseur,” and age their whiskey outdoors in the wild prairie climate - making weather a deliberate ingredient in maturation. This raw, elemental approach produces whiskeys unlike any other. 

Judges were impressed by how the distillery balances craft, innovation and people-first values. Spirits Judging Committee member Dawn Davies MW who oversaw the judging noted: “They are really driving the Canadian whiskey category hard in Canada. They are showing a lot of sustainability and are pushing forward.” Fellow Spirits Judging Committee member Olivier Ward agreed, adding, “They brought a bit of youth and excitement. It felt more of the moment.” 

That energy extends beyond the spirit. With 75% female staff and 90% long-term employee retention, Black Fox is rewriting what a whiskey workplace looks like. Their bottles have been served to royalty - Princess Anne and King Charles III among them - while their experiments with Canadian oak barrels mark the first significant domestic cooperage use since Prohibition. And it’s not just whiskey: their Haskap Gin recently earned a near-perfect 99 points at the IWSC, an honour achieved by only three other gins in the competition’s 60-year history. 

Judge Joel Harrison summed up the judges’ sentiment: “Canadian whiskey has traditionally been led by massive brands, so it’s nice to see a craft element coming through.” In an industry where massive brands dominate, Black Fox proves craft distilling can reshape national categories whilst honouring the land that creates them.

Congratulations to Black Fox Farm & Distillery.