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Hearst vodka producers earn LCBO honour

Rheault Distillery ’s Loon Vodka, made in Hearst, was recognized by the LCBO as the best product made in Ontario at the 2015 Elsie Awards. The Elsie Awards, a play on LCBO, is an annual industry awards program.
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Mireille Morin (centre) and Marcel Rheault, owners of Rheault Distillery in Hearst, were presented with their 2015 Elsie Award by Allison Rickaby, director of the Alcohol Policy Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Finance.

Rheault Distillery’s Loon Vodka, made in Hearst, was recognized by the LCBO as the best product made in Ontario at the 2015 Elsie Awards.

The Elsie Awards, a play on LCBO, is an annual industry awards program.

“2015 marks the 21st anniversary of the Elsie Awards, which gives the LCBO the opportunity to honour its trade partners for their hard work, dedication and support,” said Shari Mogk-Edwards, LCBO vice-president of products, sales and merchandising and co-chair of the Elsie Awards, in a news release.

“While all our trade partners contribute to LCBO’s success, the Elsie Awards enable us to recognize those who have distinguished themselves by going above and beyond to deliver excellence.”

Loon Vodka is an alpha vodka, which means it’s distilled four times and has a final methanol percentage of less than 0.002 per cent.

The product earned a silver medal at the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and shortly after became a staple on the LCBO’s shelves.

Last fall, the distillery received an innovation award from the province, one of five Premier's Awards for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence that were awarded to agri-food producers across Ontario. Rheault was the sole recipient from the North.