A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.

Wooden Walls Distilling took the top prize in the varietal vodka category, beating out competitors in North America, Europe and Australia. Judges said their Evening Tide Vodka had a “funky and distinct aroma,” and a “compelling unique quality.”

“To have it recognized on a world stage was just really, you know, unexpected for us and exciting at the same time,” said Matthew Pribag, who manages the distillery in downtown St. John’s.

The distillery uses a mix of wheat, rye and oats in their Evening Tide Vodka, and co-founder Peter Madden said a long fermentation process helps set the spirit apart.

The vodka spends about a week fermenting at the distillery in St. John’s, before it is distilled, filtered and bottled.

“We do it at a lower temperature, just to have a process that is slow, controlled and pulls those flavours out really well,” Madden said.

He said each of the grains comes from farms in Atlantic Canada.

The award is an early recognition for the young distillery, which opened its doors in St. John’s in late 2022.

“It only takes one sip, I think, for people to recognize the quality and craftsmanship that goes into our products,” said Pribag.

Madden said business has been tougher than expected, but he’s hoping an international award will help the distillery make more inroads in Newfoundland and Labrador.

“We’re the only distillery and the first distillery ever in St. John’s,” Madden said.

“First legal distillery, we always say,” he added with a laugh.

The business draws from many traditional elements in Newfoundland and Labrador. The name Wooden Walls is a homage to the large boats that carried men from St. John’s to the sealing grounds near the turn of the 20th century.

The tasting room is located in downtown St. John’s, in a building that once housed Templeton’s — a well-known and long-running family paint shop.

Staff have overseen extensive renovations to project a “comforting, speakeasy vibe,” said Pribag.

In a province that has particular alcohol preferences — and some heavy favourites — it can be hard for a new entrant to break into the market.

“It’s very hard to differentiate,” Madden said. “We want people to know that we’re actually making this stuff right downtown.”

“There’s a difference. It’s made here. There’s so much care put into each bottle. It’s different than the other products you see on the shelves in that way.”

Madden’s true love is whiskey, and his staff are planning to spend more time and energy in that market in the future — but he said the Evening Tide vodka will always be the distillery’s signature vodka.

The drink capped off their “Maiden Voyage” series of vodkas, where staff created four single-grain vodkas, sent them into customers’ cups for feedback, and tried to combine the best parts into one drink.

The vodka is available to purchase at liquor stores in Newfoundland and Labrador, and Madden said he hopes he can soon make the spirit available across the country.

“It will just take some time, and then we’ll get there.”

For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery. “We saw something,” Wiseman says. “Who knows? It’s unexplainable, it’s unbelievable.” The couple says it was a cold and windy day when they peered out across the loch. It was Wiseman who first spotted something moving in the water below. “We’re looking down and Shannon goes ‘What’s that thing?'” Malm recalls. The family thought perhaps it was a seal or an otter, but when they mentioned their sighting to the captain of a boat tour, they were told later that day that those animals don’t live in the loch. They had taken out books on the Loch Ness Monster from the library to prepare for their vacation and their kids, aged three and five, were convinced they had seen the elusive “Nessie.” Canadians Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman are shown in this undated handout photo. The Canadian couple living in Great Britain have been thrusted into the limelight after capturing images of what could be the famed Loch Ness Monster in Scotland. (HO-Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman / The Canadian Press) When they returned home, Malm says he was “doom scrolling” the internet and stumbled upon the “Official Loch Ness Sightings Register” website and decided to submit their pictures. “The Loch Ness people got in touch with us and now we are enjoying our 15 minutes of fame,” he says. The register calls the photo “compelling new evidence,” and has deemed it the first Nessie sighting of 2024. Since then, their photo and story have appeared all over British papers. The couple says they are enjoying the attention, even if it comes with ribbing from family members. “My brother asked me how my tinfoil hat fits,” Malm laughs. “So I don’t know if he was a good audience.” But the family is choosing to believe that, perhaps, they saw something people have been searching for since 500 AD when the first sighting allegedly took place. The mystery of the Loch Ness Monster took off in the 1930s, and exploded after a famous photo was published showing what appears to be a beast rearing its head out of the water. The picture was later exposed as a hoax, but the intrigue persists despite little evidence to support a large water creature living in the loch. Last summer, hundreds of volunteers flocked to Scotland in one of the largest “hunts” in years. They used state of the art technology including Sonar, but nothing conclusive turned up. Still, people continue to believe there might be something in the water, and Wiseman is one of them. Our children full on believe it’s Nessie, so I believe it’s Nessie.”

Some people love to wash their car, and for others, it’s their most hated chore. It’s a necessity for car owners, so no matter where you fall on the love-hate spectrum, you want a car wash that’s going to give your car a deep clean that lasts. Automatic car washes are at almost any gas…

  When you take your car to the car wash, there are multiple add-ons available, and one common choice is spray-on wax. It may seem like it doesn’t make a difference, but there are some important benefits. And these benefits go beyond how shiny your will car looks. What Are the Benefits of Waxing Your…

Even when you are lucky enough to start with an empty room, it can be overwhelming to design an interior that you can enjoy for years to come. Following some basic interior design principles, you can transform your space into a relaxing room you will be comfortable and happy with. Decide what your focal point will be and build out from there.  For best results, keep proportion and scale in mind as you decorate as well as these tips!

 Deciding on Your Focal Point
Do you have a magnificent bay window with an incredible view?  Is there an ornate mantle that is the reason you fell in love with your home? Or is there something you absolutely MUST HAVE in the room? Situate your furniture around your chosen focal point to create balance and equilibrium. If your room does not already have an existing focal point, create one with oversized art or add an accent point like a free-standing fireplace, they come in a variety of sizes and styles. Symmetrically balance the room evenly so that both sides mirror one another.  This will help your chosen focal point stand out all the more! Use matching accent tables to flank your sofa or use different pieces of furniture to create a copacetic visual impact, like two similar armchairs to balance a sofa.
Repetition for Rhythm
Rhythm creates a flow and helps direct the eye to the differing visual elements in your room. Just as the notes of a favorite song repeat to create the rhythm, repetition in decor will create a rhythm throughout a home. Establish visual interests with a rhythm throughout your space by placing similar colours or patterns at intervals and repeat in artwork, cushions or area rugs.

Perfect Proportion and Suitable Scaling
Who doesn’t love a large, overstuffed chair? But if your room is on the smaller size it may look out of place and make your room seem even smaller than it is. Keep proportion in perspective. Proportion is the ratio between a piece of furniture and the size of a room. Scale is the size of a piece of furniture in relation to the other pieces of furniture in the room. A super large chair will overpower an apartment of loft size sofa or loveseat and create a sense of unbalance in the room.

Have your room humming harmoniously
Creating harmony will enhance how much you will continue to love your finished. Pull the room with a subdued colour palette for a pleasing, harmonious vibe.   together for a pleasing, harmonious look with a subdued color palette. You can also use a single colour for elements that vary in size and shape. Check out our blog on Doing White on White Right! for more tips!

What is the focal point in your room?  What is your best tip to find harmony and balance through your home?