Whisky from Nisku, Alta., chosen as House of Commons' Speaker's Whisky

For the first time ever, the House of Commons' speaker has chosen a Canadian whisky for its Speaker's Whisky.

Nisku’s Rig Hand Distillery is thrilled to have its Rocking R Whisky chosen for the long-standing tradition in the House of Commons while also breaking the norms of selecting a scotch.

“We had to send samples down," Geoff Stuart of Rig Hand Distillery explained. "We ended up getting shortlisted to the tasting panel where the MPs actually go in and taste and vote. It’s a double blind taste test which is a true test if you ask me. Our hundred per cent rye whisky, Rocking R Whisky, won first place by a landslide.”

House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota explained how the Nisku-made whisky was chosen.

“Although we chose the scotch initially, with COVID coming into play we had a hard time getting a supply from Scotland,” said Rota. “It was the perfect excuse to see what Canada had to offer.”

Rota said every distillery in Canada was eligible to send out their samples to the House of Commons for selection where the Rocking R Whisky came out on top out of the six shortlisted whiskies.

Former House Speaker Peter Milliken was inspired by British and Scottish Parliament to select a Speaker’s Scotch in 2003 with the goal of sharing the selected beverage with MPs and the general public.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jessica Robb