TORONTO, Jan. 21, 2025 /CNW/ - Corby Spirit and Wine's iconic J.P. Wiser's has continued its legacy of producing award-winning whiskies by earning two prestigious gold medals for its newly launched 42-Year-Old and 28-Year-Old expressions at the 2025 Canadian Whisky Awards.

As the oldest and largest producer of Canadian whisky, J.P. Wiser's continues its legacy of unwavering commitment to heritage, innovation, and excellence with its newest additions, the 42-Year-Old and 28-Year-Old expressions. The collection features releases from the '80s, '90s, and 2000s to capture the essence of each era and the original spirit of J.P. Wiser himself.

In addition to the two gold medals, the portfolio secured multiple medals during the awards ceremony and cemented its place as a leader in delivering Canadian whisky excellence:

Silver

• J.P. Wiser's 10-Year-Old
• J.P. Wiser's 15-Year-Old
• Lot No. 40 100% Rye Whisky
• Lot No. 40 Dark Oak
• Pike Creek 10-Year-OId: Rum Barrel Finish

Bronze

• J.P. Wiser's Deluxe
• J.P. Wiser's 18-Year-Old
• Lot No. 40 Rye Explorations: Cherry Wood Casks

"Each bottle is a reflection of a team who works tirelessly to honour the history behind our brands, push the boundaries of what Canadian whisky is and reaffirm our vision for the future." said Dr. Don Livermore, Master Blender at the Hiram Walker and Sons Distillery. "Winning these medals celebrates not just the blend, but the passion and journey it embodies from grain-to-glass. Thank you to the Canadian Whisky Awards for this recognition and for their unwavering support for the industry."

Held annually in conjunction with the Victoria Whisky Festival, the Canadian Whisky Awards recognize the best Canadian whiskies and encourage distillers to maintain the highest quality standards - becoming the first stop for whisky producers, distributors, retailers and fans looking for the very best.

J.P. Wiser's, Lot No. 40 and Pike Creek are available for purchase at your local alcohol retailer, or online for residents of Ontario at www.jpwisers.com.

TORONTO, ON | January 16, 2025 – New data compiled by MOBI from over 1,715 Canadian hospitality businesses and 13 million transactions looks at the 2024 trends that shaped the Canadian hospitality industry. From price inflation to customer demand and changing dietary preferences, these insights offer businesses valuable insights to adapt to the changing hospitality landscape in 2025.

Despite economic challenges, Canada’s hospitality industry showed remarkable resilience in 2024, driven by a shift in consumer focus from quantity to quality. According to MOBI CEO Shannon Hautot, “Canadians are dining out less often, but when they do, they are choosing higher-value, premium experiences. The increase in average order spend suggests consumers are prioritizing memorable, high-quality dining over frequency.”

• Price Inflation: MOBI’s Canadian restaurants saw a modest price increase of 3.2 per cent in 2024. This reflects continued operational challenges as inflation impacts both pricing strategies and consumer behaviour.
• Average Order Spend: Canadians are spending more per order, with an 8 per cent increase in the average order value, rising from $42.60 to $45.90. This indicates that while people may be dining out or ordering less frequently, many are opting for higher-value, premium menu items.
• Demand Decline: Despite the increase in order value, the demand for restaurant services in Canada dropped by 6 per cent, the sharpest decline among the countries examined. This suggests that while consumers are willing to spend more on fewer, bigger-ticket items, they are going out to eat or ordering delivery less often due to ongoing economic pressures and reduced disposable income.
• Regional Variations: Ontario saw the highest price inflation, while British Columbia exhibited more price sensitivity, with a smaller drop in average order spend. Delivery fees also varied by region: Ontario experienced a slight 2 per cent decrease, while Alberta saw a significant 16 per cent reduction in delivery charges, likely aimed at attracting more customers.

In terms of dietary preferences, plant-based eating continues to gain ground. Soy milk remains the dominant alternative milk in coffee, accounting for 90 per cent of purchases. Additionally, vegetarian orders surged by 124 per cent, signalling a shift toward plant-based diets, while vegan orders saw a modest decline of 16 per cent. Gluten-free options continued to see growth, with a 19 per cent increase in demand, while dairy-free diets grew by 8 per cent. According to Karen Paradine, Marketing Director at Chopped Leaf, these statistics are not surprising. “At Chopped Leaf, we’re seeing a widespread shift towards healthier, more sustainable eating habits among consumers.”

As the Canadian restaurant industry adapts to these evolving trends, it’s clear that operators must strike a balance between managing costs and meeting the growing demand for high-quality, plant-based, and dietary-specific offerings. Businesses that can successfully navigate these changes will be well-positioned to thrive in 2025’s competitive market.

TORONTO – JAN. 15, 2025 – Mondays suck, but the Monday after the Big Game can be many people's least favourite of the year. In fact, according to a recent survey conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Coors Light*, 60% of Canadians agree they are likely to have their own Case of the Mondays after the Big Game. With football season coming to an end, it’s easy to get a Case of the Mondays. 

Coors Light is turning a Case of the Mondays into a literal case of beer with Mondays Light, limited-edition packaging launching just in time for possibly the worst Monday of the year—the day after the Big Game.

Starting this January, Mondays Light 24-packs will roll out at select/participating retailers nationwide for purchase, featuring a bold, Mondays Light-branded design that’s just as mountain-cold refreshing as the Coors Light inside. Coors Light is also celebrating the Big Game by giving eligible 21+ fans across Canada the chance to win an epic trip for two to the 2026 Big Game event** in California. Canadians can visit coorslight.ca/caseofthemondays for more information and how to enter for a chance to win.   

On Monday, Coors Light experienced its own Case of the Mondays when the brand released a series of ads across Canada that spelled “refreshment” as “refershment,” giving a playful nod to the kind of mishaps Mondays are notorious for.

“We all know that many Canadians don’t generally love Mondays, but the Monday after the Big Game can feel like a particularly slow start to the week,” said Leslie Malcolm, Vice President Marketing, Canada, Molson Coors Beverage Company. “So, we’re giving new meaning to the phrase ‘Case of the Mondays’ with our limited-editioncase of Coors Light. Mondays Light is our way of having a bit of fun with Canadian fans leading up to the Big Game where they can catch our exciting new spot.”

Coors Light is returning to the Big Game for the second year in a row with a new 30-second Canadian spot for both English and French-Canadian audiences. The commercial, developed by Mischief, will air on the CTV, TSN and RDS broadcasts of the Big Game on February 9, 2025. Additional campaign details will be revealed in the weeks leading up to the Big Game. 

Coors Light isn’t the only one experiencing a Case of the Mondays this football season.  According to the survey conducted by Talker Research *over a quarter of Canadians (28%) say that they have taken the Monday after the Big Game off. Mondays in general are Canadians’ least favourite day of the week with 87% agreeing that ‘Mondays are the worst’, with over a third (36%) saying that getting sucked back into routine was their biggest reason for disliking the day. Nearly half of Canadians (41%) stated that not having to work would make their Monday more tolerable, while sleeping in would prove to be a boost for nearly 3 in 10 (29%).

Fans can follow @CoorsLightCanada</a> on Instagram for more surprises leading up to the Big Game.</p>"

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Penelope Bourbon celebrates a unique chapter in whiskey history with its latest release of American Light Whiskey. This year's rare release features whiskey distilled at 189 proof in 2006 at the historic Seagram's site in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, which is now the Ross & Squibb Distillery. The whiskey was aged for 17 years in second-fill oak barrels and bottled at cask strength of 138.8 proof (69.4% ABV). The result of the unique distilling and aging process is a standout offering with a smooth, mellow profile. A very limited supply of Penelope American Light Whiskey will be available beginning in February in select markets at a minimum suggested retail price of $99.99.

In contrast to higher proof bourbons which can be bold and intense, Penelope American Light Whiskey is an approachable and refined expression. Due to the unique production methods and limited number of bottles available, it's a must-have for collectors and enthusiasts.

"American Light Whiskey is always one of our favorite releases of the year," said Michael Paladini, Penelope founder and vice president of strategy for MGP. "We released a 13-year-old American Light Whiskey in 2021 and a 15-year-old in 2024. This year's release will be a 17-year-old American Light Whiskey, which are the oldest barrels we have ever released. Rich and flavorful, this is truly a special whiskey, and we are excited to get it out into the market."

Penelope American Light Whiskey is crafted from a mash bill of 99% corn and 1% malted barley. With sweet and smooth aromas of butterscotch, cake batter and cotton candy, Penelope American Light Whiskey imparts flavors of brown sugar, vanilla bean ice cream and light orchard fruits. The lingering finish features notes of light butter, waffle cone and powdered sugar.

"This release is the result of an innovative chapter in the history of American whiskey," said Danny Polise, Penelope founder and master blender. "The high corn mash bill and long aging really brings out unique character in the batch. It's truly been a pleasure to watch this whiskey evolve with aging and be able to release this 17 year batch after our prior 13 and 15 year releases."

Penelope American Light Whiskey is part of Penelope's annual Limited Releases – exclusive offerings featuring some of the rarest and more unique barrels, representing the pinnacle of blending innovation and barrel selection. Other Limited Releases include F*ck Cancer and award-winning Toasted Rye. A product locator for the Penelope family of bourbons can be found here.