World-Famous Whiskey

World-Famous Whiskey. Stewart Park. , [Photo captions, counterclockwise from top left, read] , . Spalding and Stewart , . Spalding and Stewart , . McLaren's Distillery , . THE TAY FROM HAGGARTS , . [Trail map and] Legend , The Tay River Trail is an historic pathway and portage site that dates back to the military settlement of Perth-upon-Tay, in 1816. With the Tay Basin as the hub or home port of the trail, you can travel upstream - toward the river's source at Bobs Lake - or downstream to the Tay delta, where the River spills into the Lower Rideau Lake., Watch for the "navigational trail markers" that are similiar to the buoys found in the Tay River. When looking through the circular viewfinder in the marker, you can sight the next trail marker and chart your course along the trail. The trail markers' coloured faces tell you whether you are heading upstream (green side facing) along the trail or downstream (red side facing) along the trail., Mountain Dew , "In 1836 Perth had eight taverns, seven stores selling liquor, three distilleries and a brewery. Its population was only about 1000, but the local temperance society proclaimed 511 adherents. As well, John A. McLaren declared that "the very acme of heroism with the highlander of Scotland or the well-to-do Irish peasant was the illict distillation of Mountain Dew" for the Scorch or the "Potteen" for the Irish. Either half the townspeople were heavy drinkers, or the other half were outrageous liars." , An excerpt from "Perth – Traditions and Style in eastern Ontario", by Larry Turner., In the 1830s, the surplus barley from local farmers' crops was brewed into Perth's own finest malt whiskies by the town's Scots pioneers. Several distilleries were located along the banks of the Tay, their brews fueling the local folk and serving as a viable export commodity. Although these distilleries were common throughout Eastern Ontario, by the turn of the 20th century there were only three left - two of which were in Perth - Spalding and Stewart and McLaren's Distillery., On the northwest corner of Gore and Harvey Streets, William Locke started his brewery using a 1,400 gallon tank. He later sold it to James Spalding and Robert Stewart, who became that dates famous for their brand name Scotch whiskies "Old Perth" and "Mountain Dew". They built tunnels beneath the brewery for the purpose of illegal shipment and storage during prohibition. The business closed in 1916 due to Ontario's new Temperance Laws., The McLaren's Distillery, located on Cockburn Island from 1839-1916, was also shut down due to prohibition laws and later dismantled. They used a 40-gallon still to produce their genuine "Uquebaugh", named "V.V.O. Canadian Scotch". The distillery prided itself on the clarity of the Tay River water and their routine of feeding the leftover (de-alcoholised) barley mash to the cows that roamed (staggered) about on the other side of the river on Haggart's Island., In 1901, the business was handed down to John A. Stewart. After Stewart's sudden death in 1922, his widow donated the land to the Town of Perth to be maintained as a park in memory of her husband. Today's Stewart Park - although the cows are long gone - stands as a testimony to Perth's colourful past.,