Spirit-making finds a home in Sudbury: Crosscut Distillery gains a foothold in growing Northern market.

• Date: 01 January 2019
• Author: McKinley, Karen

Making spirits has been a daydream of Shane Prodan's for years.

After dealing with marketing, regulations and sourcing ingredients, he said the reaction from the public after opening Sudbury's first distillery has been a pleasant surprise.

His venture, Crosscut Distillery, opened its doors April 4 in an industrial park in the city's south end.

The first few months have been one long experiment in different formulas, gauging public opinion and keeping up with demand.

"It may sound corny, but the reaction we've been getting has been heartwarming," he said. "The alcohol manufacturing industry is one of the most heavily regulated, next to the oil industry. The first year is not exciting, but the passion keeps us going."

The distillery is the first in the city and one of the few in the province classified as a grains-to-glass establishment. All their alcohol is produced on the premises, with most of their grains and botanicals coming from local growers.

Recently, LCBO locations in Sudbury have been carrying their product. This is a huge milestone Prodan has been working towards since the beginning, he said, as it means consumers can find their product in other locations besides the distillery.

Some...