Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois welcome Cooper Sleeman, from John Sleeman & Son’s Spring Mill Distillery, to discuss the evolution of Canada’s craft spirits industry and how the Sleeman family legacy inspired a new generation of whisky making. The episode also explores the week’s food and agriculture news, including the Iran war’s oil and diesel price volatility, fertilizer costs and supply, the upcoming increase in the Carney Wholesale Carbon Tax, all adding up to food inflation pressures, plus our impressions of the Restaurants Canada tradeshow, Toronto pizza crawl, and the wisdom of Tommy Norris.
In this episode of The Food Professor Podcast, Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois sit down with Cooper Sleeman, from John Sleeman & Sons Company’s Spring Mill Distillery, to explore how one of Canada’s most recognizable brewing families is redefining the country’s craft spirits landscape.
Cooper shares the remarkable story behind Spring Mill Distillery and how the Sleeman family’s brewing legacy—dating back nearly two centuries—ultimately inspired the launch of a new whisky-focused venture in Ontario. After Sleeman Breweries was acquired by Sapporo, Cooper and his father began exploring the possibility of building a Canadian distillery capable of producing world-class spirits traditionally associated with other countries. Their vision was ambitious: to produce bourbon-style whiskey, single malt, Irish-style blends, and Canadian rye entirely in Canada, using domestic grains and craftsmanship.
During the conversation, Cooper explains how Spring Mill Distillery differentiates itself in a competitive spirits market. The distillery focuses on premium production methods, including Canadian grains, handcrafted barrels, and traditional distillation equipment sourced from Scotland. One standout product—Cooper’s Rye—uses Canadian rye aged in barrels crafted by Cooper’s own brother, a trained cooper, making it a uniquely Canadian whisky from grain to glass.
Beyond the interview, Michael and Sylvain begin the episode with their food and agriculture news roundup. The hosts analyze global developments affecting the food supply chain, including volatility in oil markets linked to the Iran war, fertilizer costs impacting farmers during planting season, and the potential knock-on effects on food prices for Canadian consumers. They also discuss industry topics, ranging from restaurant trends spotted at the Restaurants Canada show to those experienced firsthand on their Toronto pizza crawl, which ended at the fabulous Bar Sugo, and Sylvain’s visit with the President of McDonald’s Canada.