Gordon's Gin Bottle

1960s

Gordon’s Gin came to Waterloo in 1964 as part of a deal between the parent company Tanqueray Gordon and Company Limited and Distillers Corporation-Seagram’s Limited. They began production in Canada to counter the problems of importing gin from England. It was a small operation, with everything from production to marketing done under the direction of Gordon’s only employee in Canada, Charles Phypers. Gordon’s Gin began to flow in Waterloo in June of 1964 and would continue until 1989, when Tanqueray moved the production to a plant in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec.

Featured here is a unique spring-cap lid that likely dates to the 1960s when Gordon’s first began producing gin in Waterloo. The label showcases a boar’s head and is thought to be a connection to family folklore. The lore says that a member of the Gordon family saved a prince from a boar attack, and in return, the family was awarded a boar’s head on its crest.

To learn more about Gordon’s Gin and the Seagram connection visit our virtual exhibit Integrity, Craftsmanship, Tradition.

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