Patent 5 Distillery and Tasting Room

Located in a 1904-era building in Winnipeg’s East Exchange District, Patent 5 Distillery offers a taste of Manitoba from inside a beautifully renovated cocktail bar that pays tribute to the area’s rich history. Originally serving as a livery stable for horses and later a warehouse, the Dominion Express Co. building’s conversion into an award-winning craft distillery and tasting room involved incorporating salvaged elements from a now-demolished century-old hotel nearby.

Adorned with intricate detailing from the historic Oak Room at the St. Regis Hotel that once stood on Smith Street, the Patent 5 Distillery Tasting Room provides a charming ambience that celebrates Winnipeg’s past, while creating a distinctive and forward-looking brand identity. The tasting room, ranked as One of Canada’s 100 Best Bars in 2020, features backlit stained-glass windows and heavy oak corbels that anchor the space. Salvaged and refinished oak paneling surrounds the bar and adds warmth, while chandeliers from the former hotel flicker above.

A hand-carved cherub header frames a view to the copper stills and impressive, ten foot high, sliding stained-glass doors announce the entrance to the distillery beyond. A complementary stained concrete floor, paint finishes and vintage-inspired lighting enhance the historical features and create a dramatic and welcoming experience.

Effort was also taken to restore the original brickwork, preserve the original large-curved glass exterior window and integrate new overhead glazed doors that blend seamlessly with the design, providing a visual and physical connection to the outdoors. The full flavour of this unique addition to the East Exchange District is best appreciated in the evening when patrons are taken back in time, enjoying vintage-inspired craft cocktails created with in-house distilled spirits in the glow of stained glass and candlelight.