Singer Michael Bublé with his Fraser & Thompson whiskey.

You don’t need to put on a tuxedo to try

Fraser & Thompson

whiskey but it wouldn’t be out of place either. Grammy-award winning singer Michael Bublé teamed up with Master Distiller and Blender Paul Cirka to create this ‘North America’ whiskey named in tribute to two rivers in Canada where Bublé spent time with his beloved grandfather growing up. I spoke with Bublé about this special relationship, the challenge of selling whiskey after selling 75 millions albums and how he almost became a snack for some polar bears.

Your new whiskey is named after two rivers where you spent time with your grandfather. Tell me about him.

I come from a really proud Italian family. My grandpa had a little cellar and he would make his own wine. It was famous — all the neighbors loved to come over. It had a little bit of carbonation to it. It was delicious. It was strong. Then he would make a little grappa and then he would take cherries and put those in the grappa. Every night at our family dinner everybody was allowed a little sip.

I once had an interview at my home with a journalist who had come to meet my grandparents. They were featuring me in a story and my grandparents have greatly influenced who I am. One funny moment was when my grandfather served wine and grappa cherries, and soon, the entire crew, including the camera guy, was slightly intoxicated.

Everyday, I drink from a coffee cup adorned with a photo of my grandfather. He is my hero.

Why were the Fraser and Thompson rivers special?

My grandfather, who spent 55 years as a plumber but always aspired to be a geography teacher, used to take my sisters and me camping. He always delighted in showing us the point where the mighty Fraser river met the stunning glacial waters of the Thompson — a point of confluence. Paying tribute to him in this way is important to me. He would have been very proud. Not only is it a brilliant marketing idea to mix this whiskey with such a perfect image, but it’s also a touching homage.

I also dropped some cool little ‘Easter eggs’ into the bottle design. People will never understand this but that’s okay. It’s not for them to comprehend, it’s for me. At the very top of the label is my grandpa’s birthday. And then on the side near the batch number is my birthday. And there’s more — lots of things that pay tribute to him.

Fraser & Thompson whiskey.

What made you want to do a whiskey in his honor instead of a wine?

Personally I’m not a big fan of wine. I prefer whiskey, always have. This project began three years ago on my birthday. My manager introduced a bunch of different products from this distiller Paul Cirka and said “this guy’s interested in you being an ambassador but I don’t think it’s going to work because it’s too small of a company.” But we passed around the bottles that night and we fell in love with it. I mean we really fell in love with it.

So I posed the question, what would happen if we purchased the company? How about we join in the investment, thereby becoming partners? I queried my manager if he would entertain the idea of being a part of such a venture, to which he positively responded. A friend of mine, with whom I co-own a hockey team, expressed interest in participating too. Emphasizing a spirit of adventure, I rallied everyone with the thought, “So let’s give this a go. Let’s have some fun.” Consequently, we found ourselves as co-owners of a unique boutique distillery. Looking back, it amuses me that my level of comprehension about this business was so lacking that I mistakenly referred to the distillery as a “brewery” in my first interaction with Paul Cirka.

Since you stepped into the whiskey industry, what has been your most surprising observation?

I found striking similarities between Paul’s work and mine. In essence, making whiskey can be equated to the process of creating music – piecing together different notes, textures and grooves to construct an emotive melody. It’s about discovering the ideal blend that resonates with people. It didn’t take me long to realize Paul’s passion for his craft. Generally, most of my conversations revolve around music. If I were to release a record now and you queried about the seventh track, I could delve into a detailed conversation spanning hours, explaining the intricate behind-the-scenes production. Each and every note, the underlying mood, the personal and emotional significance it holds for me – I’d happily chat about it all. While this might seem tedious to you, for me, it is far from it. I genuinely enjoy it. Similarly, Paul devoted considerable time to ensure perfection in his concoction. Without a doubt, he is the true star of this venture.

Which signature Michael Bublé song would you recommend to enjoy with a glass of Fraser & Thompson?

Oh, that’s a really good question. I gotta say it depends on what mood you’re in. Are we in a party mood or are we in a chill mood?

Michael Bublé and Paul Cirka.

We’re drinking it for the first time. We’re hanging. And we’re going to put on one of your songs in the background.

I think we start with ‘Feeling Good.’ It starts off sophisticated. Sexy. Slow. It might go down smooth but by the end it’ll be like a hammer. (Laughs) I just started to build production in my mind. I have some confetti flying and a couple pyro shots going off.

Who are some individuals you would enjoy sharing a drink of Fraser & Thompson with?

Among my favorite people to enjoy a drink with is Blake Shelton. We’re lively like little ones, full of laughter. We don’t get too bogged down by life. Plus, he’s quite a humorous character. I relish the times when I appear on talk shows where they serve some drinks. Those are fun instances (laughs) as everyone tends to let loose a bit. One other fellow I appreciate immensely is Graham Norton, a British host and a wonderful friend.

What is your preferred way to savor your whiskey?

My preferences vary depending upon the mood and the extent of my thirst. I sometimes enjoy it chilled, sometimes prefer to mix it up. I have tried mixing it with Pepsi. I’ve even paired it with sparkling wine. (Laughs) I did mix it with this special holiday drink that’s been named after me, the ‘Merry Berry Bublé’. That turned out to be quite pleasant but my default choice remains whiskey on the rocks.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – OCTOBER 01: Michael Bublé performs on stage during his “Higher” tour at Rogers Arena on October 01, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Andrew Chin/Getty Images)

Did you have the same anticipation releasing the whiskey as you do with a new record?

For the last 20 years I have written and recorded a record for six months. I have then gone to 20 countries to promo the record for three months. I then go on the road to 50 countries for a year and a half or two years and tour. And I have lived in that cycle for the last 20 years of my life. And you know what? I have put everything else aside in my life. And I mean I have stopped everything so that I could concentrate on making sure that this is a massive success.

I can’t believe this is finally here. I am inexperienced in the business of selling spirits. I really naively thought that we would make the juice and that would be the tough part. Then it will be everywhere, you know what I mean? (Laughs) But apparently it takes time.

Music is my life. I love to create. That’s an addiction that is impossible to walk away from. But I can’t really express how exciting it is for me to have this new challenge. Every day there’s a new celebrity spirit but there’s a reason why some work and some don’t. I think people know when somebody’s truly in or just doing it for a money grab.

Where are you calling from today?

I just got to Las Vegas from your home country. I was up in Churchill on a polar bear expedition.

I’ve been to Churchill. And I didn’t realize that we were so delicious for polar bears. I was with a friend of mine and we were filming a movie. I had had a few drinks at this wrap party and I started running down the beach where there’s all the big rocks. And this fellow, a native from there, just started swearing at us — I mean full-on using every cuss word. We didn’t realize that there were polar bears probably just licking their lips waiting for us. And I was in worse shape then. So I would’ve been easy to catch.

Were you faster than your friend? They might have gotten to him first.

No! My friend was Barry Pepper (laughs). He’s this Tom-Cruise-looking actor guy. He used to do sit-ups and stuff before takes while I was drinking whiskey. So, yeah. I would’ve been caught.

We almost lost one of the great singers of our time to a polar bear dinner.

I would have been a delicious and fatty snack. Really plump and slow.