Why Canadian Club Has Code 42 at the SAQ: The Story Behind an Iconic Number
Introduction
On the SAQ website, Canadian Club whisky carries product code 42 — the lowest number in the entire catalogue. Behind this administrative detail lies a revealing clue about the history of alcohol sales in Québec.
What Is an SAQ Product Code?
An SAQ code is neither a popularity ranking nor an official indicator of age.
It is simply an internal identifier assigned when a product enters the catalogue. Each new item receives a unique number, added sequentially.
As a result, the lowest codes belong to products introduced very early and kept active ever since.
The number 42 points to a time when the catalogue was extremely limited, long before today’s vast and diversified selection.
Canadian Club: A Historic Whisky
Origins in the 19th Century
To understand why Canadian Club holds this symbolic position, we need to go back to the 19th century and Hiram Walker, a foundational figure in Canadian whisky.
Based in Walkerville, Ontario, Walker began producing whisky in the 1850s, earning recognition for its consistency at a time when standardization was far from guaranteed.
From Walker’s Club Whisky to Canadian Club
Contrary to popular belief, the name Canadian Club didn’t exist from the beginning. The whisky was originally known as Walker’s Club Whisky, widely consumed in private clubs and hotels, especially in the United States.
As imitations multiplied, Walker adopted the explicit name Canadian Club in the late 19th century, both as a marker of identity and a tool against counterfeiters.
The Québec Liquor Commission and the First Catalogue
In 1921, in the wake of Prohibition, the Québec Liquor Commission was created with a mission to regulate, standardize and control alcohol sales.
The initial catalogue was intentionally limited to products considered:
reliable,
consistent,
already well-established.
Canadian Club naturally stood out as one of these foundational references.
Code 42: An Administrative Trace of Early Integration
The code 42 is not a legal proof of age, but it is a compelling record of just how early Canadian Club was integrated into Québec’s regulated system — and how it has remained continuously available for over a century.
A Modern Contrast: FOVE’s Acerum Blanc
Meanwhile, FOVE Acerum Blanc carries code 14999038.
Eight digits — and a long evolution since the era of 42. But it carries a clear ambition:
To be here a century from now.
Perhaps one day, someone will look at our number to tell the story of our own first hundred years.
Conclusion
Code 42 is more than a number. It’s a window into Québec’s alcohol history, a symbol of Canadian Club’s enduring presence, and a reminder that today’s emerging producers — like FOVE — are building the next chapter.
