B.C. Distilleries

The Woods Spirit Co.

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Friends Joel Myers and Fabio Martini’s West Coast version of Amaro uses traditional botanicals such as rhubarb and bitter orange, as well as the more unconventional grand fir.

1450 Rupert Street, North Vancouver (opening soon)
778-996-7637
TheWoodsSpiritCo.com

Read more about The Woods Spirit Co.:

• Amour for amaro: The Alchemist’s tasting panel revels in the complexities of made-in-B.C. amaros, vermouths and aperitifs

• Business in the back, party in the front: Distillery tasting rooms are some of the hottest cocktail bars in B.C. Here are a few to try in the Vancouver area

• Recipe: Local Negroni

 

PRODUCTS:

• Amaro
• Barrel-aged Amaro
• Cascadian Dry Gin
• Limoncello
• Nocino

TASTING NOTES:

Pacific Northwest Amaro

FRAGRANCE: Bright, fresh rhubarb, bitter orange peel dominate. Quince and nutmeg, too.
FLAVOUR: Bright, bitter citrus, herbs and unripe strawberry.
FEEL: A little thin.
FINISH: Quite bitter with clove, allspice and quinine.
BEST ENJOYED: After dinner. Try as a replacement to the Amaro Nonino in a Paper Plane.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Quality like this usually takes decades to perfect. A must-have for local spirit enthusiasts. —Shaun Layton, October 2017

B.C. Distilleries

Okanagan Crush Pad

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The Summerland winery makes two expressions of gin (one of them for Vij’s restaurant), and a grappa-style spirit.

16576 Fosbery Rd., Summerland
250-494-4445
okanagancrushpad.com

Read more about Okanagan Crush Pad:

• Harvest vine: Canada’s first custom crush facility moves into spirits

• Funky Town: Could B.C.’s new spirits inspire a truly West Coast cocktail culture?

PRODUCTS:

• Narrative Spirit of the Vineyard
• Narrative Twelve Botanicals Gin
• Narrative Fortified

TASTING NOTES:

Narrative Spirit of the Vineyard

FRAGRANCE: Fresh, white petals.
FLAVOUR: Pears, Gewurtztraminer.
FEEL: Lush, creamy, round.
FINISH: Dry with long pepper.
BEST ENJOYED: Neat, or subbed in for the vodka in a Vesper.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Approachable—for a grappa. —Josh Pape, April 2016

Narrative Twelve Botanicals Gin

FRAGRANCE: Raisin and orange peel.
FLAVOUR: Citrus and floral.
FEEL: Pronounced sweetness.
FINISH: White pepper spice.
BEST ENJOYED: In a gin Martini
THE BOTTOM LINE: Grape spirit gives a fruity backbone, chamomile and lemongrass really shine through. —Robyn Gray, July 2016

B.C. Distilleries

Bohemian Spirits

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Using botanicals foraged in the mountains around Kimberley, Bohemian produces small-batch hand-crafted vodka and gin.

417A 304 St., Kimberley
BohemianSprits.com

PRODUCTS:

• Vagabond Vodka
• Limited Gin
• Colossal Gin
• Eclipse Coffee Liqueur
• Forester Single Malt Oak Aged Gin
• Harmony Herbal Liqueur
• Hearth Cherry Apple Liqueur
• Honeycomb Cream Liqueur
• Rose Rhubarb Ginger Gin Liqueur
• Single Grain Red Fife Wheat Whisky
• bottled cocktails

TASTING NOTES:

Limited Gin

FRAGRANCE: Pine, woodsy, pepper.
FLAVOUR: Sweet and herbaceous.
FEEL: Creamy, balanced.
FINISH: A touch hot, dry.
BEST ENJOYED: Martini on the rocks.
THE BOTTOM LINE: A bold and full flavored gin. —Josh Pape, April 2016

Vagabond Vodka

FRAGRANCE: Subtle spice.
FLAVOUR: Sweet and spicy.
FEEL: Lightly tickling.
FINISH: White peppercorn.
BEST ENJOYED: In a Caesar.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Spicy vodka perfect for a Bloody Mary or a Caesar. —Robyn Gray, July 2016

Forester Single Malt Oak Aged Gin

FRAGRANCE: Wood on the nose.  
FLAVOUR: Caramel and light vanilla, botanicals slightly hidden.
FEEL: Has a slight heaviness to it, likely due to the barrel.
FINISH: Long and creamy. Definitely not a gin for traditional types.
BEST ENJOYED: Store in the freezer and serve with some lemon zest.
THE BOTTOM LINE: A fun, oak-aged gin. —Trevor Kallies, July 2017

Eclipse Coffee Liqueur

FRAGRANCE: Bright coffee, cherry and bitter chocolate. 
FLAVOUR: Rounded, deep, rich, sweet coffee.
FEEL: Viscous and mouth coating.
FINISH: Lasting, balanced, bittersweet coffee.
BEST ENJOYED: Caucasian, a.k.a. White Russian.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Beautiful balance of bitter and sweet allows for a great take on your favourite coffee liqueur cocktails. —Robyn Gray, October 2017