On the Town: BC Distilled

With 34 distilleries under one roof, the fourth annual BC Distilled festival offered a bounty of booze.

Odd Society distiller Gordon Glanz brought along his daughter Mia Glanz to the fest. Jeff Grayston photo.
Bohemian Spirits owners Wade Jarvis and Ervyn Turcon made the trek from Kimberley to East Van. Jeff Grayston photo.
Ampersand’s Jeremy Schacht and Jessica McLeod were all smiles after the distillery’s gin and vodka were named audience favourites for the second year running. Jeff Grayston photo.
B.C. distilling pioneers Jorg and Anette Engel poured samples of their Maple Leaf Spirits. Jeff Grayston photo.
Adding a pop of colour to the proceedings were Dubh Glas distiller Grant Stevely and Jovia Barnett. Jeff Grayston photo.
Nothing sneaky about it; Stealth Distilleries Co. president John Pocekovic (left) and master distiller Randy Poulin were proud to show off their super-clean vodka. Jeff Grayston photo.

Bohemian Spirits

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