Canada's only magazine dedicated to distillers, spirits and cocktail culture.
Whisky enthusiasts have a new reason to raise a glass with the launch of the Northwest Whiskey Trail. The trail, which takes visitors on a journey to some of the best single malt distilleries in the Pacific Northwest, is set to become a must-visit destination for both locals and tourists alike.
The North Shore will forever hold a piece of Canadian brewing history, as West Vancouver holds the distinction as the site of the country’s first ever microbrewery.
Horseshoe Bay Brewery started brewing beer for the nearby Troller Bay Pub in 1982, long before the craft beer boom exploded on the West Coast decades later.
Horseshoe Bay Brewery is no longer pumping out the suds on the North Shore – although it spawned some other B.C. breweries that are still very much alive – but in its place are now a dozen North Vancouver breweries, a number that seemingly rises each year.
Many of those establishments are clustered in the City of North Vancouver’s burgeoning Brewery District, a neighbourhood that now boasts seven breweries within easy walking distance of each other.
Early visitors to Yaletown Distillery on Vancouver’s Hamilton Street may have tripped to—or rather, over—its connection to Yaletown Brewing, a block away. Originally, the fermented base for the spirits came through a hose in the sidewalk. “The wash comes through this pipe now,” says brewer-distiller Tariq Khan, pointing toward the ceiling.
That supply chain of fermented-grain wash is a key advantage of local businesses that make both beer and spirits, including relative newbies The 101 Brewhouse + Distillery in Gibsons and Moon Under Water in Victoria, as well as veterans like Deep Cove Brewers and Distillers in North Vancouver. Brewing on site guarantees a pipeline to so-called distiller’s beer, the essential raw material for making spirits.
This North Shore distillery augments its rosemary and olive-infused gin and award-winning vodka with a variety of small-batch seasonal releases.
2270 Dollarton Hwy., North Vancouver,
604-770-1136
DeepCoveCraft.com
• Rosemary and Olive Gin
• Deep Cove Vodka
• Canadian Rye Whisky
FRAGRANCE: Funky tropical fruit, salty.
FLAVOUR: Pine, hot, aggressive on the palate.
FEEL: Thin, spicy, hot.
FINISH: Powerful finish.
BEST ENJOYED: Dirty Martini.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Doesn’t stand up to its Spanish or B.C. counterparts. Lots going on, and very hot. —Shaun Layton, July 2016
FRAGRANCE: Herbs and spices, background of liquorice.
FLAVOUR: Full. Fennel and caraway shine, softened by some
floral notes.
FEEL: Thin on the mouth, warming.
FINISH: Spices resonate throughout.
BEST ENJOYED: Warm, after coming in from the cold.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Spices are all there. Well balanced. A good sipper for winter. —Trevor Kallies, October 2016
FRAGRANCE: Light, not too boozy.
FLAVOUR: Sweet, white pepper.
FEEL: Even, balanced, medium body.
FINISH: Clean, silky and long.
BEST ENJOYED: With less, rather than more. Keep it booze forward.
THE BOTTOM LINE: A well made spirit, better than the big-name brands you get with bottle service in the club. —Josh Pape, July 2017
Barrel Aged Mediterranean GinFRAGRANCE: Big, herbaceous rosemary.
FLAVOUR: Sweet and herbaceous.
FEEL: Soft and round.
FINISH: Pepper spice, light citrus.
BEST ENJOYED: In a Martini.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Stirred down cold, this gin’s unique character is best enjoyed when its spirit can shine through. —Robyn Gray, October 2017