Still Life

Liquid Gold

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It can take years before brown spirits get to market. Here’s how B.C. distilleries keep their businesses liquid in the meantime

Illustration by Tara Rafiq

Imagine you make widgets: finely crafted, artisan widgets. Customers pay more for vintage widgets, so there are laws around how old they have to be as well as their quality. You spend a couple of years building your factory with expensive, traditional widget-making equipment. You hire workers, pay for raw materials, power and utilities, and finally fill a warehouse with a bunch of bulky, heavy containers, then wait a few years before you can sell any of your exquisite stock at a premium price. In the meantime, you absorb labour and storage costs to maintain your inventory, which you lose a mysterious chunk of every year as some widgets slip through the cracks and just disappear into thin air.

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On the Town

On the Town: BC Distilled

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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.

B.C. Distilleries

Dubh Glas Distillery

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Though whisky is owner Grant Stevely’s true passion, the first signature release from this Oliver-based operation was the small batch Noteworthy Gin, distilled from B.C. barley.

8486 Gallagher Lake Frontage Rd., Oliver
778-439-3580
TheDubhGlasDistillery.com

Read more about the Dubh Glas Distillery:

• A decade of great Canadian whisky

• Roll out the barrel

• A barrel of fun

• Spirit of wine country

• Liquid gold

PRODUCTS:

• Noteworthy Gin – New Western Dry
• Noteworthy Gin – Barrel Rested
• Noteworthy Gin – Navy Strength
• Virgin Spirits – Barley
• Social Distance Single Malt Whisky

TASTING NOTES:

Virgin Spirits Barley

FRAGRANCE: Aromatic nose of vanilla, butterscotch and caramel.
FLAVOUR: Light flavors of ripe bananas, honey dew and vanilla.
FEEL: Full and lingers on the tongue.
FINISH: Long, with a bit of heat from the 50 per cent ABV.
BEST ENJOYED: Replace aged whisky to lighten up your favourite classics, or neat.
THE BOTTOM LINE: A true expression of un-aged malted barley whiskey. —Wendy McGuinness, July 2016

Noteworthy Gin

FRAGRANCE: Intense rosemary.
FLAVOUR: Pleasant sweetness with light florality.
FEEL: Clean and light.
FINISH: Medium vanilla finish.
BEST ENJOYED: Gin Martini with a lemon twist.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Lovely gin with an amazing balance. Sweet and herbaceous. —Robyn Gray, October 2017