B.C. Distilleries

Old Order Distilling

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At their Penticton distillery, Graham Martens and Naomi Gabriel take barley from Vanderhoof, malt it in Armstrong, then distill it with spring water from Anarchist Mountain.

270 Martin St., Penticton
778-476-2210
OldOrderDistilling.ca

Read more about Old Order Distilling:

• Spirit of wine country: The South Okanagan is a fruitful playground for distillers to innovate and collaborate

PRODUCTS:

• Heritage Vodka
• Legacy Gin
• Black Goat Vodka
• Blessed Bean Coffee Vanilla Liqueur
• Wicked Brew Chocolate Coffee Liqueur
• Harvest Raspberry Liqueur
• Limited Release Canadian Whisky

TASTING NOTES:

Legacy Gin

FRAGRANCE: Dill, licorice.
FLAVOUR: Anise heavy, funky fruit.
FEEL: Thin.
FINISH: Citrus and aniseed.
BEST ENJOYED: In a Corpse Reviver #2.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Mix with citrus and absinthe. —Shaun Layton, April 2016

Blessed Bean Coffee Vanilla Liqueur

FRAGRANCE: Raw vanilla; imagine opening a bag of vanilla bean pods.
FLAVOUR: Milk, vanilla and coffee. Almost a barista drink.
FEEL: Not as sticky as expected. Smooth and clean for a liqueur.
FINISH: Nice coffee bitterness at the back.
BEST ENJOYED: Great addition to coffee or latte, or on rocks as a decent after dinner option.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Very good alternative to commercial coffee liqueurs. —Trevor Kallies, July 2016

Black Goat Vodka

FRAGRANCE: Sweet, lightly toasted grains.
FLAVOUR: Vanilla, tropical fruits, white pepper.
FEEL: Silky and soft.
FINISH: Sweet, shorter.
BEST ENJOYED: As your favourite highball. But darker.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Bit gimmicky. If you want black vodka, go for it! —Josh Pape, October 2016

Heritage Vodka

FRAGRANCE: Mild. 
FLAVOUR: Some heat with a decent amount of grain.  
FEEL: Innate creaminess.
FINISH: Touch of grainy smoothness.
BEST ENJOYED: Toss it in the freezer and drink it ice cold. 
THE BOTTOM LINE: Wax dipped with no tab, so required a knife to open. They leave a decent amount of grain flavour in the distillate so it is enjoyable to drink! —Trevor Kallies, February 2017

B.C. Distilleries

Maple Leaf Spirits

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Originally from Germany, and now based in the Okanagan, Jorg Engel has created a range of fruit-based liqueurs, brandies and grappas, produced from distilling 100 per cent B.C. fruit.

948 Naramata Rd., Penticton
250-493-0180
MapleLeafSpirits.ca

Read more about Maple Leaf Spirits:

• Spirit of wine country: The South Okanagan is a fruitful playground for distillers to innovate and collaborate

• Tutti Frutti: Maple Leaf Spirits turns fallen fruit into liqueur

PRODUCTS:

• Lady of the Cask Brandy
• Canadian Kirsch
• Pear Williams
• Italian Prune Scnapps
• Wild Apple Brandy
• Skinny Pinot Noir
• Maple Liqueur
• Cherry Liqueur
• Pear Liqueur
• Peach Liqueur

TASTING NOTES:

Cherry Liqueur

FRAGRANCE: Ripe cherries.
FLAVOUR: Maple, cherries—as advertised.
FEEL: Coats the palate, silky.
FINISH: Warm and pleasant.
BEST ENJOYED: Chilled, neat. Or as a substitute for Cherry Heering in a Blood and Sand.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Pretty pricey, but delicious and well made with good ingredients. —Josh Pape, April 2016

Maple Liqueur

FRAGRANCE: Stone fruit, custard, vanilla, slightly hot.
FLAVOUR: Butterscotch, maple, smoky vanilla.
FEEL: Thin, in a good way for a liqueur.
FINISH: Balanced, with pleasant maple.
BEST ENJOYED: Over ice cream!
THE BOTTOM LINE: Great product and a cool little place to visit. —Shaun Layton, July 2016

Pear Liqueur

FRAGRANCE: Fresh Pear.
FLAVOUR: Sweet pear eau de vie.
FEEL: Quite viscous and round.
FINISH: Long and lingering pear finish.
BEST ENJOYED: On its own straight up as an eau de vie, could also work as a great liqueur for creative cocktails.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Don’t let the cheesy packaging fool you. This is a very well made liqueur. –Wendy McGuinness, October 2016

Lady of the Cask Brandy

FRAGRANCE: Cocoa nibs, vanilla. More Scotch than Cognac.
FLAVOUR: Round and spicy.
FEEL: Hot, edgy, dry.  
FINISH: Sweet first, then savoury.
BEST ENJOYED: As a Sidecar. Or maybe a Sazerac.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Fairly abrasive neat, but it makes a good cocktail. –Josh Pape, February 2017

Peach Liqueur

FRAGRANCE: Fuzzy peach candies.
FLAVOUR: All peach with some tangy notes. 
FEEL: Mouth coating. Syrupy texture. Not overly sweet.  
FINISH: Peach sticks around for some time.
BEST ENJOYED: Neat for dessert. Very positive substitution for commercial brands.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Nice for dessert, great as a modifier when needing a peach liqueur for a cocktail. —Trevor Kallies, October 2017