Situated in the fertile Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, Wayward Distillery crafts each spirit on a base of sustainable honey, supporting local agriculture while achieving an unparalleled silky-sweet flavour. Home to a tasting bar, visitors can see firsthand how the team ferments and distills their spirits on-site from a base of sustainable honey, mixed with grain.

Crowd favourites include Krupnik, an intoxicating toasted honey liqueur spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, raw vanilla and citrus peel; Drunken Hive Rum, an “aged rum for whisky drinkers” made from caramelized BC honey and aged in bourbon casks; and Depth Charge, an espresso and cacao bean vodka infusion incorporating fairtrade coffee and organic cacao nibs.

When Wayward first began distilling spirits, the distillery partnered with Golden Clover Apiary located in the Peace region of BC. The apiary cared deeply about the health and long-term sustainability of pollination, bees, and BC-grown agricultural produce. The more Wayward learned about the importance of pollinators, the more the distillers cared about their well-being.

Wayward cares so much in fact, that they’ve pledged to donate 1 per cent of all spirit sales to Pollinator Partnership Canada, a not-for-profit registered charity dedicated to the protection and promotion of pollinators and their ecosystems through conservation, education, and research.

2931 Moray Ave, Courtenay
250-871-0424
WaywardDistillationHouse.com

Read more about Wayward Distillation House:

• Recipe: Polynesian Strange Fellow
• Third Wave Terroir: Terroir spirits define B.C.’s flavours, culture and sense of place

PRODUCTS:

• Smoked Drunken Hive Rum Cask strength, 750ml, 56.7% ABV
• Drunken Hive Rum – fermented from honey 750ml, 375ml, 42.5% ABV
• Krupnik – spiced honey liqueur 750ml, 375ml, 40% ABV, Also available in celiac safe version
• Raspberry Gin Liqueur 750ml, 375ml, 25% ABV
• Swallowed Anchor Bourbon – Limited quantities available Cask strength, 750ml, 55.91% ABV
• Depth Charge – Espresso and Cacao Bean Vodka Infusion 375ml, 33% ABV
• Elixir 151 – fermented from honey 375ml, 75.5% ABV
• Char #3, Bourbon Barrel Aged Gin – fermented from honey 375ml, 45.0% ABV
• Unruly Gin – fermented from honey 750ml, 375ml, 43% ABV
• Unruly Vodka – fermented from honey 750ml, 375ml, 40% ABV

TASTING NOTES:

Unruly Vodka

FRAGRANCE: Floral and earthy. Honey, new garden notes.
FLAVOUR: Sweetness from the honey with hints of vanilla.
FEEL: Full body, pleasant viscosity.
FINISH: Long, savoury.
BEST ENJOYED: Mixes well with basil, pineapple and lemon. Also fantastic neat, or on the rocks. Preferred olives for a Martini.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Unique vodka made from B.C. honey—a must try for those looking for something different. —Scott Barber, April 2016

Unruly Gin

FRAGRANCE: Juniper, and pine. Slight honey and sweet nose. 
FLAVOUR: Muted juniper, semi-sweet, white pepper on the palate.
FEEL: Thick, silky mouthfeel.
FINISH: Slightly bitter, with honeyed herbal finish.
BEST ENJOYED: Delicious in a Last Word; mix with citrus.
THE BOTTOM LINE: A sweeter, crowd-pleasing gin (not for London Dry fans). Use in cocktails. —Shaun Layton, July 2016

Depth Charge Espresso & Cacao Bean Liqueur

FRAGRANCE: Sweet coffee.
FLAVOUR: Deep off-dry cacao bitterness with coffee overtones.
FEEL: Thin and dry.
FINISH: Long lasting non-offensive bitterness.
BEST ENJOYED: On the rocks.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Not a sweet liqueur. A great balance of bitter and dry. —Robyn Gray, October 2016

Krupnik Spiced Honey Liqueur

FRAGRANCE: Cinnamon, honey, nutmeg, vanilla.
FLAVOUR: A beautiful fall day in a glass.
FEEL: Thick like a liqueur. I’d definitely cut it with a base spirit such as rum or bourbon.
FINISH: Warm, sweet, spicy. Yum!
BEST ENJOYED: Chill and sip on rocks or mix in a cocktail. Whiskey Sour using bourbon, Krupnik, lemon, chai and bitters.
THE BOTTOM LINE: These guys are doing everything right. —Scott Barber, February 2017

Bourbon-Barrelled Gin

FRAGRANCE: Surprisingly intense vanilla. Yum!
FLAVOUR: Citrus, with pleasant vanilla and earthy tones.
FEEL: Light, medium body.
FINISH: Spicy.
BEST ENJOYED: Neat or on the rocks. Try it in a Martini, Negroni or Corpse Reviver #2.
THE BOTTOM LINE: If you’re looking for a gin that isn’t juniper forward, this is for you. I love working with and drinking this product. —Scott Barber, July 2017