Review #55 - Rootside Bitters and Mixers Bitters Line Up

I haven’t done one of these in a really long time but this called for a return, Spirit a Day has been huge undertaking for myself but the new lineup of bitters from Rootside Bitters and Mixers. This is full circle sustainability using expended botanicals and secondary ingredients from local producers.

Join the #1 authority on British Columbia's distilling and spirit culture, we taste through some of BC’s burgeoning craft spirits, from the weird and wonderful to the eclectic. With in-depth tastings, to advice on how to mix craft spirits along with professional bartending tips and tricks; BC Spirits has you covered.

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BC Spirits "Spirit a Day" #168 - Elder Bros. Farms Elderberry Schnapps

BC SPIRITS NOTES

A ridiculously unique product from Elder Bros Farms, Elderberry is not a flavor most people have experience with. A mixture of bing cherries, mascarpone and deep stewed berries; this is a perfect pairing with bourbon and would make a great bourbon sour variation.

Alcohol - 30% / 60 proof

Color - Deep red

Nose - Medicinal, herbal black berry

Taste - Unique, an amalgamation of all black berries including cherry, herbal almost subtle amaro tones with hints of green leaf and floral notes

Finish - Clean and dry but full of herbal notes, black berries and hint of floral notes

Best Enjoyed - Chilled and sipped after dinner

Join the #1 authority on British Columbia's distilling and spirit culture, we taste through some of BC’s burgeoning craft spirits, from the weird and wonderful to the eclectic. With in-depth tastings, to advice on how to mix craft spirits along with professional bartending tips and tricks; BC Spirits has you covered.

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/bcspirits/

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Review #54 - Let's Get Ready to Rhubarb

Summer screams for Rhubarb so I through together a tasting of all the rhubarb I have, from Okanagan Spirits rhubarb liqueur to Stillhead Distillery Rhubarb Gin and Sheringham Distillery Rhubarb Gin Liqueur. If you love rhubarb than this is the episode for you.

Join the #1 authority on British Columbia's distilling and spirit culture, we taste through some of BC’s burgeoning craft spirits, from the weird and wonderful to the eclectic. With in-depth tastings, to advice on how to mix craft spirits along with professional bartending tips and tricks; BC Spirits has you covered.

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/bcspirits/

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Review #53 - Elderflower Off!

After tasting through the amazing new Elder Bros Farms Elderflower Liqueur this week, I wanted to attack and taste off the other elderflower liqueurs I have in the collection including Odd Society and Arbutus Distillery.

Join the #1 authority on British Columbia's distilling and spirit culture, we taste through some of BC’s burgeoning craft spirits, from the weird and wonderful to the eclectic. With in-depth tastings, to advice on how to mix craft spirits along with professional bartending tips and tricks; BC Spirits has you covered.

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/bcspirits/

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER – https://twitter.com/spiritsbc

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Review #52 - Shelter Point Vintage Off

I have the amazing opportunity to taste the Montfort 141 compared to the Montfort 151 along with Smoke Point 1 and 2, an amazing example of how vintages can change whiskies and how terroir is a new and important element in the world of Shelter Point.

Join the #1 authority on British Columbia's distilling and spirit culture, we taste through some of BC’s burgeoning craft spirits, from the weird and wonderful to the eclectic. With in-depth tastings, to advice on how to mix craft spirits along with professional bartending tips and tricks; BC Spirits has you covered.

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/bcspirits/

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Review #51 - Mad Lab Bitters

I have tasted through a few local bitter companies in the past, Mad Lab Spirits are known more for amazing products like their Ulker Raki but their bitters line is something special. Really enjoyed tasty these obscure flavors.

ABOUT MAD LAB

Mad Laboratory started off as a long time dream and began to be realized early 2013. Thus began a long difficult journey to opening and operation of the Lab. With almost no budget to speak of we began putting together the equipment needed, scrounged and borrowed, re-purposed and rebuilt, we were able to set up the basics of what we wanted to create.

With a tremendous amount of support from friends and family we managed to get a logo and label designed, still built, fermentation tanks installed, fire suppression upgraded, the locations drainage and ventilation upgraded, plans drawn, re-drawn, and re-drawn again. 

 Our still was built from donated tanks and put together by a talented welder friend, put together in the configuration that we felt would produce the finest end product. Direct-fire pot still, with a thumper and shotgun condenser, allowing us to produce a smooth spirit, with the ability to retain flavours that we wanted to remain in the finished product. The flame from the still provides a toasty, almost caramel like finish, making Mad Laboratory spirits a rich and wonderful experience.

All this came together to where we are today, producing a fantastic spirit, something we are very proud of, and hope to continue on long into the future.

Join the #1 authority on British Columbia's distilling and spirit culture, we taste through some of BC’s burgeoning craft spirits, from the weird and wonderful to the eclectic. With in-depth tastings, to advice on how to mix craft spirits along with professional bartending tips and tricks; BC Spirits has you covered.

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/bcspirits/

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BC Spirits "Spirit a Day" #122 - Elder Bros. Farms Apple Strudel Schnapps

DISTILLERY NOTES

Created with cinnamon sticks soaked in farm fresh apple juice and added to Elder Bros Farms’ raw apple brandy.

BC SPIRITS NOTES

I love these schnapps from Elder Bros. The Whack a Vole Apple Strudel is a fun addition, stewed apples, Christmas spice just takes you back to warm apple pie on a cold winters day.

Alcohol - 30% / 60 proof

Color - Cloudy light yellow

Nose - Stewed apples and spice

Taste - Truly is like apple strudel, stewed apple, cinnamon and spice with hints pastry.

Finish - Stewed apple with spice but clean, no residual sugar

Best Enjoyed - Warm apple cider

Join the #1 authority on British Columbia's distilling and spirit culture, we taste through some of BC’s burgeoning craft spirits, from the weird and wonderful to the eclectic. With in-depth tastings, to advice on how to mix craft spirits along with professional bartending tips and tricks; BC Spirits has you covered.

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/bcspirits/

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Wood's Spirit Co. Limoncello

DISTILLERY NOTES

On the nose tart lemon rinds, fresh lemon juice, lemon lollipops. Sweet on the palate with bright lemon flavours. Thin texture for sweetness but the spirit is flavourful with some nice spicy and bitter notes.

Alcohol - 30% / 60 proof

Color - Cloudy yellow

Nose - Lemon candies with hints of spice cupboard

Taste - Candied lemon, the whole thing, peel, rind and flesh, giving flavors from sweet to slightly bitter. Spicy peppercorns and chili pepper accentuate the lemon sweetness like seasoning.

Finish - Sweet but not cloying lemon with hints of the spice in the back palate

Best Enjoyed - Serve chilled or try it in a Lemon Drop of all things

Join the #1 authority on British Columbia's distilling and spirit culture, we taste through some of BC’s burgeoning craft spirits, from the weird and wonderful to the eclectic. With in-depth tastings, to advice on how to mix craft spirits along with professional bartending tips and tricks; BC Spirits has you covered.

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/bcspirits/

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER – https://twitter.com/spiritsbc

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Review #50 - Citrus Off!

After doing the "Spirit of the Day" with Gillespie's Fine Spirits Lemoncello, I had a call to tackle more limoncellos in BC. I did a tasting way back in the beginning , but it was time for an update. So I did for the first weekly tasting that I have done in some time. Start by tackling some new buys, Moonshine Spirits Citrus Gin, Arbutus Distillery Limoncello, Tofino Distillery Limoncello along with some old favorites in Wood's Limoncello and the underrated Legend Distilling Manitou.

Join the #1 authority on British Columbia's distilling and spirit culture, we taste through some of BC’s burgeoning craft spirits, from the weird and wonderful to the eclectic. With in-depth tastings, to advice on how to mix craft spirits along with professional bartending tips and tricks; BC Spirits has you covered.

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/bcspirits/

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER – https://twitter.com/spiritsbc

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Review #49 - Lumette! and Sparkmouth Tonic

I tackle non alcoholic ingredients this week showcasing Lumette! non alcohol distillate and Phillip's Sparkmouth tonics. Pairing these two for a tasty non alcoholic alternative is perfect, the Lumette! adds complexity and the tonic gives body and texture. The big thing when you use these product is to understand what they are and adapt your style for them.

Review #48 - Cheese Board Pairings

This week, I went a little different. I had a number of people talking about to go cheese boards to entertain and I thought I would give my suggestions for BC Spirit pairings for cheese boards, featuring Ampersand Imperative, Marrow Dry, Bruinwood Distillery Quince, Okanagan Spirits Sea Buckthorn and Maple Leaf Pear Williams.

Review #46 - Brandy Part 2

I go back to one of my favorite categories along with tasting some brand new, never tasted brandies from Wynndel Craft Distilleries out of Creston Valley along with the Narrative Single Cask from Okanagan Crush Pad and the Grand Visco from Arbutus Distillery.

Strait and Narrow Pear Rhubarb

Refreshing and flavourful. Made with a custom handcrafted gin distilled with rhubarb harvested from a farm in the Fraser Valley.

Alcohol - 5% / 10 proof

Color -Very light yellow

Nose - Very light pear and rhubarb

Taste - Very light pear, twang of rhubarb and then the citrusy aromatics of the gin follow through

Finish - Aromatic rhubarb and pear skin with hints of the gin

Best Enjoyed - Kayaking on the lake

Strait and Narrow Grapefruit Rosemary

Aromatic, fresh, and made with a custom handcrafted gin distilled with rosemary sourced from Ravenhill Herb Farm on Vancouver Island.

Alcohol - 5% / 10 proof

Color -Light pink

Nose - Grapefruit peel, fresh garden rosemary

Taste - Floral Rosemary forward, with pithy grapefruit following with the gin in the background holding everything together

Finish - Grapefruit pith and rosemary garden

Best Enjoyed - On your back deck

Strait and Narrow Lemon Lavender

Fragrant, zesty, and made with a custom handcrafted gin distilled with lavender from Ravenhill Herb Farm on Vancouver Island.

Alcohol - 5% / 10 proof

Color - Light yellow

Nose - Bright citrus with hints of lavender

Taste - Definitely get the gin to start, then bright lemon peel and hints of juice with the fresh floral lavender

Finish - Refreshing lemon peel with hints of lavender

Best Enjoyed - Beside a West Coast beach

Review #46 - RTDs Part 2

An interesting episode this week as we delve into RTD's again but specifically the new brand Strait and Narrow canned gin cocktails produced at Victoria Distillers. Great flavors and perfect for the West Coast outdoor living.

Kir Royale Off - Odd Society Creme de Cassis

Our crème de cassis is based on the secret recipe of our dear friend and Odd Society fellow, master Chef Hervé Martin.

Once the personal chef to the Late King Leopold III of Belgium and a chef in two Michelin 3 star restaurants in France and Switzerland, Hervé has criss-crossed the globe setting up award-winning restaurants where he treated his most loyal guests to gifts of his homemade crème de cassis.

Alcohol - 23% / 46 proof

Color - Deep purple

Nose - Stewed Blackcurrant, hints of floral notes

Taste -Rich and sticky blackcurrant, hints of vanilla and violets, just a twang of acidity in the finish

Finish - Strong, sweet blackcurrant that sticks to you tongue

Best Enjoyed - Let me think? Kir Royale.

Kir Royale Off - Okanagan Spirits Blackcurrant Liqueur

With an excellent full fruit nose and the perfect balance of sweet and tart, our 100% BC blackcurrants create an award-winning Creme de Cassis liqueur that will have you puckering for more.

Alcohol - 24% / 48 proof

Color - Deep black with purple edges

Nose - Rich blackcurrant, direct and too the point

Taste -Like taking a mouthful of fresh blackcurrants, rich, hints of tannic skin and seeds along with tangy long lasting acidity

Finish - Dry, fresh blackcurrants

Best Enjoyed - Let me think, Kir Royale

Kir Royale Off - Rathjen Cellars Creme de Cassis

Inspired by the classic liqueur of Burgundy, our Crème de Cassis is a fortified fruit wine crafted from blackcurrants grown on the Saanich Peninsula. Sweetened to balance the tart, earthy flavours of the “cassis” berries, enjoy this liqueur as an apéritif in a Kir cocktail or after dinner as a digestif.

Alcohol - 20% / 40 proof

Color - Dark purple, almost black

Nose - Gorgeous black currents, fragrant and deep

Taste - The taste is different to macerate liqueurs, it’s complex from the making of the black currant wine then being fortified. Giving a broader flavor of black currant with hints of green and great acidity.

Finish - Almost zero residual sugar, bright acidity and left with gorgeous black currant in the finish

Best Enjoyed - Kir Royale

Elder Bros. Farms Apple Strudel Schnapps

Alcohol - 30% / 60 proof

Color - Cloudy light yellow

Nose - Stewed apples and spice

Taste - Truly is like apple strudel, stewed apple, cinnamon and spice with hints pastry.

Finish - Stewed apple with spice but clean, no residual sugar

Best Enjoyed - Warm apple cider