BC Spirits "Spirit a Day" #32 - After Dark Distillery Monashee Mountain Whiskey

A brand spanking new first time release whiskey from After Dark Distillery and it doesn't disappoint. A blend of corn, barley and oats aged for 3 years in smaller American Oak casks. Deep, spicy and complex oak, very reminiscent of nouveau bourbons coming out of the US. Really great first release from the distillery.

Alcohol - 40% / 80 proof

Color - Dark burnt copper

Nose - Rich toasted oak, spice and dry corn aromas

Taste - Dry caramel, complex spice notes and sweet corn that is dried out by gorgeous toasted oak flavors

Finish - Dry spiciness, mellow corn and toast

Best Enjoyed - Limited run, buy it now, enjoy it neat

Viking Vodka

No Nonsense, Viking is our value priced, double distilled, active carbon filtered vodka. Not as smooth as our premium vodka, but great for mixing, and a fantastic price. Our basic, no bells and whistles packaging helps us keep the final price down so you can enjoy a great craft vodka, without a bit price tag.

Alcohol - 40% / 80 proof

Color - Clear

Nose - Clean, subtle grain with hints of soft vanilla

Taste - Clean, approachable with subtle notes of barley, very soft hints of vanilla

Finish - Textural soft barley and finished clean

Best Enjoyed - In your favorite cocktail, it’s for everything

BC Spirits "Spirit a Day" #31 - Arbutus Distillery Elderflower

I still feel that all the Arbutus Distillery liqueurs are super underrated and this little number is no different. We have great elderflower on the island and they use it perfectly, herbal green, lychee and melon on the nose and palate.

Alcohol - 22% / 44 proof

Color - Translucent orange

Nose - Lychee, melon and green, fresh tarragon

Taste - Bold elderflower translates to a mixture of the flower, lychee, melon and green herbal notes

Finish - Not cloying, leaving palate clean with bright, floral elderflower

Best Enjoyed - Sub for St Germain, do a spritz with 1 1/2 oz. of this and Unsworth Charme de Lile

BC Spirits "Spirit a Day" #30 - Devine Spirits Poire

What an amazing poire from Devine, I believe it is extinct for now with a few ounces kicking around on back bars in the city. Rich and balanced, the pear eau de vie sits on local figs in the aging process which gives it an amazing backbone and depth but still lets the pear sing with rich fresh fruit from skin to stewed pear danish.

Alcohol - 40% / 80 proof

Color - Medium yellow with golden edges

Nose - Stewed pears in pastry, very subtle hints of figs

Taste - The pear is sliding scale of fresh, skin on pear, rich flesh and deep stewed fruit characteristics, the figs add a base note that is not obvious but very stated

Finish - Fresh pear rules on the finish with hints of the figs and stewed fruit, but overall clean pear

Best Enjoyed - If you can find it, neat.

Review #43 - Vodka Part 3

Delve into a few more vodkas as it does get hard to get a wider array of products on the island. I dove a little deeper into my understanding of craft vodka as well. Featuring Viking Vodka, Mad Lab, One Foot Crow, Okanagan Spirits and Shelter Point.

BC Spirits "Spirit a Day" #29 - Bohemian Spirits Forester

A great little number that I decided to revisit, Bohemian Spirits Forester is their Single Malt Oaked Gin. I love barrel aged gins that use the oak flavor as an additional botanical, this one epitomizes that. Deep spicy wood paired with a gorgeous West Coast gin.

Alcohol - 40% / 80 proof

Color - Light copper

Nose - Spicy oak, dry, woody juniper

Taste - The gin has amazing backbone of dry spice and woody juniper, then the barrel comes in as an addition to the botanical mix, not overtaking anything, just soft but spicy oak melded perfectly.

Finish - Subtle oak and spice with whispers of the gin profile int he background

Best Enjoyed - Try it in an old fashioned style

BC Spirits "Spirit a Day" #28 - Alchemist Distiller Green Frog Absynthe

Haven’t been able to showcase the Green Frog Absinthe from Alchemist Distiller. A great example of the style in the province. Spiking anise and licorice straight but when diluted, you get the apple spirit base, dry herbal tones from the wormwood and the lofty bright notes of the anise and licorice.

Alcohol - 65% / 130 proof

Color - Light emerald green

Nose - Bright sweet licorice and fresh anise

Taste - Undiluted, the sweet licorice and anise comes through strongly but with a splash of water, the apple spirits begins to shine with the dry, musty herbal notes of wormwood followed by the playful anise and licorice

Finish - Clean but mouth filling classic French style absinthe notes

Best Enjoyed - Diluted 1:4 with water or in a Absinthe Frappe

BC Spirits "Spirit a Day" #27 - Honey Comb Cream Oat + Honey

A dairy free cream liqueur from Honey Comb Cream. Their Oat & Honey is a delicious alternative, still that amazing whisky backbone along with vanilla, fresh honeycomb and the oatiness of oat milk.

Alcohol - 20% / 40 proof

Color - Off white cream

Nose - Vanilla, subtle whisky oak, fresh honeycomb

Taste - A balanced melange of honeycomb, vanilla and oatiness backed with subtle but bold whisky backbone, not as thick as their classic expression

Finish - Surprisingly clean, gorgeous coating of honeycomb and oat milk but not cloying

Best Enjoyed - Sub in your favorite cocktail with Baileys

Liberty Distillery Trust Whiskey Burgundy

TRUST Whiskey begins with 100% organic hull-less unmalted barley grown in Armstrong, British Columbia. It is triple-distilled in our handmade CARL single copper pot still. For just shy of four years, it has been quietly resting in mature 220-litre French white Burgundy barrels to slowly gain character, complexity and colour.

Alcohol - 42% / 84 proof

Color - Light copper with gold edges

Nose - Compact barley, bright citrusy oak and funky burgundy

Taste - Youthful barley, hints of floral notes (this must be the house style) funky red fruit, complex french oak, spicy and hints of vanilla. While this is a white burgundy cask, I am getting tons of funky red flavors from the wine

Finish - Bright and citrusy barley, funky oak and berry fruit, finishes complex with compact barley and oak notes

Best Enjoyed - Neat

BC Spirits "Spirit a Day" #26 - The Spirit of Tea Vanilla Rooibos Liqueur

The sister product to the Earl Grey Gin from #15. The The Spirit of Tea springs with vanilla and hints of tea on the nose and then doesn’t disappoint on the palate with rich vanilla and complex tea as the backbone. Try equal parts of this and the earl grey gin with lemon juice and egg white, tasty twist on the Earl Grey Martini.

Alcohol - 20% / 40 proof

Color - Reddish copper

Nose - Big whack of vanilla with hints of subtle tea aromatics

Taste - The complexity of the tea hits first, aromatic with pleasant tannins, then the sweet vanilla comes rolling through

Finish - Balanced sweetness, not cloying, sweet vanilla and tea aromatics

Best Enjoyed - Equal parts with the Earl Grey Tea Gin in a twist on the Earl Grey MarTeani

Liberty Distillery Trust Whiskey Madeira

TRUST Whiskey begins with 100% organic hull-less unmalted barley grown in Armstrong, British Columbia. It is triple-distilled in our handmade CARL single copper pot still. For three years, it has been quietly resting in mature 220-litre Madeira barrels to slowly gain character, complexity and colour.

Alcohol - 42% / 84 proof

Color - Light golden yellow

Nose - Compact barley, bright citrusy oak and a hint of spice

Taste - Youthful barley, floral notes of violets or rose, then comes the madeira concentration of spice and deep notes of toffee and vanilla

Finish - Bright and citrusy barley, subtle oak and hints of the madeira

Best Enjoyed - Neat

BC Spirits "Spirit a Day" #25 - One Foot Crow Lavender Gin

One Foot Crow Craft distillery out of Gibsons is a relatively new distillery but they make some fantastically eclectic products. The Lavender Gin is a balanced take especially with the love hate feeling that a lot of people have for lavender. Try it in a lavender white lady with honey syrup.

Alcohol - 40% / 80 proof

Color - Clear

Nose - Progressing from sweet malt to classic gin forward notes then finishes with subtle lavender

Taste - Bright, citrusy juniper and subtle botanicals flowing through to fresh lavender, both leaf and flower; like walking through lavender field

Finish - Bright gin botanicals of juniper and citrus are balanced with lavender without being soapy.

Best Enjoyed - White Lady with honey syrup

Odd Society Spirits Blender's Release Single Malt - Editted

“Blender’s Release” single malt whisky was inspired by a visit from our friend Dhavall Gandhi.

Two months ago, we hosted a whisky blending workshop that you mentioned in your video you were unfortunately unable to attend. Eleven fellow distillers from across the province/country gathered to hear Dhavall Gandhi, former blender at The Macallan, and current Director of Whisky with The Lakes Distillery talk blending. It was a remarkable day of camaraderie, education and inspiration.

Armed with Dhavall’s insights, Gordon, Joel and Fraser went back to the warehouse and blended a new release made from a number of different single malt casks. Blender’s Release is a nod to Dhavall, his visit, and his incredibly thoughtful approach to whisky-making.

Alcohol - 46% / 92 proof

Color - Medium copper to gold

Nose - Complex malt and oak on the nose,

Taste - Rich and complex oak, not over extracted; stonefruit, Christmas spice dried orange peel

Finish - Cereal grains and the kiss of well chosen oak, a definite definer for Odd Society’s Single malt program

Best Enjoyed - Neat

BC Spirits "Spirit a Day" #24 - Okanagan Crush Pad Narrative Spirit of the Vineyard

Was pleasantly surprised revisiting this one, Okanagan Crush Pad is famous for their wine but they make some delicious spirits as well. The Spirit of the Vineyard is an amazing unaged grape brandy that shows beautiful aromatics and great grape structure. This is the closest thing to a South American brandy or pisco in the province, a must have for the pisco sour lover.

Alcohol - 40% / 80 proof

Color - Clear

Nose - Funky aromatic grapes, honeycomb, grape leaf, stone fruit and pits

Taste - Grape fruitiness, higher alcohol than expected, musty Germanic aromatic grapes, rain on concrete

Finish - Clean, bright and aromatic, leaving the palate wanting more

Best Enjoyed - In a pisco sour

BC Spirits "Spirit a day" #23 - Wayward Distillation House Drunk Hive

Honey "rums" have become a big part of the BC distillery landscape, with a number of distilleries producing some fantastic examples. Wayward is the OG in honey distillation in the province and their caramelised Drunken Hive is a perfect example on how honey can behave. Rich, not overly sweet with hints of spice, I would love to have this in a blind tasting with a number of big name rums.

Alcohol - 42.5% / 85 proof

Color - Rich copper gold

Nose - Clean bright tones of honeysuckle with a little funk

Taste - Rich oak, with caramelised sweetness, hints of honeysuckle on the palate but really leans into a clean, fresh spirit

Finish - Subtle oak with fresh rain on concrete

Best Enjoyed - In a daiquiri

BC Spirits "Spirit a Day" #22 - Sons of Vancouver Coffee Liqueur Sucks

I love coffee and I love liquor so why not combine my two favorite things into one. This one is from Sons of Vancouver "April Fool's" releases. Partnering with Moja Coffee, it is rich and deep roasted coffee notes with bright acidity, not overly sweet and smooth.

Alcohol - 26% / 52 proof

Color - Coffee brown

Nose - Medium roast coffee, a little New Orleans chicory and a hint of brown sugar

Taste - Really nice roast, deep coffee tones but with bright acidity, balanced and complex with hints of brown sugar

Finish - Like a lightly sweetened espresso

Best Enjoyed - Behold the dude my friend

Resurrection Spirits Rose Gin

Our Rosé Gin starts with our 100% rye base which is distilled a third time with nine botanicals; Juniper berry, coriander seed, angelica root, lemon peel, rose petal, grapefruit peel, ginger root, cassia bark and cubeb berry. The gin is then aged in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels for six months pulling the colour and flavour from the barrels.

Alcohol - 45% / 90 proof

Color - Watermelon pink

Nose - Sweet dried red fruit, hints of vanilla with a definite rye note

Taste - Distinctive rye bread, rose petals, dried red fruit like plums with hints of spicy oak balancing out the palate

Finish - Rose garden with sweet red fruit and spicy rye oak

Best Enjoyed - Gin & Tonic with Fever Tree Cucumber Tonic

BC Spirits "Spirit a Day" #21 - Wood's Spirit Co. Limoncello

Influenced by a post from a friend, wanted to revisit the Wood's Limoncello. The uniqueness of the Wood's products is their use of the vacuum distillation which allows the liquid to boil at a lower temperature and to keep the delicate flavors of base ingredients to stay intact. Full of candied lemon flavor with hints of spice box with the addition of peppercorn and chili peppers.

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

The Liberty Distillery Barrel Aged Old Tom

Endeavour Old Tom Gin begins with our 100% organic BC triple-distilled wheat spirit. (10) traditional botanicals are slowly infused during re-distillation in our single copper pot still. The gin is then further macerated with a blend of five additional local and traditional botanicals before resting in 220-litre French Oak barrels for several months, to slowly gain character, complexity and colour.

Alcohol - 45% / 90 proof

Color - Deeper orange brown with copper edges

Nose - Sweet cut grass with hints of grapefruity juniper

Taste - Complex sweet wood with the grapefruit notes of juniper following on the palate, with hints of dried spices like cardamon, cubeb and the like on the back

Finish - complex sweet oak with juniper and botanicals on the breath out

Best Enjoyed - Give this a go in a classic Martinez with Esquimalt Rosso

BC Spirits "Spirit a Day" #20 - Lohin McKinnon

Happy Easter to all, wanted to do a chocolate themed episode and couldn't feel like a better candidate than the Lohin McKinnon Cocoa Aged Single Malt. Classic Lohin McKinnon single malt notes of bright citrus and twangy hops mixed with complex chocolate tones of bitter, spicy and sweet. A perfect whisky for Easter.

Alcohol - 43% / 86 proof

Color - Dark brown with copper edges

Nose - Deep chocolate notes with hints of both bitter and spicy on the nose, the Lohin McKinnon signature citrus and hops are in the background

Taste - The backbone of the Lohin McKinnon Single Malt is through with bright notes of citrus and hops but then that Thomas Haas chocolate starts flowing, spicy, bitter, sweet cocoa given the whisky an overall deep note.

Finish - Like whisky filled chocolates you would have gotten as a child but reverse

Best Enjoyed - Neat but if you want to be adventurous, you could try this in an old fashion or sour