If you’ve read my post on all 44 breweries on Vancouver Island, it should be no surprise that a distillery article was forthcoming. Vancouver Island distilleries produce a diverse array of spirits, many of which can be found all across BC, and some even internationally. One of my favourite things to do while exploring Vancouver Island’s towns is discovering the local distilleries and what creative spirits they’ve come up with.
The relatively recent boom in the number of distilleries on Vancouver Island is partly due to changes in provincial liquor laws in 2013, which facilitated the growth of small-batch distilling by creating a “craft” distillery designation. This shift has allowed distillers to focus on craft techniques and local ingredients, leading to a surge in the variety and quality of spirits produced on the island.
Vancouver island distilleries seem to focus mostly on gin, with most distilleries having their own take on a gin utilizing locally grown or foraged botanicals. As the still relatively young distilling scene matures, more and more distilleries are trying their hand at making whisky, with several very noteworthy successes.
Victoria is home to close to half of the distilleries on Vancouver Island, though some of the best hidden gem distilleries require a bit more driving to get to. Whether you’re a local who has never stopped at that distillery you didn’t realize you commute past ever day, or a visitor eager to explore the flavours of Vancouver Island, I highly recommend checking some of these amazing distilleries out.
Types of Spirits Produced on Vancouver island
Before we get started on all the different Vancouver Island distilleries, I thought I’d do a quick overview of the main types of spirits you can expect to find at all of these (and most other) distilleries. It’s not a comprehensive list, but does include most spirits found at most distilleries. In BC to be classified as a “craft” distillery, one must distill 100% of their spirits in-house out of BC-grown agricultural products. To my knowledge, the only distillery on Vancouver Island that doesn’t qualify is Victoria Distillers, which purchases its base spirit in bulk from Ontario and instead operates under a “commercial” distillery license .
Vodka is the simplest spirit to make, and is usually distilled from grain, but can really be made out of almost anything containing sugars or starches. Around the world, distillers sometimes use anything from apples to grapes to potatoes. Most Vancouver Island distilleries make their vodka out of grain, though Wayward Spirits and Salt Spring Shine both use honey, and Merridale uses apples. True North Distilling is one of the very few BC distilleries to use potato. (Despite the widely-held belief that all vodka is potato-based, it turns out only 3% of vodkas worldwide are). Regardless of the ingredients used, the end result tends to be fairly similar: a clear, smooth, pure spirit, with an emphasis on smoothness over distinct flavors. Unless you’re a vodka connoisseur, I find it can be difficult to tell the difference between vodkas unless you’re comparing them both right next to each other.
Gin can be thought of, in the most offensive of layman’s terms, as vodka tea. After making vodka, distillers steep or infuse plant ingredients (called botanicals) into it, giving it complex flavour. Juniper berries are the one essential ingredient, commonly followed by other botanicals like citrus peel, coriander, and cinnamon. Other than juniper, all other ingredients are optional, so many distillers opt to use unique local plants in their gin, giving many a distinct local flavour. The choice and proportion of botanicals determine the gin’s final taste, which can range from floral or citrusy to spicy or herbal. Distillers on Vancouver Island love using unique local ingredients, and local gins utilize a variety of unique flavours including locally foraged mushrooms, salal berries, spruce tips, bull kelp, hops, beeswax, locally grown tea, and more.
Whisky starts off its life similar to most vodkas – as grain – typically malt barley, corn, rye, or wheat. However, whereas vodka is distilled to such a high purity that most of the original flavour compounds are lost, whisky is not, meaning it retains much more of the original flavour of the grain. It’s then aged in wooden barrels for a minimum of three years, a process which imparts vanilla, oak, and caramel notes, as well as helps to mellow out unwanted harsher flavour compounds already present in the spirit. Depending on the style (such as Scotch, bourbon, or rye), the flavor profiles can vary dramatically, from smooth and mellow to rich and fruity. In my experience, the best local whiskys come from distilleries that specialize in whisky production, and Vancouver island has several whisky distilleries that are absolutely phenomenal. Many other distilleries specializing in making vodka and gin have also recently started to produce their own whiskys, of which there are several standouts as well.
Liqueur is made by infusing fruits, spices, chocolate, or anything else with a desirable flavour into vodka (Or sometimes gin. These are labelled “gin liqueur”). Alcohol does an incredible job of absorbing the flavours of whatever you put into it, and the results can be very flavourful. It’s ideal for sipping a small amount slowly, mixing with sparkling wine, or even sometimes pouring over ice cream if you’re feeling decadent. Most American-style liqueurs are sweetened and thickened, but some European styles can be more bitter. The type of infusion used and the duration of infusion greatly affect the flavor, which can range from tart and refreshing to sweet and rich. Liqueurs are relatively easy to produce, so there are a number of different ones available on Vancouver Island, including coffee, chocolate, raspberry, rhubarb ginger, lavender, elderflower, limoncello, and more.
Rum is distilled from sugarcane byproduct, typically molasses, and aged in oak barrels, in a process very similar to whisky. The flavor of rum can vary from light and fruity to deep and caramel-like, influenced by the length of aging and the specifics of the production process. Remember how all BC craft distillers have to source 100% of base products for distilling from BC farms? Because BC lacks the tropical climate required to grow sugarcane, finding local craft rum is easier said that done. Several Vancouver island distilleries have innovatively substituted the traditional sugarcane molasses for local BC honey, resulting in a product that can’t legally be called rum, but still hits the spot. There are only a few of these honey “rums” available on Vancouver Island, but it’s an unique product that I highly recommend giving a try if you get the chance,
Central Island Distilleries
Shelter Point Distillery
Shelter Point Distillery started production way back in 2011, and has since made a name for itself for its single-minded focus on producing Vancouver Island single malt whisky. Though it’s recently changed hands to Vancouver-based Nelson Investments, Shelter Point just keeps on winning awards, and is even the first Canadian distillery to join the prestigious Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Located on a beautiful coastal property supplying up to 90% of the distillery’s barley, and with the distillery’s beautiful wooden interior and shining copper stills, it’s definitely the most photogenic on Vancouver Island.
Must Try: The Smoke Point Single Malt succeeds in producing something to satisfy lovers of peaty whiskys, but more importantly their process of smoking the barrels with driftwood creates an unique smoky flavour that’s distinctly Vancouver Island.
Tastings: $10 for three samples
Wayward Distillery
Wayward Distillery, the first honey-based distillery in Canada, has been producing honey-based spirits in the Comox Valley since 2014. One of the highlights of visiting the distillery, other than the always-friendly staff, is getting to see the bees buzzing around the two demonstration beehives out back. Other than producing delicious spirits, the mission is to educate about the importance of healthy bee populations, and 1% of liquor sales are donated to Pollinator Partnership Canada.
Must Try: The Krupnik Spiced Honey Liqueur is a wintertime-must, but don’t forget to also try the gins and vodka. Can you tease out the subtle aftertaste of honey that’s been left in?
Tastings: Complimentary at the distillery
True North Distillery
True North Distillery, one of BC’s oldest craft distilleries, offers an impressively wide range of unique spirits (23, but who’s counting), but the most popular are the whiskys. Styles vary from Scotch-, Irish Whisky-, and Bourbon-inspired whiskys, along with several infused variations. This Vancouver Island distillery is firmly planted in Qualicum Beach, but only after relocating all the way from Grand Forks several years ago. The small tasting room benefits from being nextdoor neighbours with Fern + Cedar Brewing, so it’s easy to hit up both spots in one outing.
Must Try: There’s only a limited number of bottles open for tastings at one time, as there are just so many spirits available here. Try whatever whisky is available, as well as the only potato vodka made on Vancouver Island.
Tastings: $5 for three samples
Misguided Spirits Distillery
Cleverly-named Misguided Spirits is the passion project of former reporter and journalist Darrell Bellaart, who made the jump from home distiller to pro after his newspaper shut down. Located near the famous “goats on the roof” in Coombs, Misguided is perfectly located for tourists on their way to Tofino. Together Darrell and his wife Deirdre offer a modest selection of spirits, but the quality is impressive, and the passion is evident. As soon as we walked in we were invited on a quick but enthusiastic tour of the distillery before tasting the spirits and learning all about them from the distiller himself. Each of the bottle labels comes with a local story, so don’t forget to ask.
Must Try: All of the spirits here are fantastic so you might as give them all a taste.
Tastings: Complimentary at the distillery
Arbutus Distillery
Mike Pizzitelli’s Arbutus Distillery is the only distillery in Nanaimo. There’s a wide range of spirits served in the distillery’s cocktail lounge, which features a large window onto the distilling floor itself as well as an outdoor patio. It’s become one of the top Nanaimo spots for cocktails, but there’s pizza available as well in case you get hungry.
Must Try: Both the elderflower and lavender liqueurs use fresh locally picked flowers – it really makes the difference. Other highlights include the vodka and fan-favourite absinthe.
Tastings: $9 for a flight of three, $15 for a flight of six
Pacific Rim Distilleries
Antidote Distilling Company
Antidote Distilling Company describes their products as a “postcard for the Alberni Valley”, and while they may be thinking local, they’re already achieving recognition internationally. This Port Alberni distillery opened their doors in 2023 but has already received multiple awards including at the San Francisco International Spirits Competition. Their gins and vodkas can be sipped neat, or enjoyed in some of the best cocktails on Vancouver Island. There’s also a full food menu of local-inspired dishes. Bottles are made of 100% recycled glass, and the distillery takes back empty bottles and exchanges them for discounted full ones, cleaning and reusing the old bottles.
Must Try: The black gin made with locally foraged black truffles, morel, shiitake and chanterelle mushrooms is one of the most unique gins I’ve ever had but honestly everything here is amazing.
Tofino Distillery
When not running the show at Tofino Distillery, all three owners are volunteer fireman in the small tourist town. The small distillery, opened in 2018, is one of the only certified organic distilleries on Vancouver Island. (Though a number of other Island distilleries are committed to using organic ingredients, getting actually certified is its own hassle). The small distillery, located in an industrial area of Tofino, has a lovely indoor seating area as well as an outdoor patio, and the staff are some of the friendliest I found while visiting the Island’s distilleries. There’s a wide range of spirits available, from spruce tip gin to limoncello to a fireball-esque cinnamon whisky, and all are worth trying.
Must Try: Tofino’s limoncello isn’t as sweet as its Italian counterpart, but somehow has a lovely creaminess from the sugar. I was also really impressed by the gins, particularly the ones that were floral without being perfumey. The whisky was also a standout, especially coming from such a young distillery.
Tastings: $9 for three samples
South Island Distilleries
Ampersand Distilling Company
Since opening in 2014, Ampersand Distilling Company has built a devoted following of local customers who seem to religiously sip on their expertly crafted spirits. Jeremy and Jessica Schacht are cocktail lovers (Jessica even wrote a fantastic cocktail book in 2023!), and their gin and vodka are designed to be as versatile as possible, making them perfect for cocktails. The small distillery is housed on their beautiful rural property near Duncan, where the pair use their hand-built stills to produce a small range of spirits, though the lineup is slowly expanding. Ampersand doesn’t really have a tasting room, but they can be seen regularly at the Duncan Farmers’ Market.
Must Try: The gin and vodka are perfect for cocktail lovers, and the nocino (a green walnut liqueur) might a bit more niche, but they’ve got some fantastic cocktail recipes for it! I also was lucky enough to try their forthcoming whisky, which is definitely worth keeping an eye out for.
Tastings: Complimentary at the local farmers market
Stillhead Distillery
Stillhead Distillery‘s newly opened lounge in Duncan is the absolute best place for whisky lovers on Vancouver Island. If you’re looking to have a good conversation about whisky, Master Distiller Brennan Colebank is the biggest whisky nerd I’ve ever met, and his passion shows. There’s no pretension here – he’s just a guy who really loves whisky – so it only seems logical that he make his own. Unlike some other local whisky distilleries, Stillhead doesn’t focus only on single malts, but instead uses a variety of different grains to create a diverse lineup of whiskys. Alongside their wide variety of award-winning whiskys, Stillhead uses wild-picked berries, locally farmed rhubarb, and local Cowichan Valley wine barrels to make a variety of spirits including vodkas, gins, brandys, and liqueurs.
Must Try: The range of whiskys here is stunning, and they are all delicious. Personal favourites of mine include the BC/QC and the Double Oak Rye, but that’s barely scratching the surface of what’s available.
Tastings: Prices vary for 1oz servings, $20 for a pre-booked distillery tour & tasting
Holocene Distilling Project
Dorian Redden and Aisling Goodman spent seven years planning Holocene Distilling Project, but it wasn’t until late 2023 that the Cobble Hill distillery released its first vodka. Since then, they’ve also released a honey nettle gin, and are continuously adding to a line of liqueurs which includes a crème violette and a sweet tea liqueur made from coffee cherry husks and lemon rind sourced as waste byproducts from other local businesses. The mission here is to be carbon-neutral by 2030, and it’s possible to follow along with their list of sustainability projects for the distillery on their website.
Must Try: All the spirits I’ve tried from this Vancouver Island distillery are fantastic, though I haven’t yet tried some of their newest releases. The Crème Violette is a must-try for its unique additions of lavender and vanilla, making a floral liquor that can be sipped solo or used in some delicious cocktails.
Tastings: Complimentary at the local farmers market
Merridale Cidery & Distillery
Merridale Cidery & Distillery is most well known for its delicious Cowichan Valley cider, but it’s also BC’s first craft distillery. When provincial laws changed in 2013, allowing the craft distillery designation, owner Rick Pipes had already been distilling for six years under a commercial license, the only designation available up until that point. Today, the cidery/distillery offers a variety of spirits, all using estate-grown apples as their base. Spirits distilled here include brandies, gins, vodkas, and more. Merridale is set up to be an ideal agritourism destination, and the property boasts a restaurant, yurts, and hosts a number of weddings and public events throughout the year.
Must Try: The Cowichan Gin in particular is notable for its use of more than 40 local botanicals, but the brandies are probably the most unique offering.
Tastings: $25 for a brandy flight of four, other spirits are either $6 or $8 per oz
Gulf Island Distilleries
Sweetwater Distilling Co.
David and Fiona Walls’s Salt Spring Island distillery has been a long time in the works, with both COVID and bureaucratic red tape providing setbacks on their five year journey to opening. Sweetwater joins BC’s first craft distillery, Merridale, in using apples as their base. (They consulted Laurent Lafuente, a veteran distiller who also helped establish Merridale’s distilling program.) Despite being the newest distillery in the region, they’re off to a head start with a lineup that includes a vodka, chrysanthemum gin, brandy, and a nocino. The distillery/tasting room is in a gorgeous converted barn located on the family’s idyllic 40-acre property. It’s a little out of the way from other more established Salt Spring attractions, but is nonetheless well worth the drive.
Must Try: The nocino definitely seems to be the fan favourite, a sweeter take on the liqueur that is just begging to be poured over ice cream or sipped neat. I was also a fan of the gin, which was floral without being perfumey.
Tastings: Complimentary at the distillery
Salt Spring Shine Craft Distillery
Getting to Salt Spring Island from Victoria takes a short ferry ride, but this small distillery is well worth the trip. Salt Spring Shine fits in well with all the other local producers on the island, which is known for being a great place to try local wine, cheese, beer, and cider. Opened in 2016 by Michael Papp and Rie Otsubo-Papp, two Cordon Bleu chefs and former restauranteurs, the distillery stands out for its use of honey to distill its base spirit. In addition to a vodka and gin, they also produce a line of moonshines, including apple pie, mango, and barrel-aged versions.
Must Try: As delicious as the gin and vodka are, it’s the moonshines that really are the most unique offerings at this small distillery. The mango in particular just jumps out of the bottle with bright fresh juicy mango flavour.
Tastings: Complimentary at the distillery
Greater Victoria Distilleries
Macaloney’s Island Distillery
Since its opening by a team of Scots in 2016, Macaloney’s has garnered numerous accolades, including the prestigious title of ‘Best Single Malt’ in Canada for their An Loy whisky, and in 2023, their Kildara whisky was declared the World’s Best Pot Still Whisky at the World Whiskies Awards. Though none of the whisky can legally be called Scotch, there’s a very clear Scottish theme here; it’s not at every Vancouver Island distillery that all the staff wear kilts!
Must Try: The whiskies in their peated single malt range are worth a try, as they use local peat from the Olympic Peninsula to give their whisky a dinstinct smoky flavour, but if you’re not after peaty flavour then any of the other whiskys available here are worth a try.
Tastings: $14.25 for a flight of three, $18 for a flight of four
Phillips Fermentorium Distilling Co.
Phillips Fermentorium Distilling Co is an extension of the wildly successful Phillips Brewing Company, one of the most popular breweries in Victoria. Initially dipping their toes in the water with the release of Stump Gin back in 2014 as well as four unique handcrafted tonics, Fermentorium now produces several different gins and whiskys made with local barley and distilled in a 1920s solid copper Scottish still. In addition to malting their own barley, they also supply malt to other distilleries on Vancouver Island. One of the highlight is the fast-selling Small Talk Whisky, which features a blend from eight different barrels, each contributing its own character to the spirit. Try it at the Phillips taproom alongside the extensive beer selection.
Must Try: The small talk whisky is definitely the winner here, meanwhile the Stump Gin tends to leave people pretty divided. If woody and herbaceous is your thing, it’s definitely worth a try.
Tastings: $12 for a flight of three
Driftwood Spirits
Driftwood is one of the most iconic Victoria breweries, or at least one of their beers is; Fat Tug is the quintessential Victoria beer, always popular in bars, liquor stores, and now even available on BC Ferries. Driftwood’s distilling program is newer though. Headed by Brendan Cook, a distiller with extensive experience in Scotch whisky production, Driftwood has so far released two unique gins: Contact, which is a citrus-forward gin which includes beeswax as a botanical, and Parabola, a more floral gin which includes rose, lavender, and violet. Both are especially well-suited for cocktails.
Must Try: There are only two gins. Try both. You won’t regret it.
Tastings: $7 per 1oz serving
Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub
Spinnakers isn’t yet well-known for their distilling program, as it’s easily overshadowed by their legacy as Canada’s first brewpub. Fair enough. Locally sourced ingredients and water drawn from their on-site artesian well are key ingredients in both their beer and spirits, which are best enjoyed while taking in beautiful harbour views from their popular oceanfront location.
Must Try: The highlight here was the Crème De Cacao, which utilizes chooclate husks from local craft chocolate company Sirene Chocolate.
Tastings: $12 for three samples
Moon Distilling Company
Moon Underwater Brewing is another example of a Victoria brewery turned distillery. Visit the brewery for a pint, and then head right next door to their tasting room to sample some spirits. Co-Owner, Brewmaster, and Master Distiller Clay Potter is committed to local partnerships and ingredients, from Saanich Peninsula barley to spruce tips harvested near Tofino and locally roasted coffee. There’s a lot of experimentation going on, evidenced by the wide range of spirits available from the Sumatra Cold Brew Single Malt Whisky to the Spruce Tip Gin. A lot of energy is being put towards the whisky program in particular – the Antifogmatic Bliss is a Speyside-style single malt aged a in a Russian Imperial Stout aged barrel, then transferred into a Caribbean Rum barrel.
Must Try: As a whisky purist I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the Sumatra Cold Brew Infused Single Malt Whisky, though the Antifogmatic Bliss Single Malt Whisky is also very enjoyable.
Sheringham Distillery
Sheringham Distillery, which started in Jason and Alayne MacIsaac’s Shirley garage, is now one of the most recognizable distilleries on Vancouver Island. Their flagship Seaside Gin won Best Contemporary Gin at the 2019 World Gin Awards, and they’ve succeeded in following it up with a series of gins inspired by and celebrating the region. Sheringham partners with a local seaweed harvester and a lavender farm for their Seaside Gin, locally grown tea for their Beacon Gin, and local chocolate and coffee companies for their liqueurs.
Must Try: It’s tough to pick between the Seaside Gin and the Raincoast Gin. Honestly everything here is worth a try.
Tastings: Complimentary at the distillery
Devine Distillery
Devine Distillery is one of the best distilleries on Vancouver Island to find high-quality small-batch spirits that no one else is making. One of the highlights here is the award-winning “Ancient Grains” whisky, made from locally grown grains including barley, spelt, emmer, khorasan and einkorn, and tasting distinctly unlike any other variety of whisky you might have tried. They also make a genever, a ‘rum’ made from honey, and the Glen Saanich Single Malt, which consistently sells out very quickly, and like nearly all of their spirits, is highly decorated in awards. Sadly Devine doesn’t offer tastings at the distillery, so if you visit your only option is to take a bottle home with you, but chances are good that you were going to do that anyway.
Must Try: The Ancient Grains and Glen Saanich are two of the best whiskys you can find on Vancouver Island, but don’t let them overshadow the other unique offerings like the genever and the honey rum.
Tastings: Unavailable at the distillery
Best Coast Distillers
There’s a standard procedure when you open up a distillery on Vancouver Island, and that’s to start by producing a vodka and a gin, maybe a few liqueurs, and then after three years release your first whisky. Cory Hastings and Corey Wood’s Best Coast Distillers skips all of that, and instead is set on defying convention. The two have begun production on an agricole sorghum rum and a “tequila”, along with a couple of of coffee-infused whiskys, a cinnamon whisky, and a few other surprises. If the thought of growing sorghum and agave on a 100 year-old North Saanich farm sounds strange to you, that’s because it is. The two crops are much more comfortable in sunny Texas and Jalisco respectively, so growing them here is pretty innovative stuff. Currently the newest distillery on Vancouver Island, Best Coast doesn’t have a tasting room yet, but they can be found at local farmers markets.
Must Try: You might expect the WildFire Whisky to taste a lot like Fireball, but it’s actually a way smoother drink that’s really nice to sip as opposed to shoot. Plus a portion of sales goes to organizations such as the Victoria Firefighters Charitable Foundation. The sorghum rum and “tequila” are yet to be released but will surely be worth trying out of curiosity if nothing else.
Tastings: Complimentary at the local farmers market
Victoria Distillers
You may not have heard of Victoria Distillers, but if you’re into gin you’ve almost certainly heard of their award-winning Empress 1908 gin. This vibrant indigo gin gets its distinct pigment from butterfly pea flowers found in the Blue Suede Shoes tea blend from the iconic Empress Hotel in downtown Victoria, as well as its distinct flavour. Despite only launching the gin in 2017, it’s quickly become more popular and recognizable than the rest of the brand, and is one of the most well-known Canadian gins on the market. In fact, in 2020 Victoria Distillers even tried to trademark the colour blue in gin, potentially preventing other distillers from using butterfly pea flower. Recently Victoria Distillers has rebranded the rest of their gins to match Empress 1908, and though they might be somewhat overshadowed by the popularity of the flagship gin here, all the spirits here are worth a try. Check out the tasting room at the spectacular waterfront location in downtown Sidney.
Must Try: The highlight here is of course the purple gin.
Tastings: Complimentary at the distillery
Esquimalt Vermouth & Apéritifs
Started by Quinn and Michela Palmer in 2018, this small-scale operation has earned a lot of buzz locally and internationally, winning the World’s Best Dry Vermouth and World’s Best Semi-Sweet Vermouth at the 2023 World Vermouth Awards in London, UK, the first time non-European vermouth producers have achieved such recognition. Locally grown botanicals are combined with mead to produce a variety of Italian-, French-, and European-inspired aperitifs that shine either on their own or in cocktails. Technically they’re not a distillery, I know, I know, but Esquimalt’s vermouths mix perfectly in cocktails with many of the other spirits featured on this list.
Must Try: The brand new Apéritif Cascadia is full of of unique locally foraged Vancouver Island botanicals, meaning that it couldn’t be made anywhere else in the world.
Tastings: Complimentary at the local farmers market