
Just some of the ingredients used by Victoria Spirits
By KAT TANCOCK
Along with a renewed interest in locally made, artisanal foods has come a revival in craft spirits. In British Columbia, home to many high-quality base ingredients, a number of small-scale distilleries have opened their doors to make tasty drinks out of fruit, organic grains, even potatoes and hemp seeds. Most products are not available in stores, so if you want a taste, you’ll just have to visit. Here, a slide show of our picks for five of the best »

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- Founded by an icebreaker captain and a professor of organic chemistry, this Gulf Island company takes distilling seriously—so much so that their website backstory reads like a research paper. Bottom line, they're focused on purity, and on creating gin and vodka free of hangover-causing propanol, isopentanol, methyl butanol and iso butanol. Who are we to argue with science?<br /> <em>4605 Roburn Road, Hornby Island, BC, 250-335-0630, <a href="http://www.islandspirits.ca/home.html">islandspirits.ca</a> </em>
- Photo: Island Spirits Distillery
- Island Spirits Distillery, Hornby Island
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- Photo: Island Spirits Distillery

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- Annette and Jorg Engels make the best of their location in the sunny south Okanagan Valley by turning local fruit into fine spirits and liqueurs. Focused on accentuating the natural flavours of the fruit, their products include three award winners: two grape brandies (a.k.a. grappa) and a maple liqueur made from organic Quebec maple syrup and their own single-ingredient kirsch.<br /> <em>1386 Carmi Ave., Penticton, BC , 250-493-0180, <a href="http://www.mapleleafspirits.ca/">mapleleafspirits.ca</a></em>
- Photo: Maple Leaf Spirits
- Maple Leaf Spirits, Penticton
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- Photo: Maple Leaf Spirits

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- Also located in fruit country, Okanagan Spirits has won awards and accolades for its wide range of products, including fruit liqueurs (think sea buckthorn, raspberry and huckleberry) and spirits such as their own take on Scandinavian specialty akvavit. Perhaps the most interesting item on their roster is an absinthe made of local fruit spirits rather than grain, plus paraphernalia including an absinthe spoon, glass and fountain.<br /> <em>2920 28th Ave., Vernon, BC, 250-549-3120, <a href="http://www.okanaganspirits.com/">okanaganspirits.com</a><br /> 267 Bernard Ave., Kelowna, BC, 778-484-5174, <a href="http://www.okanaganspirits.com/">okanaganspirits.com</a></em>
- Photo: Okanagan Spirits
- Okanagan Spirits, Vernon and Kelowna
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- Photo: Okanagan Spirits

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- Only locally grown grains and botanicals go into the Spirit Bear vodka and gin at this central Okanagan distillery, which also produces rum and whisky. Stop by for a signature tour and tasting—for just $12, you'll receive a guided tour, tasting flight and souvenir glass. Plus, $2 will go to the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition, an environmental organization aimed at saving the rare white coastal Spirit Bear.<br /> <em>325 Bay Ave., Kelowna, BC, 778-478-0939, <a href="http://www.urbandistilleries.ca/">urbandistilleries.ca</a></em>
- Photo: Urban Distilleries
- Urban Distillery, Kelowna
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- Photo: Urban Distilleries

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- Known in many parts of the country for its tasty gin, Victoria Spirits also produces hemp vodka, oaked gin, bitters and an in-progress whisky due to be ready in 2013. Get a taste for the process by viewing their <a href="http://www.victoriaspirits.com/home/virtual-distillery-tour/">virtual tour</a> of the gin-making facilities before you book your own tour and tasting (available in April and October).<br /> <em>6170 Old West Saanich Rd., Victoria, BC, 250-544-8217, <a href="http://www.victoriaspirits.com/">victoriaspirits.com</a></em><br />
- Photo: Victoria Spirits
- Victoria Spirits, Victoria
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- Photo: Victoria Spirits