This quarter’s gin selection comes to us from beautiful Vancouver Island in British Columbia. My grandmother lived in Victoria, located on the southern tip of the Island, from 2001 until she passed away in 2019. I have many happy memories of visiting her there and taking in the beautiful scenery. Sheringham Distillery is located in Langford, just 20 minutes from Victoria, and their spirits, including this quarter’s selection, Beacon Gin, are borne from the natural beauty that surrounds them.
Cheers!
Sam Crocker
Resident Ginthusiast
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Sheringham Distillery Beacon Gin |
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Origin: Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada |
Alayne and Jason MacIsaac founded Sheringham Distillery in 2015 in the garage of their home in Shirley, BC, taking the original name of the town as the name for their distillery. Jason worked as a professional chef for more than two decades, developing an approach centered around locally sourced, fresh ingredients. He was inspired to create spirits with the same approach. Alayne’s entrepreneurial spirit and determination helped make their dream a reality.
Originally known as Kazuki Gin, Beacon Gin evokes a sense of place. It is inspired by two significant sites on Vancouver Island: the iconic Sheringham Point Lighthouse beacon located near the site of their first distillery in Shirley, and the much-loved Beacon Hill Park in Victoria that is lined with cherry blossoms in the springtime. The cherry blossoms serve as a key botanical in the gin, which is rounded out with citrus notes from grapefruit and yuzu, and an earthiness from Canadian-grown tea leaves.
Sustainability is one of Sheringham’s core values. It was recently certified a BC Green Business, which means it will be evaluated twice a year to ensure it is meeting its sustainability goals. It partners with other BC-based companies to find ethically-sourced and natural ingredients for its spirits. In addition, the distillery uses renewable energy and a water capturing and recycling program. Sheringham is working to be fully carbon neutral by the end of this year and have also begun the process of becoming a certified B-corporation. |
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Master Distiller: Jason MacIsaac |
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Price: $40.99 |
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Botanicals: Juniper, coriander, grapefruit, green tea leaves and flowers, cherry blossoms, yuzu peel, grains of paradise Tasting notes: Brilliant floral and fruitiness of the cherry blossoms deliver polished and rounded edges with soft citrus notes of yuzu and grapefruit, and local green tea leaves and flowers give a delicate herbaceous note through to the finish. |
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Cocktails
Negroni Bianco
Ingredients
1 oz Sheringham Beacon Gin
1 oz Luxardo Bitter Bianco
1 oz Bianco/blanc vermouth
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass filled with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with a grapefruit twist.
Beacon South Island
2 oz Sheringham Beacon Gin
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
6 Mint Leaves
Combine ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake well. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a mint leaf.
Devil All the Time
1 1/2 oz Sheringham Beacon Gin
1/2 oz Cassis
1/2 oz Lime Juice
4 oz Ginger Beer
Build all ingredients except the ginger beer over ice. Top with ginger beer and lightly stir. Garnish with a lime wheel.
For more recipes, visit www.sheringhamdistillery.com/cocktails/
