A Sicamous moonshine distillery has received recognition for their clear spirits.
After Dark Distillery91Ƶs Monashee Mountain Vodka was awarded a silver medal at the 2019 Canadian Artisan Spirit of the Year Awards, while their Copper Island Gin picked up a bronze.
After Dark91Ƶs vodka is described as smooth and clean tasting but packs heat 91Ƶ making it ideal for caesars. Louise Perry one of the distillery91Ƶs owners said like all of After Dark91Ƶs spirits, the vodka is made with corn and malted barley giving it a nice sweetness.
The Copper Island Gin is flavoured with haskap berries grown near Salmon Arm. Perry said the gin also draws some flavour from lemongrass and orange peel.
Perry said a survey After Dark put out to customers visiting their Sicamous storefront, suggests local gin drinkers prefer a lighter flavoured gin with less juniper berries in the mix.
91ƵIt just makes it less piney,91Ƶ she said
Although the distillery is still in their slow season, Perry said orders for liquor stores are beginning to pick up for the the coming months.
The small-batch distillery, located on Shuswap Avenue in Sicamous, has been open since March 2017.
Making even bigger waves than After Dark91Ƶs vodka and gin was a product from Monashee Spirits Craft Distillery, located just up the Trans-Canada Highway in Revelstoke. Monashee Spirits91Ƶ Ethos Gin was named the Canadian Artisan Spirit of the year with judges praising its citrusy, piney nose and residual sweetness among other attributes.
jim.elliot@saobserver.net
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