The Vancouver Island Guide to Craft Spirits
This guide to craft spririts has been curated to invite locals and visitors into the creatively crafty distilleries where some of the best spirits are made. This itinerary is designed to take you on a journey – imbibe, learn, and celebrate another piece of what makes BC, and Vancouver Island such a spectacular place to explore and experience. The beauty of being located on an Island in the Pacific Northwest means that this adventure will always take you close to the salty ocean air and ever-changing shorelines.
North to South and East to West, Vancouver Island is brimming with distilleries whose products, processes and philosophies are as diverse as the individuals and companies who own and manage them. The distilleries on the route have created spaces for visitors and residents to imbibe, learn, and celebrate Island spirits. Fermented and distilled BC honey? Yup, we have Canada’s first. The World’s Greatest Gin? Check. Sunsets and sea air as unofficial ingredients in single malt whiskey? On Vancouver Island. Van Gogh and Hemingway’s favourite spirit Absinthe? You can find it here.
Invite your friends, gather up your family, and explore Vancouver Island’s guide to craft spirits!
Distilleries produce alcohol that is between 20% and 75.5% ABV (alcohol by volume), so wherever your spirit path takes you, plan ahead with a designated driver and be responsible about how spirited you get on your journey!
Comox Valley Distilleries
Shelter Point, Wayward Distillery, and Island Spirits are all located in close proximity (or within) the Comox Valley, which is well-known for its abundant agriculture, wide-open views, and the Island’s only commercial ski resort.
4650 Regent Rd, Campbell River, BC, CA, V9H 1E3
The first stop on the Path: the 300 acre former UBC farm bordered by the Salish Sea to the east and the oyster river to the south, now home to Shelter Point. It’s difficult not to be blown away by how expansive and gorgeous this place is. And Shelter Point Whiskey is good. Really good.
2931 Moray Ave, Courtenay, BC V9N 7S7, Canada
Travelling ‘down island’ (as the locals say) brings you to Wayward Distillery in Courtenay. 100% BC honey is fermented and distilled into decadently sippable and unruly spirits. As the first distillery in Canada to use honey as the ferment in all of their spirits, Wayward hosts two demonstration hives on-site to help visitors make the connection between pollinating honey bees and conscientious alcohol consumption.
4605 Roburn Rd, Hornby Island, BC, CA, V0R 1Z0
The path then leads you across two ferries to Island spirits on Hornby Island. If you’re making more than a day trip (advisable as Hornby truly is an experience unto itself), plan ahead and settle into spirits distilled by a former icebreaker captain and an organic chemistry professor.
Central Island Distilleries
1343 Alberni Hwy, Parksville, BC, CA, V9P 2B9
Another new addition to the Spirit Path is Misguided Spirits Distillery. Stop by to try their Brother XII vodka – which was recently awarded a silver medal in this year’s national Artisanal Spirits competition. Their Spectral Gin has become popular among their customers, and they have newly launched a Rhubarb Ginger Gin Liqueur that is considered best in its class.
1890 Boxwood Rd, Nanaimo, BC, CA, V9S 5Y2
While Arbutus Distillery crafts much more than absinthe in its stills, it is well worth a stop on The Spirit Path to learn and taste this tasty and often mysterious spirit.
4077 Lanchaster Rd, Duncan, BC, CA, V9L 6G2
In Canada’s most temperate growing valley, Ampersand is a family-owned distillery on a five-acre farm. Evidenced in the artistic & Scientific approach to crafting spirits, This family is dedicated to leading visitors through their stories and their creations.
5301 Chaster Rd, Duncan, BC, CA, V9L 5J2
Also in Duncan, The Spirit Path brings you to Stillhead Distillery – infused spirits and creative expressions of local produce are how Stillhead’s distillers will bring you in.
1230 Merridale Rd, Cobble Hill, BC V8H 1A1, Canada
While Merridale is well known for its scrumptious ciders, some of BC’s oldest craft spirits were made and are housed at Merridale, as it was the first craft distillery in the province.
Pacific Rim Distilleries
This section of The Spirit Path brings wanderers to the West Coast of Vancouver Island. As the Foodie culture explodes in Tofino and Ucluelet, Tofino Distillery and Pacific Rim Distilling are each drawing inspiration from the world-class chefs who are foraging and feasting on the bounty of the local waters. Let The Spirit Path take you to both of these communities and take the time to explore the wide-open beaches and famed Wild Pacific Trail.
681 Industrial Way, Tofino, BC, CA, V0R 2Z0
Experience premium, Certified Organic spirits inspired by Tofino's Coastal Rainforest. Visit our tasting room or shop online for a taste of the Pacific.
Victoria Craft Distilleries
The City of Victoria is overflowing with places to eat and drink, so The Spirit Path will take you to the distillers who are working hard (and smart) to keep alcoholic spirits relevant in the restaurant and home entertainment scene.
2010 Government St, Victoria, BC, CA, V8T 4P1
Fermentorium is an extension of the Phillips Brewing creators so you know they are dialled into what makes a delicious drink.
4382 W Shr Pkwy, Langford, BC, CA, V9B 5Z1
Located about 30 minutes from Victoria in the beautiful community of Sooke is Sheringham Distillery, featuring an award-winning selection of vodkas, gins, and occasionally whisky. Their Seaside Gin won multiple awards, including the World’s Best Contemporary Gin in 2019 from the World Gin Awards.
308 Catherine St, Victoria, BC, CA, V9A 3S8
Canada’s oldest brewpub is now offering handcrafted spirits alongside their traditional ales and ciders!
Saanich & Gulf Islands Distilleries
9891 Seaport Pl, Sidney, BC, CA, V8L 0A5
Victoria Distillers in Sidney is both an onsite distillery and a community gathering space, so sampling their spirits is as much about taste as it is revelling in its waterfront location.
194 Kitchen Rd, BC, CA, V8K 2B3
Across the water on Salt Spring Island, lifestyle drives Salt Spring Shine Distillery to embed sustainability into every piece of their operation. Made with 100% BC honey, Salt Spring Shine’s spirits are a welcome stop on the Spirit Path.
*To achieve the Craft designation from the Provincial Government a BC distillery must produce no more than 50,000 litres of spirit per year, the distillery must use 100% BC agricultural products to produce the alcohol from fermentation and fermentation must be completed onsite at the Distillery.
Explore More Trip Ideas
A drive for the city-slicker and nature enthusiast alike, the Pacific Marine Circle Route will take you from urban sprawl to the wild west coast and back again. This 289 km loop starts in Victoria and heads west through the funky oceanside town of Sooke and onto Port Renfrew, where the waves are as big as the drinks are cold. Take a day or more to enjoy the many stunning beaches, quaint cafes and sweeping waterfalls dappled along a winding road through the rain forest while making your way back to Victoria through Duncan, the City of Totems.
32 stops
Switch your street shoes for gumboots and put your driving skills to the test with this one-of-a-kind East-to-West Vancouver Island trek. You’ll travel from the major urban hub of Victoria to the untouched old-growth forests of Tofino and Ucluelet, soaking up that island vibe all along the way. World-class accommodations, intoxicating culinary delights and exhilarating wilderness adventures await, but be sure to take it slow through the mountain passes while you enjoy the awe-inspiring scenery.
12 stops
Take it easy while enjoying all the natural wonders Vancouver Island has to offer with this leisurely oceanside trip from Nanaimo to Campbell River. From sandy beaches and fishing villages to vast valleys and mountainous terrain, this trip offers you a chance to savour it all.
You’ll get acquainted with the beauty of the eastern coastline before the road takes you into the Comox Valley, nestled beside the island’s tallest mountain in Strathcona Provincial Park.
You can do this trip in just a few hours or take your time with a day trip to delve deeper into the treasure trove of this Central Island adventure.
13 stops
Choose your own adventure along one of the longest – and most wild – Vancouver Island road trip routes. This 385 km trip from Nanaimo to Port Hardy varies in travel time depending on the season but its rugged beauty is gorgeous year-round. The potential for animal sightings will have you at the edge of your seats with excitement but you’ll also find comfort in the warm embrace of trees towering around you. The northernmost town on Vancouver Island, Port Hardy is the end of the road – well, at least the paved road, but for the more seasoned outdoors enthusiasts, it’s here that the adventure really begins.
11 stops
Vancouver Island and the abundant life-giving waters of the surrounding Pacific Ocean are the Traditional Territory of the Coast Salish, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Kwakwakaw’akw People.
Embark on a transformative trip and seek Indigenous experiences from urban Victoria to the wilderness of the Pacific Rim. Let Indigenous wildlife viewing and dining opportunities, accommodations and cultural experiences guide your Vancouver Island itinerary.
19 stops