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Just when you thought Sooke’s local liquor selection couldn’t get any better, an award-winning distillery has decided to move into town.
Sheringham Distillery, owned and operated by Jason MacIsaac and his wife Alayne, opened in 2015 and is located in Shirley.
The distillery specializes in gin and vodka, but MacIsaac said they are looking to add more selection to their roster once they are settled in Sooke.
The new location will be at 6731 West Coast Road, and is hoped to be up and running by this spring.
“After two and a half years we are ready for expansion and we’re really excited to move to Sooke. We can see how much it is growing there and we are looking forward to becoming a part of that,” MacIsaac said.
He added that he hopes the distillery will help attract more tourism to Sooke, as they offer complimentary tours and tastings.
“In our Sooke location we will also be open to the public more often, and it will be easier for people to access,” MacIsaac said.
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The distillery had a successful year in 2017, winning a silver medal for its Seaside gin and a bronze medal for its Akvavit white wheat vodka at the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Awards.
Sheringham Distillery also started 2018 off strong, winning both a gold medal and best of show for its Seaside gin spirit at the Taste B.C. Awards earlier this month.
“We were completely thrilled to have won the awards, and just to be up there with the biggest wineries, breweries and distilleries in B.C., it was really exciting,” MacIsaac said.
The Seaside gin, which MacIsaac described as the distillery’s flagship is created using B.C. grain, and its botanicals include, lavender, wild rose, citrus peel, juniper berries, and dried wing kelp.
“The idea was to develop a gin that would give the feel of Vancouver Island,” MacIsaac said. “The kelp comes from the beaches right out front of our distillery.”
RELATED: New local gin will take you to the shores of Shirley
Sheringham Distillery’s liquor is distributed all throughout B.C. and last summer also extended its reach in to Manitoba and Alberta.
MacIsaac said once they get moved in to their new location, they will be working on producing more spirits, as well as releasing new products, starting with a whisky in 2019.
“We are very grateful for the support we’ve had from the Shirley and Sooke community, and we hope to continue to produce award winning spirits in coming years,” he said.
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