There are no two ways about it: Canadian gin is thriving, and for the first time in our history, we’re leading with terroir. Appetites for the juniper-forward spirit were first forged by early European settlers. Fast forward a few hundred years and, what was once a liquor heavily modelled on English and Dutch styles, is assuming its own national identity. From Maritimes seaweed, prairie-grown wheat, glacier-fed Rocky Mountain water, pine needles foraged from ancient forests, honey made from local hives, and wild roses picked along the pristine shores of Vancouver Island, Canadian distillers are finding unique ways to draw inspiration and flavour from our vast and differing landscapes, offering up a true taste of place.
Now garnering an international reputation for excellence, here are the Canadian gins that should not only be on your radar, but on your bar cart ready for the next time you fix yourself a martini.
British Columbia
Bottling wild, west coast character, B.C. ‘s burgeoning distillation scene draws flavours from the province’s rich biodiversity. From lush rainforests to Pacific shores, B.C. gin is botanically bold and consistently flavourful.
Cascadian Gin — The Woods Spirit Co.
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Cascadian Gin is inspired by the classic London Dry gin style, but with a Pacific Northwest twist. Cold distilled in a unique vacuum still the top notes of herbaceous green pine needles evoke the ancient evergreen forests of British Columbia, with a woodsy spiced finish. ($50)
Sheringham Seaside Gin
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Inspired, and flavoured, by the wild roses found growing along Vancouver Island’s pristine coastline, Sheringham Gin has taken home a multitude of awards, including in the prestigious World’s Best Contemporary Gin category at the World Gin Awards. Infused with sustainably harvested winged kelp, this is a true sea-to-glass taste of the Pacific. ($53)
Empress 1908 Indigo Gin
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An ode to a revered blend of tea served during the Fairmont Empress’ well-regarded high tea services, Empress 1908 Indigo Gin gets its eye-catching hue from an infusion with butterfly pea blossom. More than just an Instagram-era marketing trick, Victoria Distillers have received a slew of high praise and gold awards for their spirit, being some of the first in the country to truly put Canadian gin on the international spirits map. ($50)
Unruly Gin, Wayward Distillery
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Unlike the grain spirits making up the rest of our list, Unruly Gin lives up to its name through its unique distillation from 100% pure B.C. honey. Mead turns spirit via an intricate process using custom-designed stills, after which locally sourced organic botanicals are vapour infused to create an unconventional, but deeply satisfying gin with hints of cedar. ($65)
Atlantic Canada
The fog-laced shores of Atlantic Canada are rich with marine botanicals and coastal vegetation, making up the unique flavour profile of the region. Drawing upon the evocative landscapes of our eastern shorelines, these distilleries are producing tide-born tipples worthy of acclaim.
Seaweed Gin, The Newfoundland Distillery Co.
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Made using seaweed harvested from Grand Banks, the confluence of the frigid Labrador Current and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, The Newfoundland Distillery’s Seaweed Gin is notably oceanic in its salt-kissed flavour profile, while retaining a herbaceous backbone. Slightly savoury and perfect for, say, a Gibson, Seaweed Gin has been met with a slew of accolades, including a gold medal at the 2020 New York Spirit Awards. ($45)
Gin Wild, Compass Distillers
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With a gin named in recognition of the wild juniper hand-picked amid the rugged rocks of the iconic Peggy’s Cove coastline, Compass Distillers make their base spirit with 100% locally harvested Nova Scotian wheat. Fermented, distilled and bottled in Halifax, Gin Wild snagged gold at the 2019 World Wine & Spirits Competition. ($43.46)
Rhubarb Gin, Steinhart Distillery
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Reviving a 300-year-old family history of distillation, German-born Thomas Steinhardt brings his heritage to his family farm in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, where he forages ingredients against the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean. Using locally grown rhubarb, Steinhart’s gold-award-winning Rhubarb Gin is a cut above “trendy” gin flavour infusions, presenting real notes of stewed rhubarb and juniper. ($38, 500ml)
Ocean Pearl Gin, Deep Roots Distillery
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Prince Edward Island’s nutrient-rich waters are the breeding grounds for some of the world’s most celebrated oysters. From sea-to-still, Deep Roots showcases island sustainability by utilizing discarded oyster shells in their custom-designed filtration system, resulting in a truly oceanic spirit. ($41)
Ontario
Canada’s most populous province is as bursting with creativity as it is flavour opportunities – and thirsty imbibers. From urban-crafted small-batch distillers, to forest-forward blends and farm fresh-picked botanicals, Ontario is becoming quite the powerhouse of gin-making.
Dillion’s Dry Gin 7
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Located in the heart of Ontario’s Niagara wine region, Dillion’s was at the forefront of Canada’s craft distillation boom. Among the pinnacle of traditional-style Canadian gins, Dillon’s award-winning Dry Gin No.7 is hands down the perfect martini spirit. An ode to a classic London Dry Gin, but with a distinctly Ontarian twist, Dillion’s craft their gin with 100% Ontario rye grain and vapour-infused locally sourced juniper. ($40)
Maplewood Smoked Gin, Valley of Mother of God
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Maplewood hand-smoked Ottawa Valley juniper is slowly infused into Valley of Mother of God’s original dry gin, crafted with black walnut and black trumpet mushrooms, allowing for a richer depth of flavour with a near-peated-Scotch-like profile. Sophisticated both on the rocks, or in a cocktail, a sip of Maplewood Smoked Gin is reminiscent of fire-side nights spent at the cottage. ($75)
Collective Arts — Lavender & Juniper
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Proudly fusing innovative spirits with emerging artists, Collective Arts presents aestheticism alongside interesting flavour profiles. The multi-gold-award-winning Lavender & Juniper Gin is as much a stand-out bar cart feature as it is a worthy sip. Pouring in a delicate blue hue, thanks to the infusion of Ontario-harvested lavender, Collective Arts also blend heather, chamomile, sweet almond and a touch of bergamot to create their stand-out sip. ($47)
Limited Edition 24K Gold Plated No.33 Gin, Laneway Distillers
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Speaking of statement bottles, Toronto-founded Laneway Distillers released just 12 golden bottles, all signed, of their award-winning No.33 Gin, and rumour has it there are still a couple floating around the market. Presented in a velvet-lined box, the arresting bottles make for the perfect gift for the gin-lover who has it all. However, if the price tag is a stretch, regular (faux-gold) bottles of 33 contain the same complex spirit, crafted with 33+ botanicals that blend a taste of Canada with exotic spices from beyond our waters. ($99 for No.33, $4,888.95 for Limited Edition 24K No.33)
Alberta
A land where dinosaurs once roamed, and home to boundless wheat-growing prairies, near-desolate badlands, and vast glacier-capped peaks, spacious Alberta is proving to be a distiller’s paradise.
Eau Claire Parlour Canadian Gin
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For a slightly sweet taste of the prairies, Eau Claire infuses notable Albertan botanicals with their barley-based spirit, including rose hips and Saskatoon berries, quintessential flavours of Canada’s Wild West. Receiving over 14 national and international accolades, Parlour Canadian Gin is one of the most highly awarded spirits, created by Canada’s most decorated craft distillers. ($50)
Wild Life Barrel Aged Gin
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Crafted with locally grown Albertan spring wheat and malted barley, and blended with Rocky Mountain glacial water, Wild Life then places their juniper-forward spirit into white oak ex-Bourbon barrels. The end result? A layered, complex spirit with softwood, vanilla and candied orange notes, perfect over ice or in a cocktail as a richer alternative to regular gin, or a lighter option in traditional whisky sips. ($56)
Strathcona Spirits Badland Seaberry Gin
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Blended with wild-foraged juniper from the fossil-filled Badlands along the Red Deer River, as well as sour seaberry hand-picked in the wilds of the City of Edmonton, the Badland Seaberry Gin is up there with one of the most uniquely flavoured dry gins in Canada, presenting a true taste of place. ($49)
Anohka Tempest Dry Gin
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A Canadian-made gin bursting with world-wide influence, Tempest Dry Gin snagged the award for Best Canadian Dry Gin at the 2022 World Gin Awards. Made from 100% Western Canadian wheat, plus numerous botanicals sourced locally, like Albertan juniper and rose petals, plus flavours from around the world, including Vietnamese cassia, bay leaf, orris root, tellicherry black pepper and citrus peels. Noted for their methodical approach to distillation, Anohka’s process leaves all of the aromatic oils and essences from their source ingredients intact. ($54)
Alpine Dry Gin, Park Distillery
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Park Distillery is the only distillery operating within a national park in the entirety of Canada, which perhaps speaks to why their Alpine Dry Gin tastes like the essence of Banff National Park in a bottle! That, coupled with the fresh glacial water and infusion of locally hand-picked spruce tips make this crisp, refreshing expression reminiscent of backcountry hikes and camping trips by the lake. ($55)
Quebec
As the largest of Canada’s 10 provinces Quebec boasts diverse wilds. From urban metropolises, lush and wooded forests, glistening lakes, and up to the icy tundra, the opportunity to draw influence from one’s surroundings may well be the very reason Quebec is home to the most distilleries in Canada. Narrowing it down to a sample size is challenging to say the least!
Gin, Menaud Distillery
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A luxury gin stylishly housed in distinctive eye-catching green bottles inspired by the distillery’s location in Quebec’s Charlevoix region. Fermented from rye and wheat grown on L’Isle-aux-Coudres, distilled twice and infused with local botanicals such as sumac, glasswort, barberry, wild caraway, balsam poplar, amber flower and black spruce, Meanaud’s Gin oozes Laurentian savoir-faire. ($59)
Ungava
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Canada’s much-decorated and strikingly-coloured yellow gin is,in fact, a terroir-driven spirit crafted with six botanicals from the frigid climes of Quebec’s Arctic Ungava region. Nordic juniper meets wild rose hip, Labrador tea, crowberry and cloudberry. Blended and steeped for five weeks, the resulting flavour boasts depth, balance and vibrancy. ($40)
Loop Lime and Ginger
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Sustainability is the raison-d’etre for Loop, who make flavour-forward gin as a solution to urban food waste. Partnering with a Quebecois chip manufacturer, Loop infuses cold-press juice from discarded lime and ginger with excess potato cuttings, et voilà. ($41)
