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By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: Sept. 4, 2014
Gillespie’s Fine Spirits, a new distillery in Squamish, opens its tasting room to the public on Sept. 19. The new distillery is located on Progress Way in the business park, behind the building where Brick is located.
Tours are available for the tasting room which will be open Friday through Sunday, from 12-6 p.m.
Gillespie’s product available for samping include Gastown Shine, a vodka made from winter wheat, Sin Gin, a New American Style gin, Aphro, a chilli chocolate infused elixir, Lemoncello, a different take on the traditional Italian liqueur, V-Twin, a rye-based vodka.
Owner Kelly Ann Woods and her partner John McLellan said their artisanal spirits will also soon be featured in a number of local bars, stores and restaurants.
British Columbia is now home to a handful of craft-designated distilleries, (using 100% B.C. grain) and there are several more in the pipeline, Woods said.
“It’s not just a business, it’s a movement,” she said.
“Why should we be shipping liquor in heavy bottles from all over the world when we can support B.C. farmers and produce great product in our own backyard?”
McLellan and Woods are both graduates of the Artisan Craft Distilling Institute in Washington State. Woods has appeared regularly as a cocktail mixing expert on Global News and is a winner of the 2013 Cocktail Maker of the Year award from Vancouver Foodster.
She can be contacted at 604-726-2411.
Jon S. says
Why not protests? What about the gas they use to distill their spirits. The same hydraulic fractured gas that Woodfibre LNG will use?
Not to mention this distillery will provide 98 less jobs than Woodfibre LNG.
The hypocrisy of environmentalists.
Wolfgang W says
Now, now Jon, forget Woodfibre LNG for a moment: When I read the name ‘McLellan’, I am thinking of a nice entry level single malt whisky, McClelland, particularly the coastal one from Islay. ‘Wood’, well they mature the stuff in it for a long time. Maybe one day the duo will produce a unique and sought after BC west coast whisky? Right in Squamish? Cheer up and ‘Slainte’ Jon 🙂
Dave says
Environmentalists are those who care about the Environment. You imply you are not an Environmentalist and so do not care about the Environment. Environmentalist may include some hypocrites. You maybe a hypocrite sometimes. If you ever drink alcohol you certainly are by your own reckoning in your comment. But why not just enjoy yourself a bit and have a wee local dram by the fire, as Wolfgang suggests and give a toast to tolerance of the minor imperfections of the human race?
In short, lighten up a little 🙂