You must be of legal drinking age to enter this website.
Are you of legal drinking age?

Yes

No

ArbutusMuralPrePrep02 copy-01.png

In pursuit of the unconventional, truly unique, flavour-forward spirits & cocktails. 

Award-wining spirits brewed, fermented, distilled & bottled on-site in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Arbutus Distillery is a BC-classified ‘Craft Distillery’ that sources only 100% BC grown fermentables & grow many of our own botanicals. Find our products at your local liquor retailers, or join us in our Tasting Lounge for tastings, bottle sales and weekend cocktail service.


CANADIAN SINGLE MALT WHISKY

Brewed and distilled using 100% BC grown malted barley and distilled with a traditional copper pot and column still, our Canadian Single Malt Whisky is aged a minimum of three years in Bourbon casks and blended to 43% abv.

**Non-chill filtered with no caramel or artificial colouring

TASTING NOTES:

Pear, milk chocolate and vanilla with viscous and round texture.

BEST ENJOYED:

Sipped neat, on the rocks, or as a base in your favourite whisky cocktails.

AVAILABLE IN:

750ml Bottles | 43% Alc. by Vol.  

CANADIAN RYE WHISKY

Made with 100 % BC grown rye and aged for a minimum of three years in bourbon barrels, our Canadian Rye Whisky is a medium bodied rye we send to finish in new oak char#4 barrels to draw out notes of spice to balance out the light sweetness of the whisky.

Delectably smooth and non-chill filtered.

TASTING NOTES:

Spiced honey with notes of brown sugar and black currant.

BEST ENJOYED:

Sipped neat, or to add spice and character to your favourite whisky-based cocktail

AVAILABLE IN:

750ml Bottles | 40% Alc. by Vol.  

200ml Bottles | 40% Alc. by Vol. **While quantities last**

ARBUTUS BRANDY

A complex, vibrant brandy distilled from 100% Vancouver Island grapes and patiently aged in new oak barrels. Look for traditional fruit forward sweetness backed by a delicate spice profile drawn from the oak barrel aging.

TASTING NOTES:

Oak and spice with a rich grape sweetness.

BEST ENJOYED:

Sipped from a brandy snifter.

AVAILABLE IN:

750ml Bottles | 40% Alc. by Vol.  

BABA YAGA ABSINTHE

Baba Yaga Genuine Absinthe is distilled traditionally with grand wormwood, anise, fennel, lemon balm, and mint. Blended to 60% ABV, the finished spirit is then rested and steeped in more herbs and botanicals yielding it's natural green/ chartreuse colour. (Baba Yaga Absinthe is naturally coloured and therefore a natural chlorophyl precipitate may occur in bottle over time) 

TASTING NOTES:

Prominent sweet black liquorice, with herbal notes  alongside light citrus and mint. 

BEST ENJOYED:

Prepare by pouring over ice or blending drop wise slowly with ice cold water to release its herbal oils and develop an opal cloud ('louche'). Enjoy over ice (often as a digestif), paired with sparkling wine (aka 'Death in the Afternoon') or in cocktails to lend anise tones with a 'rinse' 

AVAILABLE IN:

750ml Bottles | 60% Alc. by Vol.  

EMPIRIC GIN

The Empiric Gin is centred around the merger of classic botanicals such as juniper and coriander along side west coast staples such as hops, rosemary lavender and the unique addition of lemon verbena, imparting the gin's citrus tones. The Empiric is an especially floral yet well-balanced contemporary gin with notes of pine, citrus and spice.

2019 Silver Medal Winner at the Canadian Artisan Spirits Competition and Judges pick for 2017 SIPS: Best of the Northwest.   

TASTING NOTES:

Floral forward with bright notes of citrus.

BEST ENJOYED:

A bar staple, the Empiric Gin is as comfortable in a simple Gin and Tonic as it is in a complex cocktail.

AVAILABLE IN:

750ml Bottles | 40% Alc. by Vol.  

COVEN VODKA

Small-batch copper pot distilled spirit from 100% BC grown and malted barley yielding a rich viscous and smooth vodka with undertones of toast, chocolate & caramel. Distilled with European style techniques to highlight the basic characteristic of the grain (opposed to Western Style) . 

TASTING NOTES:

Clean, smooth vodka with subtle undertones of toast, chocolate and caramel.

BEST ENJOYED:

Excellent chilled & sipped on the rocks. 

AVAILABLE IN:

750ml Bottles | 40% Alc. / Vol.

ELDERFLOWER LIQUEUR

GOLD MEDAL WINNER WITH MERIT IN TERRIOR FROM CANADIAN ARTISAN SPIRIT AWARDS 2021

A seasonal delight made with freshly foraged BC elderflower blossoms.

TASTING NOTES:

Fruity and floral with notes of nectarine, stone fruit, and tropical lychee with a subtle herbaceous finish.

BEST ENJOYED:

Perfect as a sweet, floral addition to cocktails, or showcased in all its glory as an elderflower martini.

AVAILABLE IN:

750ml Bottles, 375ml Bottles | 22% Alc. by Vol.  

ELDERBERRY GIN

A unique, vibrant gin glowing with the addition of B.C. elderberries.

TASTING NOTES:

This deliciously unique jammy gin packs a punch with bright, sweet and sour elderberry notes complementing our traditional botanical gin notes.

BEST ENJOYED:

A great addition to gin cocktails to give an extra tang and fruity punch.

AVAILABLE IN:

750ml Bottles | 40% Alc. by Vol.

_PIZ0086.jpg

Tasting BAR & COCKTAIL LOUNGE

 

FEATURED COCKTAILS

TRY IN OUR LOUNGE OR TRY AT HOME

BOhemian mule

  • 1.5 oz Baba Yaga Absinthe

  • 3 oz Rootside Ginger Beer

  • 0.5 oz Lime Juice

  • 0.5 oz Simple Syrup

  • Crushed Ice

A herbal, spiced twist on a classic cocktail, add Baba Yaga Absinthe, ginger beer, lime juice and simple syrup into a copper mug filled with crushed ice.

Stir to combine and garnish with lime wedge.

ARBUTUS SAZERAC

  • Baba Yaga Absinthe (to rinse)

  • 2 oz Arbutus Canadian Rye Whisky

  • 3 dashes Esquimalt Bitters

  • 0.5 oz Simple Syrup (or 1 sugar cube)

  • Citrus peel

  • Ice Ball / Ice Block (optional)

Rinse a chilled rocks glass with Baba Yaga Absinthe and set aside.

In an ice-filled mixing glass, add the Canadian Rye Whisky, Esquimalt Bitters and simple syrup and stir until chilled.

Strain into Absinthe rinsed rocks glass and twist citrus peel to express the peel’s oils, and garnish with peel.

Enjoy!

FOREST DWELLER FIZZ

  • 1 oz Forest Dweller Gin

  • 0.25 oz Baba Yaga Absinthe

  • 1 oz Lime Juice

  • 0.75 oz Simple Syrup

  • 1 Egg White

In a cocktail shaker with ice, add the Forest Dweller Gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white and shake enthusiastically.

Double strain and garnish with your choice of botanicals.


GIN GIMLET

  • 2.5 oz Empiric Gin

  • 1.0 oz Lime Juice

  • 1.0 oz Simple Syrup

  • Citrus Peel for garnish

In a cocktail shaker with ice, add the Empiric Gin, lime juice, and simple syrup and shake enthusiastically.

Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with your choice citrus peel or lime wheel.

Leather Briefcase

  • 1.5 oz Amaro #4

  • 1 oz Lime Juice

  • 1 oz Rootside Ginger Beer Mix

  • 4-5 oz Sparkling Water

In an iced filled mixing glass, combine the Amaro #4, Rootside Ginger Beer Mix, lime juice, and sparkling water.

Stir well and serve in a rocks glass with a wedge of lime.

Citrus gin mojito

  • 1.5 oz Citrus Gin

  • 2 oz Lime Juice

  • 0.75 oz Simple Syrup

  • 1-2 Sprigs of Mint

  • Sparkling Water

Muddle 5-10 mint leaves in a sturdy glass to express oils.

In an iced filled mixing glass, combine the Citrus Gin, lime juice, simple syrup and sparkling water.

Stir well and pour over muddled mint. Serve with remaining mint sprig as garnish.

Contact Us

 

Arbutus Distillery

1890 Boxwood Road
Nanaimo, BC, V9S 5Y2
Canada

Phone: 250.714.0027
Email: info@arbutus-distillery.com

HOURS OF OPERATION

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 11am - 6pm | Bottle Sales + Tastings
Thursday: 11am - 6pm | Bottle Sales + Tastings
Friday: 1pm - 8pm | Cocktail Service + Bottle Sales + Tastings
Saturday: 1pm - 8pm | Cocktail Service + Bottle Sales + Tastings
Sunday: Closed