Hornby Island’s Island Spirits Distillery is the little Phrog that could. A foundation of three partners in British Columbia gave way to two in early 2010 with the departure of winemaker John Grayson, and it is now run by icebreaker captain and distiller Pete Kimmerly and professor of organic chemistry Naz Abdurahman. Nothing in the spirit world starts quickly—the first products, named “Phrog,” were painstakingly crafted using a still of their own creation (20 years in the making!).
Their goal is purity—so much so that their ultra premium spirits are reputed to cause no hangovers and trigger no allergies. The Phrog gin, one of their initial products, is a super silken sipper crafted from 14 herbs, berries and botanicals. Juniper berries are evident, along with hints of fennel, cardamom, anise, honey, pepper spice and citrus peel. Pick up some local tonic, add a twist of meyer lemon, and enjoy.
