It feels like we were just cooling off with a honey lavender lemonade on the veranda, but it’s already time for fall flavours to retake the spotlight. Simple fall cocktails …

Sip your way through cozy season at Fairmont Empress Read More »

Fall is here and it means it’s time to change up your cocktails! While summer cocktails lean more towards the fruity and sweeter side of things, fall cocktails tend to …

Fall is barrel aged gin time! Read More »

There is very little in life that cannot be improved with a hot drink. It can warm us up, or cool us down.  The arrival of fall brings warm scarves, plaid clothing, falling leaves, and a return to baking. However, there is nothing we appreciate more about this season than all of the delicious seasonal flavours that appear at our adored coffee shops. These warm drink masterpieces soften the pace of life. Think about it, you simply cannot “guzzle” a hot drink. 

Stillhead Distillery of the Cowichan Valley has just released their new flagship Van-Isle Rye Vodka. What makes it so dramatically different? Craft distilleries only use grains from within the province of BC. Stillhead takes it one step further as they are the only distillery using 100% rye grain grown and harvested here in the Alberni Valley, near Port Alberni.

Think about that for a moment. Stillhead wants to keep Vancouver Island farmers busy and rewarded for growing amazing products, while also dramatically lowering their carbon footprint by reducing transportation distances by over 1000km, and a ferry ride. While most companies look further and further away to reduce their manufacturing costs, Stillhead looks for local solutions whenever possible.