7 BC Spirits That Make Perfect Holiday Gifts

Sure, wine is fine. But BC spirits? They put the oh-heyyy! into holi-day, the fun into the festive season and magically morph any bah-humbug gathering into a full-blown party.

7 BC Spirits to Gift in 2024

Here’s a selection of BC-made spirits you’ll want to add to your bar cart (or wrap up as a gift).

Bearface Canadian Whisky

Bearface Canadian Whisky “matures in oak casks in repurposed shipping containers,” which are then exposed to “the elements in the Canadian wilderness” according to the maker. Sounds wacky, but cool-wacky, right? The result of what this BC brand calls “elemental aging” is a whisky with a smooth, bold flavour that’s perfect served neat and swirled in your favourite rock glass by the fire, or blended into the signature cocktail you serve at your party. Available here.

The Woods Spirit Co.’s Creama Nocciola

Crema Nocciola is newly launched by North Vancouver-based The Woods Spirit Co. I was stoked to try it since I’m such a fan of their Amaro. This new plant-based BC hazelnut liqueur is a velvety delight, well-timed for release around the holiday season with notes of vanilla, buttery chocolate and locally roasted (of course) coffee beans. It’s impressive when served chilled after dinner in a special cordial glass, or blended into an espresso martini, or poured over ice cream as an affogato for dessert.  It’s dairy-free, too—this spirit has a vegan oat-milk base. Buy it here.

Copperpenny Distilling’s Figgy Pudding Liqueur

Copperpenny Distilling (also on the North Shore) has a very limited-edition product available now until New Year’s Eve that’s just plain Ebenezer Scrooge-y fun. Welcome Figgy Pudding liqueur for the holidays. With its Christmas spice, mulled wine and preserved stone fruit notes, it tastes like the spirit of the season in a glass. Add a splash to your eggnog, poured over pancakes (thank me later) or over crushed ice. Available here.

Heritage Acres’ Crème de Violette Liqueur

Heritage Acres Distilling’s Crème de Violette Liqueur is the addition to your fancy bar cart that’s absolutely essential to splash into any coupe glass of BC sparkling wine this holiday season. So French. So sophisticated. The delicate floral notes and gorgeous violet colour of this slightly sweet liqueur will do the dance of the sugar plum fairies in your glass, and your bartending prowess is sure to be applauded. The maker is based in Abbotsford, and the liqueur is sold here.

Sheringham Distillery’s Coffee Liqueur

Sheringham Distillery, based in Sooke, is well-known and loved for its lineup of award-winning gins, but they also make a lovely Coffee liqueur using premium beans roasted by the owner’s favourite neighbourhood café, The Stick in the Mud. It’s a semi-sweet liqueur that’s lovely over cracked ice post-festive dinner or swished into cocktails for a little coffee pick-me-up. And, most certainly welcome splashed into your Christmas morning cuppa joe. More here.

Caravan Farm Theatre’s Spiced Whisky

Okanagan Spirits in Kelowna and Vernon is Western Canada’s original craft distillery, and has been named Distillery of the Year by the World Spirits Awards in Europe three times and counting. This limited-edition Caravan Farm Theatre’s Spiced Whisky was created to raise funds for a local community theatre. It’s a single-cask whisky with a blend of deep-malted North Okanagan bourbon and Coldstream Ranch Rye whisky, double-wood finished in a maple-brûlée cask. All the holiday spices are in every sip (think cloves, nutmeg, sun-dried oranges, sugarplums and the brand’s own bourbon-soaked cherries). Find it here.

Heritage Acres’ Quickdraw Whisky – The Outlaw

Quickdraw Whisky – The Outlaw from Heritage Acres Distilling makes a great keep-it-local gift for any whisky lover, and is also great to have on hand over the holidays for guests. It’s smooth and very sippable neat, or  you can blend it into a whisky sour or hot toddy. To purchase, check out the Abbotsford distillery, or check here for a list of multiple shops selling all over BC.