Food & Drink Awards 2018

Page 22 www.lux-review.com LUX 2018 Food & Drink Awards Nestled in the heart British Columbia, Shelter Point is a field-to-flask distillery, producing single-grain vodka, whisky, and gin. We invited Jacob Wiebe to provide us with an insight into the distillery and how it has come to win one of our prestigious Food & Drink Awards for 2018. Shelter Point Distillery Best Craft Spirit Distillery 2018 & Leading Purveyors of Canadian Single Malt 2018 With over 380 acres of land, including 2,000 metres of incomparable oceanfront, the team Shelter Point grow, sow, distil and age their own spirits entirely on-site. Every person on the team, including the Founders, is boots on the ground every day to maintain the farm and continue production, and it is this spirit of collaboration, combined with their deep knowledge of the work they do, that has led Shelter Point to the success it enjoys today, as Jacob explores in his opening comments. “Thanks to our deep backgrounds in farming for generations, and award-winning distillers at the head of production, our team has a fundamental respect for the process and a love for the craft. The farm and the land are the lifeforce of our spirits, and our small-batch runs are hand-picked to ensure that every barrel and each product we release is at its best and most unique palette. Sometimes things go wrong, and it's that complementary blend of mindsets -- the artists and the workmen -- that helps us stay vigilant, productive, and experimental. “The Shelter Point team and its collaborators consists entirely of family farmers, resident artists, and a hand-picked local laborlore that shares our respect for the provenance of the land and our vision for its future. We work with the folks whose livelihoods, like ours, have a always depended on the success of a communal economy, who care about the name they put out for themselves, and whose personal success are deeply ingrained with the growth of a local craft. Each player represents the Shelter Point story, proudly.” Creating stunning, richly flavoured whiskey and educating others in its production is the distillery’s core focus, and as such Jacob is proud to explain the work Shelter Point undertakes in more detail. “Single Malt Whisky is an age-old creation, but its presence in the craft market in Canada and the west-coast in particular is burgeoning. Shelter Point was one of the first single malt distilleries in the country and continues to have one of the largest production runs among them. Working as closely with the land as we do (and our families have) instills an inherent sense of pride for what's around us. Our whisky is an attempt to put the terroir and history that defines our home into a bottle and bring it into the international palette.” “Alongside producing fine Canadian whisky, we also work with local farmlands and spirit- makers to provide small-batch collaborations and an all-encompassing tasting and tour experience unique to the west coast of Canada. For example, we have partnered with a local helicopter company to provide an aerial tour. We have also collaborated with local wineries for blended spirits and spirit trails. On a sunny day, a VIP tour has the founder himself take you on a utility task vehicle around the perimeter of the farm and the forest surrounding to see first-hand the grain and wildlife whose synergy is what makes the spirit of the distillery so unique.” Overall, Shelter Point has a bright future ahead of it as it seeks to continue to adapt and develop around the changes in the spirit drinking market, as Jacob is excited to conclude. “Looking ahead, as the craft spirits industry in Canada continues to explode, we're constantly introducing new products to our family. Our first Gin is currently in production. We are also seeking to offer more blends, more single- grains, and greater cask-strengths in our whisky offering. Each either a collaboration or the pure essence of our profile. We will continue to challenge conventions and partner with exciting start-ups to bring light to the people and creatives in the quiet part of a quiet country. Our whisky is the spirit of those people and we are proud to share it with our drinkers.” Company: Shelter Point Distillery Contact: Jacob Wiebe Address: 4650 Regent Rd, Campbell River, B.C. V9H 1E3, Canada Phone: 001 778 420 2200 Website: www.shelterpoint.ca