Ampersand Distilling Co.

Ampersand Distilling Co. is a family-founded craft distillery on a five-acre organic farm in the Cowichan Valley near Duncan, a worthwhile detour for spirits lovers touring Vancouver Island wine country. The name reflects the operation's guiding idea of bringing things together, art and science chief among them. Father-and-son duo Stephen and Jeremy Schacht, both trained engineers, designed and built the distillery's custom stills themselves, and Jeremy and Jessica developed the recipe for the flagship Ampersand Gin, a classic style built on seven botanicals. The lineup also includes Per Se Vodka, distilled from 100 percent BC-grown wheat, a Barrel Aged Gin, and Nocino!, a walnut liqueur. The family's precision has paid off in serious hardware: Per Se was named World's Best Varietal Vodka at the 2020 World Vodka Awards, and Ampersand Gin took Canada's Best Classic Gin at the 2021 World Gin Awards.

Visits are intimate by design. The tasting room, with a bar crafted from local Douglas fir and reclaimed iron pipe from the stills, is open by appointment only, and booking ahead rewards guests with a tour and tasting hosted by the people who actually make the spirits. For a more spontaneous encounter, the distillery brings its tasting table to the Duncan Farmers' Market every Saturday, where visitors can sample and buy bottles alongside the valley's farm vendors. Set among the wineries, cideries and farm gates of the Cowichan Valley, Ampersand fits naturally into a day of tasting on the island: small, local and meticulous, with everything made on the farm from BC ingredients. It is a clear demonstration that the region's craft beverage scene extends well beyond the vineyard.