Updated: June 4, 2025
Some big news for no longer quite so small Sheringham…
Seaside Gin just earned a prized general listing with the (still archaically named!) Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO). This is a big step forward for Sheringham’s uniquely crafted gin, which will now be available at LCBO stores across Ontario.
From the release:
“Following two successful six-month trial terms, Seaside Gin will now be available year-round at LCBO stores across Ontario. This milestone marks a significant moment in Sheringham’s national growth and brings the West Coast spirit — inspired by the rugged Vancouver Island coastline — to even more Ontarians.”
There’s no doubt in my mind that a big contributing factor was the distillery’s impressive win of being named Best Contemporary Gin in the World at the World Gin Awards.
As covered below!
I’ve been following the adventures of Sooke’s Sheringham Gin almost since Day One. So I’m beyond thrilled to hear their Seaside Gin won ‘Best Contemporary Gin in the World’ at the World Gin Awards.
I’m especially delighted for Sheringham, in that they embody so much of what it takes to succeed as a small, remote distiller.
The Sheringham story
Here’s part of what I wrote for Quench magazine, a couple of years back:
“…In a way there’s very much a connection with the notion of locally grown food. And much like craft brewers have proved before them, there exists a serious appetite for making well made spirits, using local and sustainable ingredients, as well as for their consumption….
“It took a while for Jason McIsaac’s dream to come to fruition. The co-owner of BC’s westernmost distillery was a successful professional chef before he and his wife, Alayne, launched the original Sheringham Distillery at Shirley, near Jordan River, 68 kms. northwest of Victoria.”
“Even by BC standards, Shirley (pop. c. 430) is an impossibly beautiful and remote spot on the shores of the open Pacific, looking across Juan de Fuca Strait, near equally scenic French Beach. ‘Shirley’ used to be ‘Sheringham’ until, in 1893, the name was abruptly shortened—so it would fit on the area’s first postage stamp.’ (They’ve since moved into Sooke.)
About the Seaweed
“Together they’ve shaped one of Vancouver Island’s most distinct distilleries, working sustainably using all BC grain, and incorporating local ingredients when they can.
One day when out walking on French Beach they were intoxicated by the scent of the wild Nootka roses in bloom and the freshness of the sea air off the water.
“We thought, ‘how can we get this into the bottle’?” and went to work to figure it out.
Today, Sheringham Seaside gin is the only one in the country known to contain seaweed.
(Note: No longer true, as there are seaweed gins made by Newfoundland Distillery Company and by St. Laurent in Rimouski, and likely others …)
“We experimented with bull kelp at first but it didn’t have as bright and clear flavours as the winged kelp. Wild rose petals also came into the recipe.
From a chef’s perspective, says Jason, “The seaweed brings some umami. It also balances out the botanicals and adds a lovely salty brininess to palate.”
And did I mention the bottle? It is exquisite.
Congratulations, Jason and Alayne. So well deserved!
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There’s actually a ‘6 degrees of separation’ element to this. The World Gin Awards are held at London’s Honourable Artillery Company. That’s right across from where I lived at one time. My uncle, Richard Pawsey, was a long serving member of the HAC. He was a delightful character and charming man. I referred to him in an ancient post (about Gin, of course), scroll way down, here.
You may read the full Quench story here.
Wild and scenic Sheringham Point, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia
More on Sheringham at www.sheringhamdistillery.com
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