FAQ
Visiting Us
Can I visit your distillery?
As we move into the final phase of our DEVINE journey, please note that our onsite Distillery Store is now CLOSED. Online order pickup will be available on Wednesdays only 10AM-4PM, starting January 8th.
Are you closing?
Yes, please see the announcement below:
September 16, 2024
To our loyal friends and patrons,
It is with a heavy heart and many mixed emotions that we announce our intention to close operations at the end of this year.
As you might expect, there were a number of factors that have led to this decision. Ultimately we are a small family owned and operated business, and we’ve reached the point in time where closing operations is the decision that makes the most sense for our family moving forward.
Our small team of long-term and incredibly loyal staff have poured their hearts and souls into this business, with an unwavering commitment to quality and simply doing things the right way. We are all extremely proud of both the spirits we produced over the last 10 years, and how we’ve conducted ourselves within our community and the industry as a whole.
We must also acknowledge and give thanks for the tremendous support and loyalty from you, our customers. Without you none of this incredible journey would have been possible. From our retail customers to our wholesale and hospitality partners, it has truly been an honour to serve all of you.
As we move into this final chapter of our DEVINE journey, rest assured that at the moment all of our core lineup of spirits are still available for purchase either online, here at the distillery, or at your favourite private liquor store. And fear not, we still have a few whisky releases that we will be bringing to you over the next couple of months!
But with that said, now is definitely the time to stock up on your favourite DEVINE spirits. We will of course keep you posted on low stock alerts as best as possible, but please know once a product is gone, sadly it will be gone for good…!
Once again, thank you from our entire DEVINE family....
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Finding Us
Can I Purchase In-Person at the Distillery?
Our remaining spirits are available for purchase online, with both delivery and pickup (Wednesdays only) options available.
Where Can We Find Your Product in Stores?
Our products are stocked in many private liquor stores throughout BC. Head over to the ‘Find Us’ page to locate a store near you. Please note it is recommended that you contact the store directly to see if they have products in stock.
I manage a bar, restaurant, and/or retail store. Where can I buy your products?
Please reach out to us at info@devinedistillery.com and we’ll get you set up!
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Shipping & Returns
How do you ship your products?
Shipments within BC are sent via Canada Post with a 19+ age designation. Be sure to check your mailbox as Canada Post will send you a pickup notice directing you to your nearest Canada Post Office when your package is ready for pickup. Be sure to bring ID to verify your name and age at the post office.
We cannot always accommodate deliveries to post office boxes as this will be dependent on Canada Post shipping policies. Shipments to post office boxes that can be accommodated by Canada Post will be charged a delivery fee based on the Canada Post shipping rates at the time the order is placed, and must be paid in full before the order is shipped.
Can you ship outside of BC?
Due to liquor licensing and distribution laws, we are only permitted to ship within our province of British Columbia. We are also permitted to ship to Nova Scotia and Manitoba, however additional shipping fees may apply. Please reach out to us directly at info@devinedistillery.com to arrange shipments to Nova Scotia or Manitoba.
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Dietary Considerations
Are your products gluten free?
While we cannot certify our products as gluten-free as they are not processed in a gluten-free facility, we can tell you that one of our staff is celiac and has not had any issues with any of our products, including grain-based products.
Are your products vegan?
The only spirits we make that use animal products are our trio of honey-based ‘rum’ spirits. We source our honey from the Honeybee Centre in Cloverdale, BC. No animal products are used in any of our other spirits.
Do you use colourants such as caramel to colour your products?
We use a small amount of natural ‘distillers’ caramel in our Black Bear Spiced Honey ‘Rum’ only. All other products are coloured naturally either from maturation in barrel or by maceration of fruit in the finished spirit.
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Keeping in Touch
How do I find out about new products and upcoming releases or distillery news?
Our monthly newsletter! Sign up on our home page and get the latest and greatest DEVINE Distillery information about promotions and releases! AND Follow us on our social media channels @devinedistillery.
Can I get on your waiting list for Glen Saanich?
Since our beloved Glen Saanich Single Malt Whisky is in such high demand and our batches remain small we want to give each and every person a fair crack at obtaining a bottle at its annual release, therefore Glen Saanich sales are on a first come first serve basis. For news of its release dates sign up for our newsletter and you’ll get first hand information of any of our release dates.
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Craft Process
I see ‘sediment’ in my bottle, what is that?
The good stuff! We are a craft distillery that pride ourselves on retaining the flavour of our local (and all natural) ingredients within each spirit. In order to do this we lightly filter, and do not chill filter during bottling which allows for the grain, honey or fruit to shine through in their spirit. That said, you may encounter a small amount of sediment in some of our products. This may come in the form of ‘chill haze’ where certain components of the finished spirit (lipids, phenols, and esters = flavour!) may precipitate out of liquid form when a drop in temperature occurs. This is most common in whisky. Another form of sediment may come from the raw ingredients themselves. We macerate fruit on finished spirit to colour our Sloe Gin and Kiss Brandy, and though we do filter our products, some finer components of the fruit may either settle to the bottom of the bottle over time, or create a slight haze. If it bothers you to see it in the bottle, shake it up, or filter it out with a coffee filter, easy!
I love your bottle labels, tell us more about those?
Local Victoria artist Margaret Hanson is our fantastic label designer. She perfectly captures the ‘spirit’ of each of our creations with a linocut illustration inspired by the ingredients, location, and story of our spirits.
Is the tasting process for wine the same as a spirit?
Not exactly. We recommend using a Glencairn glass (a small wine glass works in a pinch). Avoid swirling spirits as that will cause the alcohol vapours to release and make it difficult to taste the spirit flavours. Adding drops of water is also encouraged to release the flavours.
Why does this bottle taste different from the last one I purchased?
Our goal is to maintain consistency of our products from batch to batch, and we work hard to achieve that, especially with our core line up of spirits. You may notice seasonal releases like our Kiss Eau de Vie, or annual releases like our Glen Saanich Single Malt Whisky may vary slightly from batch to batch. We embrace these slight variations as they reflect the changes in growing conditions year to year, creating a unique identity to each batch.
Why do you pay a premium for craft?
Producing spirits as a small-scale, small-batch craft distillery is very different from producing on a commercial basis. We do not have the ability to purchase ingredients at large scale or produce in large volumes. As a certified craft distillery in BC, we are required to use raw ingredients that are grown in BC, and process those raw ingredients within our facility from start to finish. We use locally grown ingredients in almost all of our products, and have our hands on every step of the process, from harvesting raw ingredients right down to hand-applying our labels. Quite simply, our costs are higher than commercial operations. By buying craft, you’re supporting local jobs, whether it be through agricultural means, tourism, or other. Thanks for your support!
You used to make wine and vermouth, can I still buy those?
We sold the remaining inventory of both our wine and vermouth prior to the expiry of our wine license at the end of March 2022.
Is Genever a gin?
Genever is actually its own style of spirit, dating back to 16th century Holland and pre-dating the London Dry style Gin. After releasing a couple of gins in our first year of operation, we were looking to expand our portfolio further and discovered Genever. As we don’t see a lot of Genever available in Canada, we created our expression of a Genever and introduced it to our local market alongside our London Dry style and Barrel-Aged Gins through the context of the history of Gin.
Why is your Ancient Grain called a ‘young’ whisky?
To be called a Whisky in Canada, a spirit must be matured in ‘wood’ for a minimum of 3 years. Our Ancient Grains is matured in new American Oak quarter casks for approximately 1 year, so we don’t quite fit the definition of Whisky. The reason we mature for just one year is solely based on finding the desired flavour profile, striking a balance between the flavours and aromas coming from the grains in the spirit and the cask.
Do you sell used barrels?
We occasionally have used barrels available for sale, pending availability. Please note, barrel condition will vary considerably depending on their previous uses and storage location. Please reach out to info@devinedistillery.com for more information.