LCBO Food & Drink Early Summer 2021

Gin-spiration from the whisky world Think of Scottish spirits, and whisky comes to mind. But Scotland is a gin powerhouse. Hand-foraged botanical The Botanist Islay Dry Gin ( LCBO 358192, $52.95) comes from famous single malt Scotch distillery Bruichladdich. Hendrick’s Gin ( LCBO 637504, $52.95) hails from the lowland region’s Girvan distillery, which also makes whisky that goes into blended Scotches. Kelp-infused Isle of Harris Gin ( LCBO 16100, $89) from Scotland’s Outer Hebrides is a hop away from Skye, the island home of Talisker single malt; and Seven Crofts Handcrafted Dry Gin ( LCBO 18706, 700 mL, $59.95) comes from a town in the distillery-dense Highlands. Watch the Gin Shop at lcbo.com for seasonal releases like Nikka Coffey Gin ( LCBO 14726, 700 mL, $68.65) from Japan’s famous whisky brand.

Organic gardening The base spirit and all the botan- ical flavourings in Generous Gin Organic ( LCBO 18271, 700 mL, $65.95) from France—traditional juniper, lemon and coriander, plus red pepper, mandarin orange and combava—are organic.

Shop the Issue at lcbo.com/ fdearlysummer21

Sustainable sip Montreal upcycling company Loop Mission has partnered with Quebec’s Distillerie Mariana and snack-food company Yum Yum to make potato-distilled Loop Lime and Ginger Gin ( LCBO 18420, $38.95).

Use a gin-tasting wheel (try vinepair.com or ginfoundry.com) to help identify flavours.

All flavour, noalcohol

Use these local zero-alcohol bottlings in mixed drinks as you would any gin. Sobrii 0-Gin (sobrii.ca) is traditionally made at a Stratford, Ont., small-batch distillery and then de-alcoholized. Along with classic gin and other spirits, Ontario’s H2 Craft Spirits (h2craftspirits.com) makes three varieties of Spiritliss nonalcoholic gin: Taste it in their Spiritliss Hibiscus Non‑Alcoholic Gin & Tonic ( LCBO 17435, 355 mL, $3.50).

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FOOD & DRINK EARLY SUMMER 2021