- Story by Lauren Kramer Photography by Darren Hull

Western Canada鈥檚 oldest craft distillery is leading the renaissance of craft whisky, which 鈥� according to Tyler Dyck at 鈥� 鈥渋s so popular, we can鈥檛 keep up with production.鈥�

And what better way to warm up winter than with a whisky-inspired cocktail?

The Okanagan distillery, a family-owned enterprise with locations in Kelowna and Vernon, was founded in 2004. It celebrates the flavours of this unique landscape in its fruit liqueur, vodka, gin, brandy, whisky, aquavit and absinthe.

Located a tractor-ride from the orchards and fields where its ingredients are grown, it specializes in farm-to-flask spirits and features a portfolio of 30 unique products.

鈥淎ll our alcohols express something about the Okanagan and its flavours,鈥� says Tyler, who is the distillery鈥檚 chief executive officer.

Whisky connoisseurs can sign up for a tasting by the dram in the distillery鈥檚 lounge or head to the tasting room bars, where they can sample Canada鈥檚 first bourbon-style whiskey, single malt whisky, BC rye whisky and beer-inspired hopped whisky lines.

Chef Chris Shaften, of in Kelowna, has been incorporating Okanagan Spirits into his cocktail recipes since the restaurant opened in 2014.

鈥淏ecause we focus on local ingredients in our food, we do the same in our wine and beverage program,鈥� he says. 鈥淔or a cocktail bar like ours, having unique local spirits to use is a big bonus.鈥�

Krafty Kitchen鈥檚 Wildflower Old Fashioned cocktail features Canadian rye whisky, for example, and the locality of the ingredients is a compelling draw, particularly for visitors to the Okanagan.

Here are some Krafty cocktail recipes to add a little warmth to the season:

Wildflower Old Fashioned

Ingredients:

2 oz BC Rye Whisky 鈥� Okanagan Spirits

0.5 oz Rich Honey Syrup

4 dash Angostura Bitters

1 dash saline

orange zest

Method:

Chill glass by adding ice and soda. Add all ingredients except for orange zest into mixing beaker. (This cocktail can also be built in the glass.) Add one scoop of ice. Stir for 50 revolutions. Dump ice and soda out of glass. Strain cocktail into glass. Express orange oils over cocktail. Using a match, scorch the skin side of the orange zest until it is lightly charred. Trim zest and curl it into a spiral using the back of a spoon. Place zest in the cocktail, resting on top of the ice.

Karate Chop

Ingredients:

1 oz Master Distilled Hopped Whisky 鈥� Okanagan Spirits

1 oz sake

0.5 oz lemon juice

0.75 oz Kombucha

0.75 oz Green Tea Simple Syrup

pinch salt

ginger beer

1 sprig mint

Method:

Chill Collins glass with ice and soda. Combine all ingredients except for ginger beer in shaker. Shake hard and fast for 15 seconds. Dump ice and soda out of Collins glass, and refill halfway with fresh ice. Double strain cocktail into Collins glass and then top up with ginger beer. Slap the mint sprig in the palm of your hand, then garnish the drink with it. Serve this drink with a straw.