I recently visited Copperpenny Distilling Co. in North Vancouver’s Lower Lonsdale Shipyards District to try their newly released Ember Smoked Gin.
This BC craft distillery has been producing grain-to-glass spirits and liqueurs since 2021, with a lineup that includes gin, vodka, akvavit, and seasonal liqueurs. The space also operates as a cocktail lounge and bottle shop, making it a nice stop around the Shipyards District for a drink or to pick up a local bottle.
Ember Smoked Gin is Copperpenny’s latest release, made with local distillers’ wheat, coastal mountain water, foraged juniper from the province’s central interior, and aromatic pine smoke.
I found it to be a distinctive gin, especially for anyone who enjoys smoky spirits. It opened with a campfire-like aroma, followed by pine, juniper, and a bit of citrus. On the palate, the smoke came through clearly, but the gin still kept its botanical character.
What I liked most was that it did not taste like a novelty spirit. It had the smoky quality you might associate with mezcal or peated whisky, but it still felt very much like a gin. The juniper stayed present, while the pine gave it a BC forest feeling.
Ember Smoked Gin earned gold at The Spirits Business Global Gin Masters 2025 competition in London, UK. Copperpenny also received two more gold medals at the same competition for their Lost Horizon Rare Tea Gin.
Ember Smoked Gin is available at Copperpenny’s bottle shop in 375 mL and 750 mL formats, through select private liquor stores in BC, and online through the Copperpenny website.
The cocktail lounge is open Tuesday to Sunday, and retail hours run daily from noon.
Copperpenny Distilling Co. is located at 288 Esplanade East Unit 103, North Vancouver.
