Cheers to Paul's Tomb

It's been seven years in the making, and now a locally-produced gin is ready for drinking.

Urban Distilleries is releasing a product that highlights one of Kelowna’s most celebrated locations – Paul’s Tomb.

Founder Mike Urban says he produced Paul’s Tomb Gin seven years ago; however, it didn’t have the flavour he was looking for.

“I was going after a particular target market of non-gin drinkers,” he said. “So when I made my first gin it was a little too juniper, not as floral and citrus as I wanted, so I put it aside and let it sit here for seven years.

Instead Urban decided to produce another gin geared towards the non-gin-drinker with more flower botanicals.

“That was Spirit Bear Gin and it was a runaway success for us and hit that target market,” said Urban.

Spirit Bear Gin is named after West Coast Kermode bear, B.C.’s official animal, but when Urban decided to release his new product he wanted a more local focus.

“Paul’s Tomb is just a 15-minute walk from our distillery, we explain what Paul’s Tomb is on the bottle and we put a map on the back from the distillery to Paul’s Tomb.”

Rembler Paul was a Kelowna pioneer, remembered as an eccentric man who built a large tomb for his family in the early 1900s.

While Paul’s Tomb Gin may contain more juniper notes than the Spirit Bear Gin, Urban says many are shocked to know that gin is an infused vodka.

“We just re-distill vodka with the spices to create gin, and when we get people to try it who have never tasted gin or hate gin they are very surprised to see that hey it’s not that bad it is a really nice drink.”

Paul’s Tomb Gin is a limited time product with only 48 cases produced, but Urban says if market wants it he will produce more.

Photo: Contributed