Distiller Andrew Shelswell brought one Gold and two Silver medals from the Taster’s Guild International Spirits Competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan back to Jost Vineyards in Malagash, Nova Scotia.
The winning spirits were Jost Yellow Plum Eau de Vie (Gold), Jost Red Plum Eau de Vie (Silver) and Jost Muscat Grappa (Silver).
Shelswell was delighted with the wins. “These spirits were distilled in 2008 and we knew then that we had some great products. Everything is Nova Scotia grown with the yellow and red plums coming from the farm of David Bowlby, Aylesford in the Annapolis Valley and the Grappa was made from the skins of our Eagle Tree Muscat grapes.”
The still was installed at the winery in March of 2008 and has been busy ever since.
Both Shelswell and Jost Vineyards owner, Hans Christian Jost, believe that distilling has a great future in the Maritimes.
Jost noted that in May, Pierre Guevremont and Lynne MacKay of Ironworks Distillery in Lunenburg started their new still and invited Andrew to partake in a workshop with Master Distiller Frank Deiter.
“We find there is camaraderie amongst distillers, where we try to help each other, including everyone at Glenora in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia’s oldest and most established distillery.”
Jost added, “We were concerned about the licensing and taxation issues of dealing with spirits as compared to wine but found that everyone at Excise Canada and the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation were most helpful with a shared sense of excitement about this project.”
He believes there is room for a number of provincial distilleries that can promote Nova Scotia grown spirits like its wines through the Winery Association of NS.
