Made of product hand-harvested by multiple generations on a Vancouver Island farm, the latest taste from Best Coast Distillers on the Saanich Peninsula marks a first in Canada.

The North Saanich distiller launched its Agricole Rum, named from the French Martinique where the word agricole describes a rum made of sugar cane juice rather than molasses.

Sugar cane requires far warmer weather for longer than even south coastal B.C. boasts, but sorghum, an African grain, seemed like an option when the men who formulated the plan first broached the idea.

香蕉视频直播淲e took a very traditional concept of agricole and gave a Canadian spin on it and used sorghum,香蕉视频直播� said Best Coast co-founder Corey Wood.

The region香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播渦nique microclimate香蕉视频直播� provides the just over 120 days of good growing weather required before the October harvest.

香蕉视频直播淵ou香蕉视频直播檙e nursing this crop all spring, summer and into the fall,香蕉视频直播� Wood said.

The harvest is likely the limiting factor for other farms and distilleries slipping into rum territory. At the Peninsula farm, where co-founder Cory Hastings香蕉视频直播� family has farmed since 1927, the hand-sickle sorghum harvest harkens back to that time 香蕉视频直播� it香蕉视频直播檚 a family affair.

香蕉视频直播淓ven coming from the prairies and the farmer lifestyle, it香蕉视频直播檚 the first time I香蕉视频直播檝e felt that connection back to the farming community,香蕉视频直播� Wood said.

Even the kids are involved in knocking it down, stripping the leaves, clipping the ends and loading it into the crusher to juice.

This batch, at an admittedly higher premium just shy of $140 with only 170 bottles, features hand-written numbering on the labels.

香蕉视频直播淭his batch is very personal to us. We香蕉视频直播檝e done something nobody else has done.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淭his release of the rum is special to all of us, because it香蕉视频直播檚 the one we completely pioneered together, the families were all involved 香蕉视频直播� it was a lot of work,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淎nd it香蕉视频直播檚 the first in Canada.香蕉视频直播�

With three subsequent harvests under their belts, Woods expects the volume will go up, offering a more accessible (lower-priced) bottle in the future.

The rum itself is earthy and a bit fruity on the back end, Wood said.

香蕉视频直播淲e rest this in French oak for about a year, so it does pull some oakiness from the barrel.香蕉视频直播�

As far as mixing a drink, he personally recommends traditional Ti香蕉视频直播� Punch.

香蕉视频直播淲hat I love about it is the way they serve it. It香蕉视频直播檚 a couple plugs of the rum, some cane sugar, and a few drops of lime. Mix it up, and that香蕉视频直播檚 it. It is delicious. It香蕉视频直播檚 strong, but it香蕉视频直播檚 delicious,香蕉视频直播� he said.

The distillery has operated for about a year, starting sales last spring just before jumping headlong into the Sidney market.

Best Coast Distillers is also known for its WildFire Whiskey, which raises funds for Victoria Firefighters Foundation, and Cold Coffee Whiskey with partners Level Ground Coffee Roasters. Both are popular products used at Victoria cocktail bars, Wood noted.

Future plans include vodka-based teas this summer, and everything includes simple, natural ingredients.

A Best Coast bourbon 香蕉视频直播� made with local corn and grains malted from Five Fields Farms 香蕉视频直播� is set to launch at the tail end of 2026 as the farm celebrates centennial status.

It's particularly poignant as the farm, used in several agriculture and other iterations over the century, comes full circle to be an active, productive farm creating ingredients for the on-site distillery.

Their next big experiment is estate-grown agave spirits.

The agave survived the winter, and now the goal is to expand that tenfold this year. Extracting the sugars is a process, and they香蕉视频直播檝e enjoyed tasty success on a small scale guided by a producer out of Puerto Vallarta.

Scaling up is challenging, but Wood figures they香蕉视频直播檙e up for it.

Agricole Rum is available online at  or at the distillery, 1725 McTavish Rd.