Sometimes it’s the little things that make for a big selling point.

Take for example Isle of Harris gin, which has made its official debut in Vancouver.

Produced on a remote island in Scotland, the spirit used nine botanicals during the distillation process, with juniper berries on the frontline supported by liquorice and orris root, coriander seed, cassia bark, Indonesian cubebs, bitter orange peel, and angelica root.

The secret ingredient that makes it special to the region? That would be sugar kelp, sourced and then hand-harvested from the Atlantic waters in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides island chain by a local diver.

That’s right—according to the Isle of Harris website—one local diver. Things don’t get much more artisanal than a single dude jumping from a rowboat into the icy waters off Harris with nothing but a snorkel, a kilt, and a tam and then handpicking kelp for your drinking enjoyment halfway across the world. Or at least that's how we imagine it. 

If that’s not enough of a selling point, consider that—to celebrate its arrival in B.C.—an impressive $10 from each bottle sold through JAK’s Beer Wine & Spirits will go to the BC Hospitality Foundation, which supports restaurant workers, brewery, winery, and bar employees, and others who’ve struggled to make ends meet during the COVID-19 lockdown.

If you prefer, you can also find Isle of Harris at your local liquor store.