Yukon distiller in high spirits

The owner of the Yukon Shine Distillery in Whitehorse has sealed a deal with a millionaire.

Karlos Krauzig appeared a year ago on the CBC television program Dragon's Den. People pitch business ideas to wealthy investors.

He was looking for a backer to expand his gin and vodka sales and it appeared to pay off for Krauzig who impressed the investors.

"My biggest fear was having Kevin O’Leary taste it and spit it out and then him laying into me but he loved it. He  made an offer, Jim made an offer and Arlene made an offer," he says.

Krauzig chose Jim Treliving's offer, but it then fell through.

He says he then began negotiations with Arlene Dickinson and she's now his business partner.

"It means that I can move forward on a national and an international level much quicker. Arlene's going to be bringing contacts to the table I wouldn't have been able to find on my own that will lead to international presence," Krauzig says.

Krauzig says sales in Yukon are strong so his next step is to get his gin and vodka into stores across Canada. Then, he and Dickinson will tackle the international market.

He says if he can make the same per capita sales in other markets he'll be a millionaire in no time.