Nova Scotia distillery 'tickled pink' over international gin win

A Nova Scotia distillery has been recognized for a gin recipe that's been honed by the family over 300 years.

Steinhart Distillery took home several prizes earlier this month at the 2019 World Gin Awards in London.

"I'm tickled pink. Gin is a passion," Thomas Steinhart told CBC's Information Morning. 

And it's only the first round of a three-part worldwide gin contest. This round recognized gins in 10 categories within their nations of origin. 

Steinhart won in the classic gin category, and earned the gold medal for its haskap gin and a silver medal for its wild blueberry gin. 

Steinhart has been distilling spirits since 2014 at his operation in Arisaig on the North Shore, but his family has been involved in craft distilling for generations.

"I like making vodka, but gin is my true passion," Steinhart said. "I think it is an art."

He uses 26 different botanical ingredients to create his award-winning gin but it's the signature juniper flavour in gin that must shine through. 

"Gin used to be the standard drink of a lot of Europeans and I think even over here," he said. "Then with prohibition, people made bathtub gin. People got sick from it or died from it so it kind of went out of favour, but it's coming back more and more."

The next two rounds of the contest — the best of the 10 categories of gin and the world's best gin — will be chosen in London on Feb. 21.