Vikram Vij`s Bolly Water - Okanagan Crush Pad Winery

 Media Release
January 15, 2016
A Spirited Addition to the Vij's Menu
Okanagan Crush Pad Creates Vij's Bolly Water Gin
[Vancouver, BC] Okanagan Crush Pad announces a new addition to
their spirits line, Vij's Bolly Water, a craft gin made by Okanagan Crush
Pad winemaker & distiller Matt Dumayne and Vij's Jay Jones, in
celebration of the restaurant's new location on Cambie Street.
Vij's Bolly Water is a grape-based spirit designed in the classic London
Dry style. Juniper berries create the essential core of flavour, which is
complemented by vibrant citrus character and additional select spices
- ingredients unique to this creation.The proprietary recipe was designed
by Dumayne and Jones to act as a classic or contemporary cocktail
base for drinks that complement the award-winning Indian-inspired
cuisine created by owners Vikram Vij and wife Meeru Dhalwala.
Vij's Bolly Water is served at Vij's new location at 3106 Cambie St. in
Vancouver, and by the bottle by ordering direct from Okanagan Crush
Pad's order desk (250)494-4445 ext 5.
*
A Locally-Created Gin for Indian Flavour Pairings
The idea for Vij's Bolly Water came to life in mid-October when Jay
Jones, the creative mind behind the beverage program at Vij's,
reached out to Okanagan Crush Pad's owner Christine Coletta to
Media Contact:
Leeann Froese | 604.321.3295
1 inquire if OCP had the ability to make gin in their newly acquired still, under their distillery
license.
"We don't," was Coletta's reply, "but when do you need it by?" Jones responded with an
impossible date of early December to coincide with Vij's opening on Cambie Street.
A storm of work followed that consumed OCP's Dumayne and the team at Vij's: Jones, Vikram
Vij and Mike Bernado, who were in the final stages of opening Vij's long- anticipated
relocation to Cambie Street. Coletta and design agency Town Hall Brands turned their
attention to packaging, while Dumayne and Jones focused on blending trials.
OCP's Matt Dumayne doing blending trials for Vij_s Bolly Water Gin with with Vikram Vij, Jay Jones, and Mike
Bernardo - Charles Zuckermann photo
"We were honoured to be asked to take on this project as we have long standing friendships
with the team at Vij's and hope that Bolly Water lives up to the pursuit of excellence that
Vikram and Meeru are known for," notes Coletta. "I am very proud of Dumayne for taking this
on in the midst of harvest. It speaks to his commitment to us and his ongoing desire for
innovation."
Jones envisioned a proprietary spirit for Vij's; true to classic London Dry gin style, with
highlighted citrus & spice tones, to create an authentic taste with rich and warm flavour
expression. "Gin has a natural connection to Indian culture & cuisine," says Jones. "In addition
to classic and signature cocktails, I would love to see our guests enjoying traditional gin &
Media Contact:
Leeann Froese | 604.321.3295
2 tonics, with this variety of gin. They're refreshing and a great complement to the character of
Vij's."
Vij and Dhalwala wanted to ensure that the gin reflected the quality of the food, and that
the flavour would work with the varying dishes on the celebrated Vij's menu, and be a
showcased item in the new lounge as well as on the patio in summer.
Jones has created his first signature cocktail with Vij's Bolly Water, the '11th Avenue Mule'. The
cocktail's name is respectful to the 19 years Vij's spent on 11th avenue in South Granville.
Complementary to the gin are flavours of bittersweet Italian amaro, fresh citrus juice, locallymade craft ginger ale and fresh mint - presented in a chilled copper mug.
Jones adds "This was a very cool journey to be on with Okanagan Crush Pad, as they expand
their ingenuity to include distilling. I got to work with creative people who were aligned with
our goals. It was fun to go through the name and design process, and am happy we landed
where we did: 'Vij's Bolly Water' represents our commitment to creating quality food & drink as
well as Vikram's tongue-in-cheek personality that has defined Vij's hospitality."
Vij's Bolly Water is served at Vij's Cambie St. location, or available for direct bottle purchase
from Okanagan Crush Pad exclusively until spring 2016. Once production increases, the small
batch gin will also be available at Rangoli, My Shanti, and Vij's Sutra. Additionally, Vij's Bolly
Water will be put in the hands of other creative bartenders in BC, as well as private retailers.
About Vij's:
Vij's was opened in September 1994 and quickly became recognized for cuisine which
marries spices and cooking techniques from all regions of India, infused with local products.
Husband and wife team Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala are renowned for their cook books
and celebrated for their award-winning restaurants, including Vij's and Rangoli (Vancouver),
My Shanti (South Surrey), Vij's Sutra (Victoria) and Vij's Railway Express, a mobile food and
catering truck. Their Vij's At Home line of frozen products is available at fine grocery retailers
across Canada, and was inspired by recipes from the Vij's Restaurant kitchen.
About Okanagan Crush Pad:
Okanagan Crush Pad, producer of Haywire and Narrative, has quickly built a reputation as a
premium winery and has received unprecedented awards and accolades with chief
winemaker Matt Dumayne at the helm. Christine Coletta and Steve Lornie built Okanagan
Crush Pad in scenic Summerland, BC, on Switchback Organic Vineyard, a site that is home to
roaming sheep, chickens and ducks. Dumayne crafts natural wines using state-of-the-art
concrete tanks, native yeast and minimal additives. The wines reflect the region's unique high
mountain/northern desert setting noted for its intensely hot, short growing season with
hallmark cool evenings. In their constant pursuit of innovation, the team added a line of winebased spirits under the Narrative label in 2015. Visitors discover a guest center, built into the
heart of the winery, offering a rare glance into the art of winemaking and a place where
they can sample and purchase a wide range of wines and spirits.
Media Contact:
Leeann Froese | 604.321.3295
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