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SUSTAINABLE SOURCING
For wild or harvested ingredients, we work with local foragers that typically respect the natural growth cycles and sustainability of the ingredients that are wild harvested, such as juniper berries, wildflowers or other local seasonal botanicals. Wherever possible, we aim to partner with other local businesses within Nova Scotia.
The majority of raw ingredients that we source for the production of our spirits come from local growers or wild sources. We focus heavily on supporting the agricultural ecosystem within Nova Scotia when it comes to grains used in our mashing process. In 2021, we used close to 51 tonnes of Nova Scotian-grown grain to make our spirits. Our aim is to find local partnerships first, and only seek out alternatives if there aren't any locally feasible options. Currently, our grain, yeast, artwork & design, labels, boxes, and some packaging items are acquired from Nova Scotia-based businesses.
Utilizing primarily local suppliers for our beverage production is a very direct way to offset a carbon footprint connected to freight. We have also recently developed a partnership with a local business that offers shared freight services, allowing for multiple small businesses to partner together on out-of-province shipping, reducing the transport of half-full trucks, and offsetting costs as well. Compass also exclusively uses natural gas as the fuel source for our steam boiler, which is a low-emission energy source for the necessary heating requirements of grain mashing and distillation.
Compostable items from our bar and botanicals used in distillation are always separated and picked up by a local waste contractor. We aim to reduce as much waste as possible, but in circumstances where that is not always feasible, we take the time to separate and sort all waste leaving the distillery into proper categorizations for paper, cardboard, glass or aluminum recycling.
SUSTAINABLE SPIRITS
Within just a few years of operation, we released Gin Royal; a tribute to the bees and pollinators whose work allows us to create beautiful spirits like gin. More than half of the botanicals used in gin are pollinated by bees, and without them, there would be no gin. This royal blue spirit is distilled from Nova Scotian wheat with classic and contemporary gin botanicals. Slightly sweetened with local honey and royal jelly, it derives its distinct blue colour from an infusion of butterfly pea blossom. Enjoy over ice with tonic and lemon or lime for an exceptional experience.
While we can't save the bees on our own and are much better at creating spirits than we are at beekeeping, we do our best to promote sustainable beekeeping. One dollar from every bottle sold is donated to the Nova Scotia Beekeepers Association to assist in their efforts to support bee health and sustainable beekeeping. With over $16,000 donated to date, we have no plans on stopping there. and are thankful for our customers who have helped us grow more as each year passes.