8 Great Victoria & Vancouver Island Gifts
When I am visiting people or even just going to see my family off the island, I am generally taking a gift for them. I usually make a conscious effort to get them something from Vancouver Island that will not likely be able to get at home. One of the most amazing things is that we have so much choice to draw upon when we are getting that special gift for someone. Here are my top eight at the moment, though this changes all the time.
When I first thought about writing this post, I did what I normally do and went online and had a look at what others had said on the topic. While I suppose I expected that with Victoria being a tourist destination that the articles would not get down to the really good items, but that they would just be filled with the stereotypical Canadiana and old England kitsch was a little surprising. Here is one of the top articles on Google and here is another one.
I look at gifts a little bit differently than those other articles did. To get on the list, the product needs to be mostly made on Vancouver Island or in some way emotes the essence of this place.
Sheringham Seaside Gin
Sheringham Distillery is located out in Sooke and is named after the area to the west of Sooke now known as Shirley (but apparently according to the Sheringham website previously known as Sheringham). The distillery has been in business since 2015 and in that time they have become producing some phenomenal liquors. The Seaside gin brought home the best contemporary gin in the world award in 2019 from the World Gin Awards in London UK. It really is a very nice gin and is infused with locally harvested kelp which gives it a truly unique flavour. You can buy it right from the distillery if you happen to be out in Sooke, but you can also get it at most independent liquor stores across Victoria. If you are travelling and want to take something truly unique as a gift, this is a great choice.
2. Pure Lovin’ Chocolates Fleur de Sel Caramels
Pure Lovin’ Chocolates is a great little chocolate store off of Fan Tan Alley and Pandora Avenue. They are a completely vegan chocolate shop and when you walk into the shop you will be overcome of the smell of the rich chocolate in the air. While you could likely buy almost anything in the store and have an amazing chocolate, the Fleur de Sel Caramel chocolates are a wonderful choice as a gift. As you will see, they make the chocolate right in front of you while you are in the store. Spend some time in there and take in this truly unique shopping experience.
3. Spruce Tree Ale - Tofino Brewing
Another infused beverage and it is on the same level as the Seaside Gin. This time a delicious golden ale from the Tofino Brewing Company from the far west of the island. I was skeptical when I first saw this beer, but decided to try it due to the fact that the beer has local spruce tree tips flavouring the beer. I am so glad that I tried it because this is one of the most unique and delicious beers. The spruce tips give it almost a minty feel to it. The only problem with this beer is that it has a very limited run and so you get it when it is out and then have to wait another year for it. Of course that limitation on it makes it a pretty special present for a beer lover. You can get beers from Tofino Brewing at most independent liquor stores in Victoria.
4. Silk Road Tea
Silk Road Tea has been a Victoria classic since 1992. Located just outside the Gate of Harmonious Interest in Chinatown, the Silk Road Tea shop is a truly beautiful shop. The store has a huge selection of unique tea blends no matter what type of tea you like. They also have a large variety of tea pots and cups as well. Taking someone one of their myriad of teas is a great gift. One of my favourites is angel water herbal tea that has both a little bit of mint and some cloves which makes it a refreshing drink.
5. Kings & Spies Cider from Sea Cider Ciderhouse
There are quite a few great cideries and wineries in and around Victoria and the Cowichan Valley, one of my favourites is Sea Cider out on the Saanich Peninsula. If you are looking for a great day trip, a visit to the ciderhouse and farm is a wonderful experience. If you are looking for a really good gift I would recommend the Kings and Spies Cider. While all of their ciders are delicious, what makes this one special is that the apples are actually crowd sourced from apple trees all around Victoria. The profits from this cider also support the Growing Chefs organisation which works with local schools in Victoria. If you want to have someone taste Victoria, I can’t imagine something that is more made up of the component ingredients of the city, with its water, sunshine and fruit of the city.
6. A Book About Victoria
When I am travelling one of my favourite ways to get to know the place I am seeing is to read a book about it. The more local and obscure the better in my opinion. If you move past some of the tourist picture books of Victoria and dig into a little of the history and culture people will get a much clearer and more nuanced view of the city. Here is my recent list of good reads on Victoria and make sure you read the comments as there were a few more suggestions there. Any one of them, with the exception of Segger’s Exploring Victoria’s Architecture, would make a great gift for someone. Segger’s book is the best gift on the list for someone that is truly obsessed with Victoria’s architecture but maybe not someone that isn’t living here.
7. A toque (or anything really) from ANIAN
In the title picture of my second post on Mid-Block Walkways, you can just make out the name Anian on the side of a building on Discovery Street. Back then a very unique new clothier had appeared in Victoria. What made this store especially different was the fact that they were completely cut off from power and gas. So they had solar panels and some how were trying to make a go as one of the only off the grid urban stores in the country. They have done well enough to move into a little more centrally located space that is connected to electricity in LoJo amongst a group of other great clothing stores. The store has minimalist aesthetic that I really like and their clothes, which are all sustainably made, are beautiful. One of their toques would be a great gift for anyone you are thinking of buying a present for.
8. Sea Salt from Saltwest Salt Co.
Another entry on the list from Sooke is Saltwest Sea Salts. Founded in 2011 this one of a few sea salt producers on the Island. They have a huge selection of flavoured salts or just some pure fleur de sel is also available. A bag of salt makes a great present as it is something that almost anyone will want for their kitchen and it also has the literal taste of the Pacific Ocean. You can pick up the salt at a few places around town. If you live in Oaklands, The Local General Store at Haultain Corners has it.
So that is my list. As I said it will likely change in a few days. I would like to know what your kinds of gifts you take to your friends and families that you visit when you are visiting them from the Island. Please leave a comment below so that others can see it as well!