Distilling The Spirit Of BC For The World Stage

In the world of craft spirits, “local” is often used as a cozy descriptor for something small. But for Jennifer Kom-Tong, co-founder and co-owner of North Vancouver’s Copperpenny Distilling Co., local isn’t a limitation—it’s a superpower.

This International Women’s Day, we are celebrating a leader who has taken the essence of British Columbia—the pine forests, the rare teas, and the rugged landscape—and turned it into global gold. With their Lost Horizon Rare Tea Gin recently snagging a Double Gold at the 2025 Global Gin Masters, Jennifer is proving that when you stay rooted in your community and relentless about quality, the world will eventually find its way to your door.

We sat down with Jennifer to talk about the “emotional geography” of distilling, the grit required for grain-to-glass integrity, and why being a woman in a male-dominated industry is actually her greatest sensory edge.

On Winning Double Gold Without Losing Your Soul

While many brands scale up as soon as international accolades arrive, Jennifer is doubling down on the “precise” nature of being a North Vancouver staple.

“I don’t try to compete with the world. I try and focus on being exceptional right here at home,” Jennifer shares. “Winning double gold doesn’t change my soul. It validates it. We’re not scaling for ego or chasing trends. We’re obsessing over flavour, balance, and integrity in every single batch. North Vancouver isn’t a limitation—it’s our edge.”

Distilling the BC Landscape

Copperpenny’s spirits feel like a liquid postcard. Whether it’s the Ember BC Pine Smoked Gin or the rare botanicals in Lost Horizon, the inspiration is always grounded in the province.

“I don’t start with ‘what will sell.’ I start with what stops me in my tracks,” she says. “The smell of pine after rain. The ocean air when you crack an oyster shell. The quiet ritual of tea. It’s about emotional geography. What does this place feel like? What memory does it hold? When we bottled BC Pine Smoked Gin, it wasn’t about novelty—it was about capturing that campfire-in-the-forest feeling in a way that’s elegant, not aggressive.”

The Labor of Grain-to-Glass Integrity

Unlike many larger brands that buy bulk neutral grain spirit and simply “brand the finish,” Copperpenny is a true grain-to-glass operation. They work with a single-source farmer in the BC Interior to ensure total transparency.

“Control isn’t about control, it’s about responsibility,” Jennifer explains. “It is very labour-intensive. It’s slower. It’s more expensive. But it gives us precision. And precision is power. Grain-to-glass means there are no blind spots. No mystery base spirit. No outsourcing the soul of the product. We didn’t build Copperpenny to be efficient first. We built it to be excellent first.”

The Craft of Partnership

Jennifer co-founded the distillery with her husband, a venture that began as a dare and blossomed into an international success story built on mutual respect and clearly defined “lanes.”

“We didn’t build Copperpenny because it was romantic. It started as a dare,” she admits. “I’m obsessive about flavour and production; he sees the bigger operational chessboard. Ego is expensive—we don’t have room for it. We can disagree hard at 10 a.m. and be aligned again by lunch because we both want the same thing. Marriage is a long game. So is distilling.”

Advice for the Next Generation of Women Distillers

As a female leader in a traditionally male-dominated field, Jennifer views her perspective not just as an asset, but as a technical advantage.

“Creative courage isn’t about being louder. It’s about being certain,” Jennifer asserts. “Research consistently shows that women often have a heightened sense of smell and taste—an extraordinary advantage in an industry built on nuance, balance, and sensory precision. My advice? Know your craft deeply. Technical confidence is unshakeable. When you truly understand fermentation, cuts, and structure—no one can rattle you. If you focus on excellence, you won’t need to force your seat at the table—you’ll earn it at the still.”