Launched in March 2012 ‘“ BIG GIN is the first product from Ballard-based distillery Captive Spirits (just outside Seattle). Allegedly the name came from both the flavour profile of the gin as well as distiller Ben Capdevielle’s nickname for his dad, Big Jim, a craft distiller in Wisconsin.

The process of opening a distillery however, all started 4 years earlier around 2008, when Capdevielle developed an interest in gin distilling. Seeing a gap in the market for robust gin flavoured gins he and his fiancée Holly Robertson decided to create their own. With a family history steeped in distilling and working in the bar industry, the pair spent their spare time researching and visiting distilleries.