Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

The Caribbean's Newest Gin Comes Right From the Beach in Grenada

The Caribbean's Newest Gin Comes Right From the Beach in Grenada

In 2018, Jardine and Salyer’s Blue Light Caribbean Gin launched on the grounds of Grenada’s Le Phare Bleu eco-resort on the island.

In 2010, Jim Jardine decided it was time to slow the pace of his hectic life as software development professional in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Of all the options laying before him, owning a gin distillery on the Caribbean island of Grenada was far off his radar.

After traveling 4,000 miles to plant roots in Grenada, Jardine found that the spice rich island was teaming with the botanicals necessary to make a new kind of gin. Around the same time Jardine nailed down the ingredients for his first batch, he met Aaron Salyer, a former Australian Coastal Engineer turned sailing aficionado and digital marketing whiz.

In 2018, Jardine and Salyer’s Blue Light Caribbean Gin launched on the grounds of Grenada’s Le Phare Bleu eco-resort. The resort’s oceanfront setting is the picturesque home to Blue Light’s world headquarters, a 500-square-foot-distillery. The site is also where you’ll find a floating bar in the form of 120-year-old blue lightship. The lightship serves as the fitting inspiration for “Blue Light Caribbean” brand.

Gin – The Fruits of Your Labor


When Jardine and his wife Stephanie arrived in Grenada in 2010, he was astounded by the abundance of fruit and botanicals growing on the island. Coconut, guava, ginger, mango, oranges, papaya, passionfruit, plantains, starfruit, and tamarind were everywhere.

Jardine got the okay from the Grenada government to move forward on building a juice factory, as well as cultivating a network of fruit farmers. Summer Juice Ltd. began servicing the island’s bars, restaurants, and hotels with an array of homegrown juices.

Ever the business dreamer, about seven years into his juice enterprise, Jardine started playing with the idea of converting one of his juice holding tanks into a still after inadvertently creating a batch of fermented juice from local oranges. This time, Jardine decided that when life gives you fruit, you make gin.

The feedback Jardine received on the scent and taste of his original orange flavored gin consistently included comments like, “this is something I’ve never tasted before.”

Jardine felt his gin recipe had potential. That’s when he joined forces with Salyer, and the duo began marketing Blue Light Caribbean Gin while hoping their new spirt could also bolster one of Grenada’s most precious resources.


Le Phare Bleu.


A Passion for the Blue


One of the main reasons Jardine and Salyer were drawn to Grenada was the island’s amazing coral reef. The business partners believed that Blue Light Caribbean Gin would not only provide islanders, sailors and vacationers with classic Caribbean cocktails, their business could also help protect Grenada’s reef and beaches.



A portion of Blue Light Caribbean profits go toward beach cleanups, the preservation of mangroves, and projects dedicated to marine and coral reef protection. One of their headliners that funds these projects is a blue gin that turns purple.

The Blue Ocean Edition Gin includes a secret ingredient. By adding a locally grown flower called the Butterfly Pea to their recipe, their gin turns blue in color. If you add tonic, lime, or grapefruit to your cocktail, the color turns purple or violet. The unique Blue Ocean Edition has become a huge hit at distillery tours, boat parties, and happy hours.

Sniff the Scent of Success


Happily, The Blue Light Gin distillery is now woven into the fabric of Grenada island life. Vacationers are drawn to the scents emanating from the Blue Light still throughout the day.

“With all the different botanicals we use, what’s interesting is that the morning aroma from our still is different from that in the afternoon. We’ve even set up sniffing stations to experience the different botanicals and sample our various gins. The distillery is a fun, quirky and casual vibe, like island life itself” Jardine said.

During the 2020 year of COVID, Jardine and Salyer have needed to ratchet their already creative business plan up a notch. Along with two other Grenada distilleries, Blue Light Caribbean has created a hand sanitizer to address the shortage for island residents.




Dancing in the Blue Light


Since relocating to Grenada, adapting to island life means not taking oneself too seriously. On his LinkedIn profile, Jardine describes his position as Blue Light’s Chief Bottle Washer. Salyer is shirtless on the About Us page of the company website. On the wall of their distillery visitors will find a sign that reads, “Trust me, you can dance.” This message is signed: Gin.

For Grenada’s resident computer geek and a relocated coastal engineer, you never know how or where their next version of the Caribbean Dream may appear. For now, it’s all-hands-on-deck promoting their line of gin and encouraging the preservation of Grenada’s pristine coral reef.

If you’ve never tried a gin cocktail that turns blue, purple, or pink, you’ll need to make Grenada your next Caribbean vacation.

Jim Jardine and Aaron Salyer look forward to sharing the fruits of their labor and pouring a special gin cocktail that’s like “something you’ve never tasted before.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
×