Wild blueberries are packed with nutrition and flavour, more so than their cultivated counterparts. We learned this last year in Quench managing editor Lisa Hoekstra’s article about these wild berries. The team at Van Dyk’s By Nature in Nova Scotia know how to best use the wild berries that grow naturally on their land. So much so that they consider themselves stewards of the land rather than farmers. And they craft delicious, quality products from the wild blueberries they harvest.

One such product is their 100% Pure Wild Blueberry Juice. Made from Nova Scotia Grade “A” wild blueberries, with no sweeteners, preservatives or additives, this pure juice is gluten free, pasteurized and not from concentrate. We had the opportunity to sample their wild blueberry juice – and it was a lovely treat.

Van Dyk’s 100% Pure Wild Blueberry Juice pours a deep, dark almost-black purple. As you pour it into the glass, rich strong aromas of just-squished fresh blueberry wafts up to your nose. The smell is so fresh, it is almost as if you had just blended a handful of blueberries. There’s also that wild note to the nose – a hint of earth or wood – to remind you that these are wild blueberries.

Blueberry flavours dominate, as you would expect. It is not overly sweet; there’s a hint of sweetness in the middle with a very slight tart note at the end that makes your mouth pucker ever so slightly. It is a refreshing juice, akin to a good quality grape juice only instead of grapes, it’s blueberries. The juice is a touch thicker in the mouth than water, but not cloying or syrupy. If you like blueberries, this juice is perfect for you. If you don’t like blueberries, you should still try the juice – it might surprise you with how delicious it is.

Van Dyk’s 100 Pure Wild Blueberry Juice 500 ml

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We tested this juice on its own (for the tasting notes); we also used it as a mixer for our Original Kōloa Kaua’i Coconut rum tasting. This also makes a great liquid for health-forward smoothies. We did two different smoothies:

Strawberry & Blueberry

1-2 cups frozen strawberries
1 cup blueberry juice
1/2 cup cranberry juice

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Play around with ratios for flavour and texture.

Peach & Blueberry

1-2 cups frozen peaches
1 cup blueberry juice
1/2 cup cranberry juice

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Play around with ratios for flavour and texture.