The Alchemist - Fall 2016 by The Alchemist

FALL 2016

PAIR UP

HOME BAR

TIKI TALK

DRINK UP

B.C.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s makers and shakers join forces

Make your own beer cocktails

The history of the Mai Tai

Listings and tasting notes

Contents 06 – COME TOGETHER How B.C.’s distilleries and bartenders are collaborating to create new products by Alexandra Gill 13 – A MATTER OF TASTE At Sheringham Distillery, a former chef is cooking up serious spirits by Treve Ring

Laura McGuire photo

20 – THE COSMOPOLITAN Our man at the bar finds himself swayed by a name by John Burns, illustration by Roxanna Bikadoroff

Oliver Harden photo

23 – COOL BEANS Taking coffee cocktails to the next level by Fiona Morrow 31 – TAI ME UP Why the Mai Tai is the greatest by Joanne Sasvari

39 – RHAPSODY IN BREW Combine your love of cocktails with your love of beer by Justin Taylor

46 – HEY! BIG SPENDER Investigating the allure of ultra-premium cocktails by Joanne Sasvari 52 – WHISKY IN THE JAR Shelter Point Distillery’s single malt has finally come of age by Jennifer Foden

58-70 – DISTILLERY LISTINGS With tasting notes from our panel of experts Laura McGuire photo

Contributors

Alexandra Gill is the Globe and Mailâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s western restaurant critic and a freelance food and drinks writer for numerous publications. She moved to Vancouver at the start of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cocktail renaissance. No wonder she never left.

Roxanna Bikadoroff is an award-winning Vancouverbased artist whose illustrations have been published internationally for more than 25 years, most recently in collaboration with author and former CBC personality, Bill Richardson.

Treve Ring is a wine writer and editor for regional, national and international print and digital publications, as well as an international wine judge and speaker. She is based on Vancouver Island, though is most often found on a plane or in a vineyard.

John Burns has been writing about politics, culture and food for more than 25 years. In that time, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s found most dishes and drinks a) too sweet, b) too salty, or c) both. Those rare times when things are just right please him, therefore, all the more.

Joanne Sasvari is a Vancouverbased writer who covers food, drink and travel for a variety of publications, including a weekly drinks column for the Vancouver Sun.

Jennifer Foden is an awardwinning freelance writer and editor who relocated from Toronto to Vancouver for the mountains. She writes about travel, sustainability, social justice, architecture and food and drink for a variety of publications.

Justin Taylor has been mixing it up behind the bars of Toronto and Vancouver for almost two decades. He is currently general manager of The Cascade Room in Vancouver.

Laura McGuire photo

round-to-glass is fast becoming the norm in British Columbia, and with it comes a new world of spirits and cocktails. Just as chefs develop close relationships with farmers, our bartenders and distillers are forming relationships of mutual respect and benefit. In this issue, we look at those all-important collaborations, and how significant they are to an industry still in its infancy, but growing up fast. Our listings section continues to grow, and once again our panel of experts has tasted one product from each distillery to help guide you through the dizzying array of possibilities. And what would a magazine about spirits be, without a celebration of the cocktail culture they inspire? Our man at the bar, John Burns, explores how the name of a drink may evoke a certain romance; we look at the history of the marvelous Mai Tai; and, as always, provide a selection of new and classic recipes to try at home. Cocktail connoisseurs, we have you covered. Salute! Fiona Morrow, Editor

EDITOR: Fiona Morrow fmorrow@thealchemist.ca PUBLISHER: Gail Nugent gnugent@glaciermedia.ca DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGER: Tara Rafiq CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Fred Fung (cover; styling by Justin Taylor), Laura McGuire, Oliver Harden. @TheAlchemistBC @TheAlchemistMag Published by: Glacier Community Media 303 West 5th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Y 1J6 604-742-8678 ÂŠ The Alchemist 2016 This issue is complimentary.

AT ODD SOCIET Y SPIRITS, INNOVATION IS ALL ABOUT COLL ABORATION By Alexandra Gill

Laura McGuire photo

Come together

he Tasting Lounge at Odd Society Spirits in East Vancouver is a veritable beehive, buzzing with collaboration. Behind the bar, Kylie Bartlett shakes a frothy Tree Sum cocktail and strains it into a coupe glass. The neon-green libation was created by Vanessa Bourget, owner of Exile Bistro, and is made with a foraged-pine-needle, parsley syrup that Ms. Bourget trades to the craft distiller in exchange for the drink’s other key ingredient, Odd Society’s Wallflower Gin. Part of the distillery’s Visiting Cocktail program, the forest-fresh Tree Sum is just one of many collaborations that allows Odd Society to live up to its name as an unusual innovator within British Columbia’s still somewhat oddly disconnected worlds of craft spirits and bartending.

LOCAL LIBATIONS

The Visiting Cocktail program has introduced bartenders from across B.C. to Odd Society’s range of products, while allowing their creations to be showcased at the distillery’s East Van tasting room.

LEFT: Kylie Bartlett works with bartenders across the province to create cocktails using Odd Society’s spirits.

YOU NEED THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNIT Y. PEOPLE HAVE TO USE YOUR STUFF, OTHERWISE YOU DON’T GO ANYWHERE. “You need the support of the community,” says Odd Society founder and distiller Gordon Glanz. “People have to use your stuff, otherwise you don’t go anywhere.” Bartlett, the distillery’s full-time bar manager, spends three nights a week mixing cocktails in the tasting lounge, and two days working on sales calls. Based on the feedback she receives from other bartenders, Odd Society has developed, or is in the process of developing, a diverse line of muchneeded craft liqueurs, including a new amaro to be released this fall. “The thing with bartenders is that they usually want to work with other bartenders,” adds Glanz. “It’s a tough nut to crack.” On the one side are the craft distillers, toiling away at their stills on a spirited labour of love with limited resources and scant (if any) hospitality experience. “People get into it because they want to make spirits and it seems like lots of fun,” says Glanz.

“That’s the fantasy. Then the reality hits — there’s this whole extra end of packaging and selling. At some point, every craft distiller says, ‘Oh, my God. What did I do?’” On the other side are the bartenders, who may want to support the local spirit makers, yet are constrained both by budget and lack of information, and by the intense competition from international brands that can afford to throw special case rates and sponsorships their way.

“The craft distillers can’t just say, ‘Here we are, aren’t we great, please use us,’” says Justin Taylor, general manager at Vancouver’s Cascade Room. “There needs to be more attention to detail when building those relationships.” So never the twain shall meet? Not necessarily. Taylor, for one, says part of the onus is on bartenders to reach out to distillers to tell them what they need. He points to Okanagan Spirits as an example. “They make a lot of great berry spirits that I use. But I couldn’t understand why nobody was making a rhubarb liqueur. There are thousands of pounds of the stuff grown locally.” So he asked, and they made it. Kelly Ann Woods, proprietor of Gillespie’s Fine Spirits in Squamish, B.C., is another craft distiller who understands the importance of collaboration. After connecting with Taylor, Gillespie’s is now making a vermouth steeped with botanicals indigenous to the Pacific Northwest.

GIVE AND TAKE

Odd Society’s Crème de Cassis comes from a family recipe shared by chef/ owner Hervé Martin, of Main Street’s The French Table. The distillery also works with several local breweries on collaboration beers aged in gin barrels.

“A lot of bartenders are looking for whiskey, but many of us are still a few years out,” says Wood. “There is only so much vodka and gin that we can produce — and that bars can stock. We have to figure out what we can make in the interim. If we work together, we can do some really cool stuff. That’s the key to our evolution.”

GENTLEMAN’S SOUR A twist on the classic Clover Club

1 fresh raspberry 1.5oz Odd Society Wallflower Gin 0.5oz Odd Society Crème de Cassis 0.5oz Odd Society Bittersweet Vermouth 1oz lemon juice 0.25oz simple syrup 2 dashes Szechuan pepper bitters 4 drops Ms. Better’s Bitters Miraculous Foamer

Combine ingredients and shake first without ice (to allow foamer or egg whites to emulsify). Add ice and shake again, vigorously, then double strain (Hawthorn and fine mesh) into a chilled glass. Garnish with dehydrated orange rind. —by Kylie Bartlett

Laura McGuire photo

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Up on the roof A ROOFTOP GARDEN BRINGS FRESH FL AVOURS AND NEW IDEAS TO ARC BAR IN THE FAIRMONT WATERFRONT Kissed by a Bee, Sage Paloma, Raspberry Thyme Collins… The cocktail menu at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel’s ARC Bar, pays proper tribute to the 2,100-square foot garden perched on its roof. 10

ARC’s general manager Roman Vondal describes the garden, which also includes four bee hives, as a treasure coveted by both the hotel’s chefs and bartenders. “They’re always pushing for fresh

ingredients,” says Vondal. “And it doesn’t get any fresher than growing our own. It also makes for a great story and they’re telling it really well.” The Fairmont chain is famous for celebrating classic cocktails, delivering a perfect Manhattan or Martini, but its bars are also gaining a reputation for creating exciting new versions of those much-loved libations. And that’s where the Fairmont

Waterfront’s rooftop garden and beehives help take ARC’s cocktails to the next level. Popular herbs grown in the garden include rosemary, lavender, basil, bay leaves and tarragon, so it was only a matter of time before ARC’s bartenders began infusing those flavours into classic recipes, producing a list that includes the Lavender ‘75 and the Flaming Rosemary Gimlet. “The bartenders take real pride in this,” Vondal notes. “They are really hands on.” He says the reaction from guests to ARC’s cocktail menu has been one of pure pleasure. “They’re amazed to find out that the basil in their drink is not only local, it’s also from the roof — and that they can look up and see the garden from the bar. Visitors are always surprised to find out there’s a garden like this in the middle of Vancouver.” And, he says, that surprise should extend to what’s in their glass. “It’s a fresh take on cocktails,” he smiles. “We start with the right procedures and right recipes and then encourage our bartenders be open and flexible with new techniques and ingredients.” Looking forward, he plans to expand ARC’s wine program and introduce a

selection of high-quality, loose-leaf teas. And, in keeping with its dedication to environmental sustainability, ARC wants to expand its digital services and move away from paper, including paper menus. “But that’s our next project,” he says. “Right now, I want to ensure my colleagues enjoy what they’re doing every day.” Since taking on the GM position in March, Vondal has also been working to take the high quality of service customers value at the Fairmont up a few more notches. “Everyone is fighting for customers and beer and cocktails are easy to come by,” he says. “But, if we can offer our clientele the best experience in every way and our staff can put a smile on someone’s face after a tough day, their problems will disappear. That’s the business we’re in.”

ARC Restaurant & Bar, 900 Canada Place, Vancouver, 604-691-1818 ARCRestaurantAndBar arcdining.com @arcdining

150+ BOTTLES OF WHISKEY 12

9 0 5 D u n s mu i r St | d o n n e l l yg ro u p . ca

David McIlvride photo

A matter of taste AT SHERINGHAM DISTILLERY, JASON MACISSAAC BRINGS A CHEF’S PAL ATE TO THE STILL by Treve Ring

wenty-three years in kitchens taught Jason MacIsaac all about balance. Bitter versus sweet, savoury versus salty, weight versus intensity — key principles in creating harmonious foods. Now, as

founder, owner, operator, distiller and, along with his wife Alayne, every other possible role at Vancouver Island’s Sheringham Distillery, MacIssac has transposed those culinary skills to the still.

A DISTILLERY WAS IN MY FUTURE NO MAT TER WHAT, BUT THE L AWS CHANGING DEFINITELY WORKED IN OUR FAVOUR.

“As a chef, studying flavour profiles was my career,” he reflects. “Balancing flavours has been a passion. Every chef can start with the same ingredients but have vastly different outcomes. The same goes for distilling.” That passion also finds deep roots in the principle of keeping local and seasonal at Sheringham, located in Shirley, approximately 20 km past Sooke, and near Sheringham Point. It’s also the cycle of life: they source products from the Island and B.C., and then distribute the byproduct of their spent grains back to local farmers as a healthy source of high protein livestock feed.

ALL IN A NAME

Sheringham’s William’s White (moonshine) refers to the middle name shared by Jason and his father, Joseph. By coincidence, Sheringham Point was also named for a William: Commander William Louis Sheringham, a British surveying officer who created detailed, and now collectable, sailing charts.

The seeds of distilling were planted when he was working as chef of Point No Point Resort. “I unearthed moonshine bottles in behind Jordan River house,” he explains. “Hearing stories about the still in the notorious Jordan River Hotel basement compelled me to build my own.” Years of trial and error, self-tutelage and shadowing other local distillers followed. Ken Winchester, of nearby deVine, took MacIssaac “under his wing a bit after I would show up with venison or chanterelles.“ Meanwhile, the business plan was being developed at home. “I had the distillery application form in my hands after producing my first batch three years ago,” he recalls. “I felt it was time and I was ready for a change. Alayne came on board as my partner and we hit the ground running.” It was perfect timing. In 2013, the provincial government was establishing two categories of B.C. distilleries: commercial, and craft. The craft designation, mandating the use of

RIGHT: The winged kelp used in Sheringham’s Seaside Gin dries in the sun.

Amanda Swiminer photo

100 per cent B.C. agricultural products fit in perfectly with MacIsaac’s plans. “A distillery was in my future no matter what, but the laws changing definitely worked in our favour.” Also very much in their favour was their on-site natural spring, originating from a crystalline rock aquifer. This aqua vitae is the water source for Sheringham spirits. Their very successful Seaside Gin is made from B.C.-grown organic white wheat and malted barley, natural botanicals and sustainable local winged kelp, handharvested by Amanda Swinimer of Dakini Tidal Wilds. Sheringham’s vodka allows the purity of the natural spring water that flows

through the still to act as the base flavour, leaving an aroma and presence akin to pure, clear rainwater. Their newest release, Akvavit, was created together with Shawn Soole, noted bartender and consultant. Angelica and caraway are present first, closely followed by fragrant, peppery star anise and a lingering marine saltiness. Watch for a barrel-aged version to make its appearance in the near future. “It’s a whole new world,” MacIssac says of his distillery adventure. “But like anything, if you put your head down, work extremely hard and focus on quality, at the end of your long day, you have a smile on your face.”

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Cherry bomb HEERING’S CL ASSIC LIQUEUR CONTINUES TO INSPIRE THE WORLD’S TOP MIXOLOGISTS For close to 200 years, Heering Cherry Liqueur has been a staple behind the bar in any respectable drinking establishment. The original Cherry Brandy, created in 1818 by Danish purveyor Peter F. Heering, the liqueur has gained a global reputation for its delicious, refined taste. The backbone of classic cocktails such as the Singapore Sling, the Copenhagen, and the Blood and Sand, Cherry Heering is sold in more than 100 countries worldwide. Earlier this year, the iconic brand launched the 2016 Heering Classic Challenge, seeking to inspire the world’s greatest bartenders to take classic cocktails and reimagine them with Cherry Heering. “The inspiration of putting a twist on a modern classic cocktail using Cherry Heering was the goal, and what came from every cocktail recipe entry from around the world was not just inspiring but awe inspiring and revolutionary for the Heering brand,” says Adéle Robberstad, CEO of Peter F. Heering.

National winners from a staggering 46 countries were announced in June, including Canadian representative Andrew Schneider of Vij’s Restaurant in Vancouver, who wowed judges with his entry, the Mount Pleasant. Heering.com

Those 46 winners will be whittled down to 10 finalists who will prepare and present their signature Cherry Heering cocktail to a panel of judges in London this October during London Cocktail Week. Vancouver will also be represented on the judging panel by local superstar bartender and owner of Bittered Sling Bitters, Lauren Mote. “This talented group highlights why Cherry Heering is the most fashionable and undeniable cherry liqueur in the world,” says Robberstad. Mote will also be hosting Heering’s upcoming cocktail workshop series here in Vancouver, to include Heering education and tasting, as well as “lab time” to explore how the versatile liqueur works with other spirits, bitters and herbs.

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Beyond the scope WHETHER YOU PREFER YOUR COCKTAILS CL ASSIC OR BESPOKE, THE CASCADE ROOM’S ROB SCOPE HAS A DRINK FOR YOU Rob Scope knows his way around a bar. After being introduced to the trade in England, Scope has had a hand in creating some of Vancouver’s most sought-after cocktails at establishments such as Campagnolo, ReFuel, Calabash, Cassis Bistro and now, as bar manager, at The Cascade Room on Main.

When it comes to local cocktail trends, Scope says the most popular drink on the menu is by far and away the Old Fashioned. And while Cascade currently carries 12 to 15 varieties of B.C. gin, the local spirit Scope is most excited for is whisky, which many B.C. distilleries are preparing to release after lengthy barrel aging.

“Our cocktail list is pretty aggressive,” he says of the 60-drink strong menu of classics he oversees. “Working with this back bar is a dream come true.”

Compared to just a handful of years ago, Vancouver cocktail aficionados are spoiled for choice with local spirits, Scope says, and finding shelf space for all the amazing products now available can be challenging — but that’s a great problem to have.

Despite such an extensive list of classic cocktails, Scope says he enjoys the chance to improvise. When a customer steps up to the bar and asks him to surprise them, it’s an opportunity to get a little creative.

“Bartending is still magic to some people, so that’s always fun,” he says. “But when people say, ‘Surprise me,’ you need to know what they are in the mood for. A lot of people will ask me ‘What do you like?’ But what I like when I get off shift is a beer and a whisky. “It’s not about me, it’s about you.”

“Thanks to our liquor laws loosening up, it’s growing and it’s only going to get better,” he says. In addition to The Cascade Room’s extensive offering of classic drinks, Scope and his team have been working hard to create an additional list that boasts 10 new and completely original signature cocktails. “All of these have come from the minds of our bartenders,” he says. “And everyone will find something on the list that will please them.”

The Cascade Room, 2616 Main Street, 604-709-8650 @TheCascadeRoom

RECIPE: LOCAL NEGRONI

1.25oz Sheringham Seaside Gin 0.5oz Odd Society Bittersweet Vermouth 0.5oz deVine Moderna Vermouth 0.75oz The Woods Amaro Stir ingredients and strain into rocks glass, serve neat. Garnish with an orange peel.

THE COSMOPOLITAN OUR MAN AT THE BAR, JOHN BURNS, ON THE SEDUCTIVE POWER OF NOMENCL ATURE

ames are my downfall. I’m just a sucker for them. For fanciful origin stories and tales of whimsy. The music of language spellbinds me, which is why I fall so often and so hard for the poetry of the label.

Take Bénédictine, that herbal liqueur purportedly invented by Norman monks. A cabal of French brothers whose order was founded by a Merovingian count in 658 AD created a secret recipe 500 years ago, then mislaid it when they fled the French Revolution. Come 1863, the industrialist Alexandre Le Grand — whose granddaughter Simone Beck would go on to co-author Mastering the Art of French Cooking — rediscovered (or made up) this proprietary mix of 27 botanicals and bottled it, sealing it with the gilded letters DOM: Deo Optimo Maximo, or “To God Most Good, Most Great.” Who could hear such an improbable yarn and stand unmoved? Wordplay matters, for me. By linguistic romance, by drama and storytelling, the flavour shifts in the glass. I’m in love with

the Singapore Sling not only because it includes Bénédictine, but because it was invented at the Raffles Hotel in colonial Singapore. Drinking one, I feel like the hero of a James Clavell novel, dog-tired of this world yet unable to quench my thirst for adventure and the conquest of markets and women. Over the top? Absolutely. If I wanted a drink to accompany a spreadsheet, I’d order a Tab. When I finally make it to Singapore, make mine a Sling. Just as when I recently found myself in New Orleans for the first time, of course I chose a Sazerac. The name isn’t that meaningful (it was originally made from a Cognac manufactured by Sazerac de Forge & Fils), but it’s got history to the gills. Hell, it’s the official drink of NOLA. If you’re curious to know more, Esquire’s David Wondrich will instruct you in not just its wheres and whens, but its persuasive character as well. A Sazerac is “the kind of thing you’d put away a threebagger of while sitting in some palooka dive two blocks down Eighth Avenue from Stillman’s gym with your pal who works for The Sporting News, cracking peanuts

I FEEL LIKE THE HERO OF A JAMES CL AVELL NOVEL, DOG-TIRED OF THIS WORLD YET UNABLE TO QUENCH MY THIRST FOR ADVENTURE AND THE CONQUEST OF MARKETS AND WOMEN. and dissecting Sonny Liston’s chances against Cassius Clay.” Uh, yes please. So 10 minutes out of my cab, I’m poolside at my hotel a block off Bourbon Street and here comes my Sazerac. It’s served, not per custom, in a plastic stemmed wineglass (so I’m guessing my bartender skipped the traditional absinthe rinse) and it’s vivid orange in colour (so I’m guessing my bartender also skipped the traditional Peychaud’s). It’s wickedly strong and has an astringency I hadn’t expected. Damn bartenders! The romance is off, and I switch to wine for dinner and beer for the night, promising myself a do-over. That chance comes the next night in a seafood joint down the road. The glassware is dishwasher-safe and the colour is more what I’d expected, but there’s no getting around it. The drink may date back 130 years. It may contain the medicinal tincture of New Orleans apothecary Antoine Amédée Peychaud. And it may have one of those names that just grows more entertaining as the night wears on, but I don’t like it. It’s too boozy and bitter. Apparently I don’t like cocktails made to swill with my pal from The Sporting News after all. That’s OK. I’m in New Orleans, cradle of cocktaildom. I’ll have a Ramos Gin Fizz. David Wondrich says it evokes “slim, brown-eyed beauties who smell of magnolias.” Bartender? Illustration by Roxana Bikadoroff

ILLUSTRATION HERE

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Cool beans

BARTENDERS ARE EMBRACING HOW THE UNIQUE PROPERTIES OF COLD BREW WORKS IN COCKTAILS by Fiona Morrow

our morning cup of coffee may perk you up nicely, but that same java is more than ready to do the same for your cocktail hour. Forget the drip-filled wine glass containing a shot of Bushmills or

Tia Maria, loaded with sugar, and covered with a slick of whipped cream from a can. And step back from the classic, yet oh-so1980s, Espresso Martini. Coffee cocktails have upped their game.

JOE FRESH

At The Diamond in Gastown, the emulsifying properties of coffee are mined for their aptly named caffeinated cocktail The Seattle. Shaking up fresh blackberries with cold brew, Cognac and ice, the natural oils in the coffee work to bind the flavours together.

And what’s behind this fashionable return? It’s all about that barista favourite, cold brew. When you brew coffee hot, Scott Rao — Massachusetts based expert and author of several books on coffee — explains, the acidity that is released into the water is extremely unstable. As the coffee cools, those acids degrade the coffee, turning it bitter and astringent.

MODEL SHOT

The late, legendary Dick Bradsell invented the Espresso Martini in London, the story goes, when a model sidled up to his bar and asked for a drink that would “wake me up, not f*** me up.”

“Cold brew bypasses that problem as it never develops that much acid,” he notes. “And it also never goes from hot to cold, so the small amount of acidity present is more stable and doesn’t impact the flavour.” The cold brew method also allows for brewing at different strengths. “Filter coffee generally brews at 1.3 per cent, meaning the amount of water in the finished brew is 98.7 per cent,” Rao says. With cold brew, depending on your ratio of water to beans, you might end up with a coffee strength of six per cent. For drinking straight that would be overkill, but in a mixed drink, you keep all the power you are looking for in a volume small enough to offer flexibility. For Trevor Kallies, bar manager at the Donnelly Group, the emergence of cold brew was a game changer.

IT’S SWEET, NUT T Y, FULL OF CHOCOL ATE UNDERTONES —– IT’S LIKE USING A COFFEE LIQUEUR WITHOUT ALL THE SUGAR

“The flavour is everything you are looking for,” he explains. “It’s sweet, nutty, full of chocolate undertones — it’s like using a coffee liqueur without all the sugar.” He played around with different coffee blends, brewing times and water-toweight of beans ratios until he settled on a formula that is now used across the Donnelly establishments. “We brew for 22 hours and create a really intense concentrate,” he says. “And because it is already cold, you don’t have to worry about diluting that flavour with ice.” It makes perfect sense, of course, that here in the Pacific Northwest, where we treat our coffee seriously, that it should make its presence felt in our cocktail bars. VALUE ADDED

Adding a nip of something stronger into your coffee is nothing new. In Italy, ordering a corretto will deliver an espresso with a splash of grappa, in Spain, a carajillo will be the same but with brandy, rum, whisky or anisette.

TOP: Trevor Kallies believes cold brew coffee has been a game changer for mixologists.

“Coffee culture and cocktail culture are very closely related,” Kallies agrees. “They are both super methodical and scientific in their approach.” Are there any no-go areas when it comes to coffee and booze? “I would find it very challenging to build a coffee cocktail with a juniper-forward gin,” Kallies admits. And what spirits are good coffee mates? “Single malt whisky — nothing peaty — works a treat, especially if you play up the malty notes, maybe add some spicy bitters. Bourbon, mezcal and vodka are all great. “And Tequila and coffee go together just like peas and carrots.”

WAKE UP CALL

Kicking the Espresso Martini up a notch

2oz Absolut vodka 2oz cold brew concentrate 2 dash bitters 1/4oz mole syrup 1 lemon zest

Shake vodka, coffee, bitters and syrup together and strain into a coupe. Garnish with a twist of lemon. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;by Trevor Kallies

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Here and now AT OLO, THE COCKTAIL LIST ROOTS YOU IN SPACE AND TIME OLO restaurant has a reputation for championing local, sustainable and seasonal fare, and new bar manager Matt Cooke wanted a cocktail menu to match, focused on highlighting the region’s craft distillers. “We have a ton of local spirits here,” he enthuses. “They’re all made with local ingredients, so we want to pay homage to them and the people making them. We want clients to be able to say, ‘Oh, this is an Ampersand cocktail.’” Because the restaurant is seasonally driven, the cocktail list naturally rotates based on what’s coming in from the farms. “It’s about following the produce, and allowing it to inspire you,” explains Cooke. “First it was rhubarb, which we used to make a coulis for a cocktail. When the raspberries came in we made a sorbet to add texture and freshness to a summer drink. Going into fall we’ll start experimenting with apples, pears, as well as beets and other fall vegetables.” The approach brings about a natural sense of place — a blast of B.C. in a glass. Take OLO’s Foraged And Found cocktail, a dark and earthy concoction featuring Victoriabased Fermentorium Stump Coastal Forest Gin, where the walk-through-the-woods pine-forward spirit is enhanced by the addition of pickled fir tips. And the inventive new products appearing from the distilleries — such as

Adrian Lam photo

the limited release Pisco-style spirit, Visco, from Arbutus in Nanaimo — adds to the creative possibilities. “We created the Narrative Sour, with its root beer shrub, to showcase Okanagan Crush Pad’s grapebased grappa-like spirit, Narrative Spirit of the Vineyard.” There’s something magical, he thinks, about using local spirits and ingredients. “You just have to find the key to releasing their unique qualities.”

OLO Restaurant, 509 Fisgard St., Victoria, 250-590-8795 @OLORestaurant, @OLO_Restaurant

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Liquid lore

AT CLIVE’S CL ASSIC LOUNGE, EVERY COCKTAIL TELLS A STORY

Stepping outside of the box has become old hat to bar manager Jayce Kadyschuk of Clive’s Classic Lounge in Victoria, who, along with his team, is driven by his passion to tell a story through every cocktail served. “We want to create a unique experience with every drink,” he explains. “People are always curious about what goes into a cocktail, how

we came up with the recipe — and that desire for a story forces us to be innovative.” One of those innovations is Clive’s Global Cocktails list. “We choose to work with flavours from different countries and try to work those flavours into our cocktails. We’ve been doing that for almost three years and the response has been great.”

ROSEMARY NIGHTS

2 oz Knob Creek Rye 0.25 oz rosemary syrup 2 dashes black pepper bitters 1 dash Angostura bitters 1 dash saline solution fresh rosemary sprig Stir ingredients and strain into rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a fresh rosemary sprig.

This year, they took that global idea a step further, fusing it with the bar’s annual summer tiki program. “Tiki is all about having two or three different rums with juice, syrup, crushed ice and lots of fruit garnish. It’s very boozy and refreshing. We decided to combine the two programs and make tiki-inspired global cocktails.” Local inspiration plays strongly on the bar’s signature list: the Sombrio Sunset is a rum-based cocktail that uses Moonshine Mama’s Turmeric Elixir from Salt Spring Island; local gins and housemade syrups and bitters feature prominently. With his Sweater Weather, Kadyschuk took the story to a sensory level. “I wanted to create a drink that described sitting by the fire on a cold night,

wearing a cozy sweater, and smelling the smoke from the fire,” he explains. “Aromatics are such an important part of a cocktail. We use brown bitters and Knob Creek Rye, which provides spicy notes, amaro from The Woods Spirit Co. in North Vancouver, green chartreuse and blackberry vinegar. I spritz the outside of the glass with 10-year-old Ardbeg, so the smoke isn’t actually in the cocktail, it’s just part of the experience.” Hitting all the senses is, he says, essential to a great cocktail. “When you look at a well-presented drink, your mouth is already salivating; it’s already preparing you for what you will taste. You first taste with your eyes, then with your nose, and last with your lips. It really showcases the craftsmanship of being a great bartender.”

Clives Classic Lounge, 740 Burdett Avenue, Victoria, 250-361-5684 @clivesclassic @clivesclassiclounge clivesclassiclounge.com

PERDITION CITY 1.75 oz Long Table London Dry Gin 1 oz Dubonnet 0.25 oz Long Table Amaro No.1 Linneaus 1 dash Orange bitters TOOLS: Barspoon, Mixing glass GLASS: Coupe GARNISH: Orange Peel (lightly squeezed over drink before placement) Add all ingredients to mixing glass, add ice and stir for 20-30 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish.

BC’s Most-Awarded Gin:

Available at BCLDB and select private liquor stores • longtabledistillery.com

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Tai me up THE ORIGINS OF TIKI COCKTAIL CL ASSIC, THE MAI TAI by Joanne Sasvari

rder the Mai Tai at your peril. It can be one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest cocktails but, like the Bellini and the Margarita, in the wrong hands, it can be an unmitigated disaster. Instead of a delicately fragrant yet powerfully boozy elixir, you are as likely to receive a dispiriting glass of something sweet, sticky and suspiciously hued. Any bartender who knows their way around the classics should be able to make a decent Mai Tai, but for the real deal, you really want to seek out a tiki expert. In Vancouver, that means a trip to the Shameful Tiki Room. This tiny, windowless bar on Main Street is decked out in all the kitsch-classic Polynesian paraphernalia that was so popular in the middle of the last century: grimacing tiki carvings, Tongan tapas cloth, puffer fish lamps and even a recaptured piece of artwork from Vancouverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic Tiki Bar at the Waldorf.

FOR ALL ITS POLYNESIAN ALLURE, THE MAI TAI WAS NOT ACTUALLY INVENTED ON ANY OF THE PACIFIC ISL ANDS.

Shameful is the place to enjoy a Navy Grog, Zombie, Volcano Bowl or any of the tropical drinks inspired by a romanticized South Pacific, first among them the Mai Tai. For all its Polynesian allure, however, the Mai Tai was not actually invented on any of the Pacific islands, but in California. And that’s just about the only certainty we have about its origins.

The late Victor Bergeron, founder of the Trader Vic’s chain of tiki-themed restaurants, claims credit for the drink, and has been quoted as saying: “Anyone who says I didn’t create this drink is a dirty stinker.” He reportedly invented it in 1944 to highlight the flavours of a 17-year-old rum from J. Wray & Nephew; upon tasting it for the first time, a guest described it in Tahitian as “Maita’i roa ae!” which means “out of this world — the best.” And, so the story goes, the Mai Tai (The Best) was born.

But not so fast: 11 years earlier, a former bootlegger and cowboy named Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt, a.k.a. Donn Beach, a.k.a. Don the Beachcomber, had invented a drink he called the Mai Tai Swizzle, which he served for a while at his own chain of tiki restaurants. His drink was also based on rum, but with fruit juices, falernum, Pernod and bitters added to the mix.

RUN RUNNER

New Orleans-born drifter Donn Beach (a.k.a. Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt, a.k.a. Don the Beachcomber) picked up cultural ephemera and a bunch of rums while bumming around the South Pacific. After arriving in Hollywood in 1931, and consulting on Pacific-themed movies, he opened his first bar in 1933 — a 12-seat paean to all things Polynesian. Tiki had arrived.

LEFT AND RIGHT: The decor at Vancouver’s Shameful Tiki Room is tiki-tastic. Dan Toulgoet photos

It’s unclear whether Bergeron knew of Beach’s earlier drink, but what is certain is that the later iteration became the more popular — in fact, by the 1960s, it was among the world’s best-known cocktails — and for good reason. It is, quite simply, one of the best.

other bartenders tried to recreate it on the cheap. The drink evolved into the sweet, watery, rum-based fruit punch familiar to anyone who’s ever visited Hawaii; back on the mainland, it was even worse, thanks to pre-made Mai Tai mixes in vivid hues and peculiar flavours.

So how did something so delicious become so degraded?

But unless you’re trying to order your Mai Tai from an Oahu swim-up bar, there’s no reason to settle for anything less than the real deal, not now that tiki fans and classic cocktail aficionados have brought the classic Mai Tai back from the darkness.

Back in the 1950s, Bergeron brought his cocktail to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki, where it became especially chic among the sophisticated jet set. As its popularity spread throughout the islands,

TOP SECRET

Both Beach and Bergeron guarded their tiki recipes closely, often pre-batching elements and giving their bartenders code-labeled bottles to work from. Legend has it Beach even had some of his cocktail bases blended at pharmacies.

Simply crush some ice, break out the well-aged rum, shake it with the right ingredients and smash up a sprig of mint for garnish. If you like, assemble it all in a tiki mug. Drink deep, and say with us “Maita’i roa ae!”

TRADER VIC’S MAI TAI Victor Bergeron, founder of Trader Vic’s restaurants, claims to be the originator of the Mai Tai, back in 1944. T his is his version of the drink. 2 oz aged rum 1 oz fresh lime juice 0.5 oz orgeat syrup (such as Giffard)

0.5 oz Cointreau or Curaçao Mint sprig to garnish

Place all the ingredients (except the mint) in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with fresh mint.

DON THE BEACHCOMBER’S MAI TAI Donn Beach — a.k.a. Er nest Raymond Beaumont Gantt, a.k.a. Don the Beachcomber — reportedly invented his version of the drink in 1933, when it was called a Mai Tai Swizzle. 1 oz gold rum 1.5 oz dark rum 1 oz (30 mL) grapefruit juice 0.75 oz lime juice 0.5 oz Cointreau or triple sec 34

0.25 oz falernum 6 drops Pernod Dash of Angostura bitters Mint sprig to garnish

Place all the ingredients (except the mint) in a cocktail shaker filled with crushed ice. Shake well and pour, unstrained, into a double Old-Fashioned glass. Garnish with fresh mint.

SIMPLY INSPIRED, HANDCRAFTED FARE. A solid selection of local craft beers, world-class wines and garden-to-glass cocktails mixed to perfection. $5 pints for happy hour from 5-7pm and live music nightly.

LIFE IS COMPLICATED. Good food (and cocktails) shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be. www.arcdining.com

#arcdining

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Tales with a twist CHAMBAR’S PHILIPPE GRANDBOIS WEAVES NEW TALES FOR CL ASSIC COCKTAILS For more than a decade, Chambar has been known as not only a destination restaurant famous for its Belgian and North African-influenced cuisine, but also as a cocktail haven that has attracted and nurtured some of the city’s top talent. Now, the restaurant has taken its cocktail program one step further, hiring Philippe Grandbois as Creative Director of Mixology — a new position in the company. Grandbois spent several years with the Ritz Carlton hotel group overseas, working in more than 11 countries and regions, including Bangalore, Shanghai and Montreal.

“I’m really excited to align myself with what I think is the best restaurant in Vancouver and the amazing team there,” he says. “It’s a long-standing business that has been highly successful, and I’m

looking to now bring that up to a worldclass level. We have a fantastic kitchen to work with that produces exceptional food with bold flavours, and the goal is to get the program to the stage where it matches the character of the food, and the essence of Chambar.” Grandbois plans to work closely with his team, including bar manager Yacine Sylla, to create a menu that is rooted in storytelling. “All of the best things I have done in my life have been done in collaboration, and this is a team that supports that idea. Every cocktail is perishable art. The classic cocktail world is extremely dynamic; there are beverages that have outlasted multiple wars, multiple countries. I want to align the stories of those cocktails with the story of Chambar, and evolve these concepts into a new era of mixology.”

Chambar, 568 Beatty St., 604-879-7119 ChambarRestaurant @Chambar_Restaurant

@Chambar

Rhapsody in brew

Oliver Harden photo

GET CRAFT Y AT HOME WITH THESE DELICIOUS BEER COCKTAILS by Justin Taylor We are fortunate to not only have incredible local spirits in B.C., but also an abundance of amazing craft beers. As a cocktail maker, this is another great excuse to start mixing — but before you begin that process, you’re just going to have to make the sacrifice and open a few beers to taste. Beer can provide some excellent flavour in a mixed drink, but the vast array of styles can be overwhelming when trying to select the right one to use: bitter or sweet, light or dark, spicy or fruity? Your

choice of brew will determine your other base ingredients. Also pay attention to the carbonation in the beer, as it will affect the mouthfeel of the finished drink. There is no right or wrong way to pair beer with spirits — it is simply up to you. Just be sure to create the right balance of sugar and acid. Here are four of my favourite local beers mixed up in four distinctly different cocktails with B.C. spirits. Try these out at home for inspiration, then start mixing your favourite brews into your own unique and tasty libations.

Oliver Harden photo

FOUR-WINDS-OF-CHANGE

1 oz. Shelter Point Distillery Whisky 0.75 oz. lemon juice 0.5 oz. clove-infused maple syrup* 3 dashes of Bittered Sling Gastown Bitters 2 oz. Four Winds Pale Ale Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir for 15 seconds. 40 Strain over fresh ice into an Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with apple slices. *Clove-infused maple syrup: Using a mortar and pestle, gently crack 25–30 whole cloves. Add to a saucepan and place over medium heat. When fragrant, add a cup of water and stir. Add one cup of pure maple syrup. Stir to dissolve. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Strain into a bottle, and refrigerate for later use.

PARKSIDE “SIP ‘N’ SLIDE” RADDLER

1 oz. Okanagan Spirits Gin 0.5 oz. Okanagan Spirits Rhubarb Liqueur 2 oz. freshly squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice 3 dashes Bittered Sling Grapefruit & Hops Bitters 3 oz. Parkside Graffiti IPA Add all ingredients except beer to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake hard for 15 seconds. Fine strain into a pilsner glass, top with Parkside Beer. Garnish with a fresh grapefruit wedge.

POLYNESIAN STRANGEFELLOW

MAIN STREET “WIDE EYE”

1.5 oz. Wayward Distilling Honey Rum 0.5 oz. orgeat syrup 0.5 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice half a ripe banana 3 dashes Angostura Bitters 4 oz. Strangefellows Guardian White IPA Put the banana into a cocktail shaker and muddle to a paste. Add everything except the beer, add ice and shake vigorously. Fine strain over fresh ice into a goblet. Top with Strangefellows Beer. Garnish with fresh banana slices.

1 oz. Odd Society East Van Vodka 0.5 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice 3 oz. Walter’s Caesar Mix 2 dashes Tapatio Hot Sauce Pinch ground pepper Pinch brown sugar 3 oz. Main Street Pilsner In a 20 oz. pint glass, add ice and all other ingredients, and stir. Garnish with a stick of celery. —all recipes by JustinTaylor

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Sweet sangria SPAIN’S ICONIC COCKTAIL IS A STAPLE AT BODEGA ON MAIN 42

Sangria has been around for quite a while — a couple of thousand years, in fact. “Most people don’t realize that it’s been around that long,” laughs Paul Rivas, who, along with his sister Natalie, owns Vancouver’s Bodega on Main — the

reincarnation of the much-loved former downtown tapas bar, La Bodega. The story of sangria goes that when the Romans conquered the Iberian Peninsula, they found the water

unpalatable. Vineyards were in abundant supply, so they added wine to the water to make it drinkable — and kill off any bacteria. The word “sangria” comes from the Latin word for “blood,” referring to the reddish wine colour of the beverage. These days, there are many varieties of the original, especially in the south of Spain. “It’s a real thirst-quencher,” explains Rivas, noting that the addition of citrus fruit was a no-brainer in a country where it grows in profusion. “We make our sangria the day before we serve it,” he adds. “That way the fruit has a chance to meld nicely with the wine. “We use a very traditional, standard recipe, the purest version,” he says. “Red wine, brandy, apples, oranges, lemon, and Triple Sec instead of honey or sugar to add sweetness. We also do white and rosé versions, but the red is by far the most popular.” But sangria isn’t the only mixed drink on the menu. “Our cocktail menu rotates every season, and we have a traditional cocktail competition between our staff,” says Natalie. “All of our cocktails have at least one ingredient of Spanish origin, it encourages our staff to research what’s

traditional and authentic, as well as look at the latest trends. It’s a great way to both team-build and come up with some amazing drinks.” One recent example is the Bonita 43, which combines Licor 43, a popular Spanish citrus and vanillabased liqueur, along with herbal yellow chartreuse, vodka, lemon juice, pineapple syrup, chocolate bitters, and a splash of elderflower liqueur. Whether sweetened with sherry or brightened with cava (as in the Cava Negroni), the one constant is the foodfriendly nature of the cocktail and sangria list at Bodega, perfect for sharing and supping with friends.

Bodega on Main, 1014 Main Street, Vancouver, 604-565-8815 bodegaonmainvan @bodegaonmain bodegaonmain.ca

The Laird of Fintry Single Malt Whisky

Produced in small batches using 100% B.C. malted barley, B.C.’s oldest craft distillery releases the exclusive Laird of Fintry ‘Scotch-style’ Single Malt Whisky only once a year through a lottery.

Is it Scotch?

Yes! Unfortunately the term ‘Scotch’ is native to Single Malt Whiskys produced in Scotland. As we are a 100% BC distillery our Laird of Fintry goes by the title ‘Single Malt Whisky.’

Why ‘The Laird of Fintry’?

Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery wanted to pay homage to the Okanagan when naming its Single Malt Whisky. ‘The Laird of Fintry’ title is based on the true story of James Cameron Dun-Waters, the ‘Laird’ of Fintry estates in Fintry, BC, who in the early 1900s ordered a special batch of personally labelled Single Malt Whisky (Scotch) from his homeland Scotland. Using a replica of the original label, Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery wanted to honour the history of whisky in the Okanagan. In turn, it also supports the ‘Friends of Fintry Society’ with an annual donation to help maintain the original property of The Laird.

FLAVOUR PROFILE: After years of barrel-aging in French and American Oak, this Single Malt is smooth, non-peated and combines solid forest notes of toasted oak with more delicate tones of vanilla, plum, raisins, caramel and spice.

WORLD SPIRITS AWARDS TASTING NOTES 44

Fragrance: Typical aromas, candy ester type, wild berries, raspberries, bananas, a lot of raisin, subtle grain, sherry cask accents, green nuts, light nougat, vanilla. Taste: Multi-faceted, very fruity abundance of aromas, berries, pears, grapes, malt and cream candy, raisins, vanilla, malty sweetness, some green and tart wood, good tightness and length. (90 points - Gold)

The Lottery

Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery saw over 4,500 people enter the Laird of Fintry lottery in 2015 for a chance to purchase one of our exclusive 1,500 bottles released. The lottery will return this in 2016 with another anticipated batch of around 1,500 single malt whisky bottles. We encourage all whisky enthusiasts to sign up to the newsletter on our website. You will be the ﬁrst to hear of the lottery opening, along with any specialty releases throughout the year of our Laird of Fintry Single Malt Whisky, and our other varieties of whisky. The lottery begins August 2016 and will run until the end of September. The draw will take place in October and the Laird will be released to winning entries for purchase.

Join the “Whisky Club” newsletter at okanaganspirits.com and be the ﬁrst to hear about the Laird of Fintry Single Malt Whisky lottery opening. VERNON DISTILLERY

5204 24th Street, Vernon • 250-549-3120 Mon.-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun. 11am-5pm Closed Easter Sunday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day

KELOWNA DISTILLERY

267 Bernard Avenue, Kelowna • 778-484-5174 Mon.-Wed. 10am-7pm, Thurs.-Sat. 10am-6pm, Sun. 11am-5pm Patio 12pm-6pm, Lounge Thurs.-Sat. 6pm-late Closed Easter Sunday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day

Laura McGuire photos

Hey! Big Spender DOES A BL ANK CHEQUE GUARANTEE A BET TER COCKTAIL? by Joanne Sasvari 46

hen the HĂ´tel Ritz Parisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legendary barman Colin Field introduced the $1,700 Ritz Sidecar in 2001, it was considered the most expensive cocktail in the world. Since then, a multitude of

bartenders have created their own lavishly priced drinks made with everything from truffles, gold dust and precious gems, to vintage spirits recovered from famous shipwrecks.

FAR LEFT: An ounce of Remy Martin Louis XIII Black Pearl Cognac will cost you $800 at Hawksworth. LEFT: Hennessy Richard will set you back $600 an ounce.

But are these ultra-premium cocktails worth their ultra-premium prices? Well, it depends — and not just on how much credit you have left on your flexible friend. “It’s not so much that you’re buying something expensive,” says Cooper Tardivel, head bartender at Vancouver’s Hawksworth Restaurant, where the priciest cocktail he has served was a $2,800 Sazerac made with Louis XIII Rare Cask Cognac. “You’re buying something rare. You’re going to have one, and that’s going to be your story.” Luxuriously priced cocktails come in two categories. The first is made with precious spirits, like the Winston, a $12,000 molecular masterpiece from Club 23 in Melbourne, Australia, which features the ultra-rare 1858 Croizet Cognac and takes two days to prepare. The other is adorned with fancy doodads, like the Tokyo Ritz-Carlton’s $22,000 Diamonds Are Forever — basically a Grey Goose Martini garnished with a diamond.

WAR STORIES

Club 23’s Winston cocktail refers to former British Prime Minister Churchill, who, it is said, sipped on 1858 Croizet Cognac with U.S. President Eisenhower as the pair planned D-Day.

YOU’RE BUYING SOMETHING RARE. YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE ONE, AND THAT’S GOING TO BE YOUR STORY.

It’s easy to guess which style of top-dollar drink serious cocktail aficionados think is worth the money. At the Fairmont Pacific Rim, head bartender Grant Sceney has a handful of regulars who happily hand over $450 for his variation on the Louis XIII Sazerac. “On average, we’ll make one to two of them a week,” he says. Meanwhile, Tardivel has customers who regularly order his $92 Manhattan made with 25-year-old Willett Rye Family Reserve whiskey, even if they have to share it between friends. Who those big spenders are varies. “There are the guys who just want to order the most expensive thing because it’s the most expensive,” Tardivel says. More often, though, the people who order luxe drinks are well-travelled romantics passionate about fine craftsmanship and entranced by the idea of sipping history in a glass. Once they order that rare drink, he says, “for the most part they sit and cherish it.”

Sceney concurs: “Some people spend money because they can. and others do it because they enjoy it and know what they’re talking about.” But what of the purists, who argue that adulterating a vintage spirit simply ruins it? “It’s more about the experience with these vintage cocktails,” Shaun Layton, bar manager at Vancouver’s Juniper Restaurant & Bar, says. “You’re not having it because it’s the best drink you’ll ever taste. It’s about drinking the experience. “For under $100, I can create a great experience. Anything over 100 bucks, it better be something incredible, like a pre-Prohibition whisky. With really vintage stuff, if you look at it the right way, it might be worth it.”

BIG BOYS

At Juniper, Shaun Layton offers what he calls his “baller” cocktails, including the tropical-flavoured Huli Huli ($42), served in a gold pineapple cup and dusted with gold flakes, or the $25 MAN-hatten, made with premium Eagle Rare bourbon and smoked ice cubes.

The skill is in combining a premium spirit in a way that enhances its prized characteristics. It would be tragic to combine, say, a rich, fruity, gloriously complex extra-añejo tequila with a mouth-puckeringly tart sweet-and-sour mix. It’s crucial to order these drinks only from people who know what they’re doing. “If you have the opportunity to enjoy something of this calibre, and if it’s made properly,” Sceney says, “then it’s worth it.”

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Shake it off AT ROYAL DINET TE, KAITLYN STEWART MAKES DRINKS THAT DANCE

It’s immediately obvious that Kaitlyn Stewart, bar manager at Vancouver’s Royal Dinette, likes to bartend to a strong beat: all of her cocktails have names inspired by music — from lyrics and songs to musicians and festivals (Upside Down; Smoke on the Walters). Her proudest pop moniker? The Cream Sh-Boogie Bop. “It’s an ode to Prince,” she laughs, breaking into song. “Cream, don’t you stop. Cream, sh-boogie bop!” Before joining Royal Dinette’s opening team, Stewart had shaken things up at Boulevard and Black+Blue. “Royal Dinette offered a fine dining element in a more relaxed environment,” she says. “I could add more of my personality — from my clothes, to showing my tattoos. Here, I can just be myself.” 50

Here, she also follows kitchen philosophy, changing her cocktail menu to cater to the seasons. “I love to incorporate local

spirits where I can, and make my own syrups and shrubs,” she explains. She has also foraged for lavender herself. With her Kumbaya cocktail, Stewart gives a clear nod to the Pacific Northwest, melding hickory-smoked rye, Amaro Montenegro, cherry cedar bitters, cinnamon and — everyone’s favourite — a toasted marshmallow. The Woodstock, she notes, plays well through all the seasons, with its white whisky base (from Vancouver’s Liberty Distillery), peppercorn-infused mezcal, house made ginger liqueur, lemon juice, and a spritz of smoky Ardbeg for an aromatic punch. Her main goal, she says, is to keep the bar menu approachable. “I don’t like to scare people off. If you don’t understand what’s written, you aren’t very likely to try something new.”

Royal Dinette, 905 Dunsmuir St., 604-974-8077 RoyalDinetteVancouver @RoyalDinette

Whisky in the jar AFTER FIVE LONG YEARS, SHELTER POINT’S SINGLE MALT HAS COME OF AGE by Jennifer Foden 52

“R

eady for the tour?” Patrick Evans asks with a chuckle. I climb into the 4x4 expecting a leisurely ride through Shelter Point Distillery’s expansive property.

I am mistaken: Evans hits the gas and we’re off-roading into the bush faster than I can say, “I’ll take a wee dram.” But let’s back up for a moment.

LEFT: Head distiller James Marinus at work. RIGHT: Shelter Point grows the barley for its whisky onsite.

In 2005, Evans (a third-generation farmer) and his family purchased the 380 acres of property in Campbell River, B.C., 140 km north of Nanaimo. Evans asked himself what the best use of the land would be, and decided it was to bring a value-added industry to the shores of Vancouver Island. “Can you say single malt?” he laughs. Established in 2011, Shelter Point is B.C.’s only pot-distilled single malt whisky distillery, and only the second in Canada. The traditional copper pot stills — prized for the style of spirit and the flavour profile they bring to the finished whisky — were shipped from Scotland, via the Panama Canal.

SPIT AND POLISH

The highly prized copper stills were held up en route by U.S. customs for a month; it took 200 hours of Campbell River elbow grease to bring them back to their former glory.

Evans made his longtime farming colleague James Marinus his main distiller, bringing in several experts as consultants along the way. “The first year, we relied heavily on Michael Nicholson, who had a long career being a master distiller in Scotland,” Evans notes. “Luckily for us, he retired to Victoria and was able to work with us for six months. “We still bring out different distillers. It’s like working with different chefs — each has their own area of expertise.” The grain — barley — is grown on 200 acres of their farm; the all-important water is drawn from a mountain-fed aquifer from beneath the ground at Shelter Point. The other essential ingredient in traditional single malt whisky is time. And so they distilled the whisky, batchby-batch, and they waited. For five years.

LEFT: The copper pot stills were shipped from Scotland.

IT’S HARD TO SIT AND WAIT FOR WHISKY TO AGE, BUT WHAT CHOICE DID WE HAVE? “It’s hard to sit and wait for whisky to age, but what choice did we have?” says Marinus. “The first two years you don’t really think about it, by year three we started looking a little closer, sampling and contemplating the direction it was taking.” Mistakes were made. They ran the wash still too hot and it “went off like a volcano,” breaking all of the hydrometers. “As year four and five rolled around, things were improving quite nicely,” Marinus says. “Now we had something

IN THE AIR

Aging the whisky in oak barrels close to the Salish Sea adds complexity to Shelter Point’s single malt.

that was worthy of being shared with others.” Finally, in May of this year, they released their first batch. Evans pulls the 4x4 into a clearing, and that wee dram is poured. It’s balanced. It’s smooth. It’s everything, he says, that they were trying to achieve in terms of flavour. Now, Evans and Marinus have their sights set on creating a booming industry in B.C. and distributing worldwide. “It’s a great feeling to be able to release our whisky to everyone to enjoy,” says Marinus. “And as the years click by, our remaining whisky will continue to age and improve for later releases.”

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Royal flush CENTRAL CIT Y’S NEWLY-RELEASED GIN PAYS HOMAGE TO ITS B.C. ROOTS

It’s not often the new kid on the block walks away with a major international award the very week of its launch, but that’s exactly what Surrey-based Central City Brewers and Distillers’ newest offering accomplished earlier this year; their Queensborough Gin garnered a gold medal at the Spirits International Prestige (SIP) Awards. When it came to developing Queensborough, head distiller Stuart McKinnon was influenced by his Scottish background and looked to Britain. He found inspiration in a London Dry-style recipe rooted in 17th-century England, then added local flare with foraged

juniper from the Interior of B.C. and Vancouver Island spruce tips. “We are fans of brewing and distilling using traditional European methods with centuries of proven success, while balancing this with more modern styles and methods using state of the art equipment and technologies,” McKinnon notes. And, just like the homegrown ingredients used in the gin, the name pays homage to all things local — Queensborough is an area within neighbouring New Westminster — as a way to honour that delicate balance of tradition and

QB BL ACKBERRY ZEST COCKTAIL

1 oz. Queensborough Gin 1 teaspoon Sweet Red Vermouth 3 fresh blackberries Tonic water Orange zest In a large wine glass add gin, vermouth and ice, and stir. Top up with tonic water. Garnish with blackberries and orange zest.

modernity that this place had in 1859, when it became the first official capital of the new colony of British Columbia. Besides gin, Central City also produces Seraph Vodka. Historically a seraph, or “burning angel,” has been associated with light, ardour, and purity. Today, it’s more likely to be linked to some really great cocktails. From the Canadian barley used in their forthcoming whisky, to the select Rocky Mountain berries enhancing their gin, every ingredient used at Central City has been carefully planned and researched before use in their spirits. Each part of the distilling process is also closely monitored. From finding the best grain, to on-site milling and mashing, to finally distilling, bottling and packaging, Central City embraces the same artisanal spirit it’s always brought to its craft beers. “At Central City, we have our brewpubs in downtown Vancouver and Surrey, as well as our tasting lounge at the main brewery where people can come try our Queensborough Gin and more,” says McKinnon. “And later this year, we will be launching our first whisky, which has been aging for years, and is just about ready to pour.”

QB SPRING INTO GIN COCKTAIL

1 oz. Queensborough Gin 1 teaspoon Elderflower Cordial 1 teaspoon Dry Vermouth Hopping Mad Apple Cider Thin green apple slices In a large wine glass add gin, cordial, Vermouth and ice, and stir. Top up with Hopping Mad Apple Cider. Garnish with thin green apple slices.

Drop by Central City on the weekends for a tour of the 65,000 square-foot distillery. Tours run every Saturday, Sunday and holidays at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. Tours fill up quickly so contact the tasting room to reserve a spot at by calling 604-588-2337 (extension 131). Central City Brewers and Distllers, 11411 Bridgeview Drive, Surrey, 604-588-2337 /CentralCityBrewing CentralCityBrewing.com @CentralCityBrew

B.C. DISTILLERY LISTINGS

e have 33 B.C. distilleries in this issue, producing local spirits from Vancouver Island, through Metro Vancouver, the Interior and east to the Kootenays. Over the following pages you will find full listings information on each business, including contact and social media details, and whether there is a tasting room onsite.

The breadth of products available is constantly growing, as distilleries build up from their base gins, vodkas and white whiskies. To help guide you through this veritable smorgasboard of spirits, our expert panel is back, providing tasting notes for each distillery.

Our experts are all experienced, awardwinning bartenders who write their notes independently. They break down the note in terms standard to spirits tasting â&#x20AC;&#x201D; fragrance, flavour, feel and finish â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and add TASTING NOTES their suggestions for how LEGEND the product might be best enjoyed, plus a quick bottom FR: Fragrance line summation. FL: Flavour We hope you will find this FE: Feel helpful in navigating your way through the options available, FI: Finish whether at home, or at your BE: Best enjoyed favourite cocktail bar. BL: The bottom line Happy tasting!

MEET THE EXPERTS THE ALCHEMIST TASTING PANEL As part of our mission to provide the essential resource on B.C. spirits, our panel of top mixologists provides tasting notes on one spirit from each listed distillery.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Shaun Layton is a leading figure on the international scene. He currently heads the bar program at Vancouver’s Juniper Kitchen & Bar, where he makes it his mission to uncover the best the Cascadian region, and the world, has to offer.

Josh Pape is an award-winning bartender who has established himself as one of Vancouver’s most influential young restaurateurs. He co-owns and operates a number of the city’s new and notable restaurants and bars, including The Diamond, Pizzeria Bufala, Wildebeest, and Lucky Taco.

Award-winning Wendy McGuinness has worked the wood of fine establishments from Toronto’s Sassafraz to the Go Go bar at Melbourne’s Chin Chin. She is currently heading the bar program at Kissa Tanto, having created a rocking retro cocktail list.

At Prohibition speakeasy bar at Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Robyn Gray loves creating a bespoke experience for guests. Gray learned his craft at Gastown’s Revel Room, and has been at the Hotel Georgia since 2011, opening and operating all the hotel’s lounges.

Trevor Kallies is bar and beverage director for the Donnelly Group, where he has created several award-winning cocktail lists. A founding member of the Canadian Professional Bartender’s Association (CPBA), he also manages the Cocktail Apprentice Program at the world-renowned annual Tales of the Cocktail.

Bar manager at Whistler’s Bearfoot Bistro, Scott Barber is also responsible for the restaurant’s sub-zero vodka room, and has created tasting notes for each of the dozens of vodkas poured, becoming expert on the distillation techniques and different flavour profiles in the process.

AMPERSAND DISTILLING CO.

ARBUTUS DISTILLERY

BOHEMIAN SPIRITS

4077 Lanchaster Rd., Duncan 250-737-1880 AmpersandDistilling.com @AmpDistillingCo

1890 Boxwood Rd., Nanaimo 250-714-0027 Arbutus-Distillery.com @arbutusdistillery @ArbutusDistill

Kimberley, B.C. BohemianSprits.com @GoodCheerHere

Father and son, Stephen and Jeremy Schacht, hand craft their spirits on five acres of organic farmland in the Cowichan Valley, distilling their gin and vodka from their own wheat.

Head distiller Michael Pizzitelli brings both a background in science and his experience in brewing to Arbutus Distillery’s ever-growing range of botanicalforward spirits.

Using botanicals foraged in the mountains around Kimberley, Wade Jarvis and Ervyn Turcon are one of B.C.’s newest distillers, producing small batch hand crafted vodka and gin.

PER SE VODKA

COVEN VODKA

VAGABOND VODKA

FR Clean, slight marzipan and spice notes. FL Marshmallow, hint spicy wheat, vanilla. FE Great, creamy and pleasant on the palate. FI Clean, sweet, easy finish. BE Classic Martini or Vesper. BL Clean, user-friendly vodka. Great gift for those who spend too much on tall frosted imported products. –Shaun Layton

FR Very little alcohol vapour, mild caramel and vanilla. FL Dark caramel, toast. FE Creamy. FI Long finish of dark toast and caramel. BE Martini or mixed drinks. BL With the strong vanilla caramel notes, citrus isn’t the way to go with this one. I’d be interested to see it in an Espresso Martini. –Trevor Kallies

FR Subtle spice. FL Sweet and spicy. FE Lightly tickling. FI White peppercorn. BE In a Caesar. BL Spicy vodka perfect for a Bloody Mary or a Caesar. –Robyn Gray

Other products include: Ampersand Gin.

Other products include: Empiric Gin, Baba Yaga Absinthe, Grand Visco Brandy.

Other products include: Limited Gin.

Tasting Room by appointment

Tasting Room yes

Tasting Room no

CENTRAL CITY BREWERS & DISTILLERS

DE VINE SPIRITS

DEEP COVE BREWERS & DISTILLERS

11411 Bridgeview Dr., Surrey 604-588-2337 CentralCityBrewing.com CentralCityBrewing @CentralCityBrew

6181B Old West Saanich Rd., Saanichton 250-665-6983 DevineVineyards.ca @deVineVineyards

2270 Dollarton Hwy., North Vancouver, 604-770-1136 DeepCoveCraft.com DeepCoveBrewers @DeepCoveCraft

The successful B.C. brewers of the popular Red Racer beers, Central City reworked its spirits program this year, re-launching with its summer release of Queensborough Gin.

This Saanich-based distillery is proud to use local fruits, honey and grains in their spirits. Also a winery, they use their own grapes as the base for their Vin Gin.

This North Shore distillery augments its rosemary and oliveinfused gin and award-winning vodka with a variety of smallbatch seasonal releases.

QUEENSBOROUGH GIN

VIN GIN

ROSEMARY & OLIVE GIN

FR Spruce tip. FL Spruce, juniper and citrus. FE Soft and smooth. FI Lasting botanical bouquet. BE In a Last Word cocktail. BL London Dry style gin with added spruce tip gives a unique West Coast flavor. Well rounded. –Robyn Gray

FR Citrus and spice. FL Juniper forward, spice. FE Clean and crisp. FI Sweet lemon. BE In a Pegu Club cocktail. BL At 45 per cent ABV it allows the botanicals to shine in balance with a fruity sweet backbone of grape spirit made of Pinot Noir and Gruner Vetlinger. –Robyn Gray

FR Funky tropical fruit, salty. FL Pine, hot, aggressive on the palate. FE Thin, spicy, hot. FI Powerful finish. BE Dirty Martini. BL Doesn’t stand up to its Spanish or B.C. counterparts. Lots going on, and very hot. –Shaun Layton

61 Other products include: Seraph Vodka.

Other products include: Honey Shine Beekeeper’s Reserve, New Tom Barrel Aged Gin, Genever Gin, Glen Saanich Single Malt.

Other products include: Deep Cove Vodka, Sweet Tea Vodka (seasonal), Ghost Pepper Vodka (seasonal).

Tasting Room yes

DRAGON MIST DISTILLERY

DUBH GLAS DISTILLERY

FERMENTORIUM DISTILLING CO.

213-19138 26th Ave., Surrey 604-803-2226 DragonMistDistillery.com @DragonMistDistillery @DragonMistVodka

8486 Gallagher Lake Frontage Rd., Oliver 778-439-3580 TheDubhGlasDistillery.com @TheDubhGlasD

2010 Government St., Victoria 250-380-1912 Fermentorium.ca PhilipsBreweryCo @PhillipsBeer

Using wheat from Dawson Creek, Surrey-based Sherry Jiang is producing Canada’s only expressions of traditional Chinese spirit, baijiu.

Though whisky is owner Grant Stevely’s true passion, the first signature release from this Oliverbased operation was the small batch Noteworthy Gin, distilled from B.C. barley.

Victoria’s Fermentorium’s Stump Coastal Forest Gin is fastbecoming a signature B.C. spirit. Their collection of artisanal tonic waters elevate even the most basic of highballs.

COFFEE LIQUEUR

VIRGIN SPIRITS BARLEY

HOP DROP ELIXIR

FR Steeped medium roast. FL Tempered coffee, touch of anise. FE Soft, unassuming. FI Sweet, too short. BE Maybe on the rocks. BL Too unassuming to make an impact. –Josh Pape

FR Aromatic nose of vanilla, butterscotch and caramel. FL Light flavors of ripe bananas, honey dew and vanilla. FE Full and lingers on the tongue. FI Long, with a bit of heat from the 50 per cent ABV. BE Replace aged whisky to lighten up your favorite classics, or neat. BL A true expression of unaged malted barley whiskey. –Wendy McGuinness

FR Dried hops. FL Lightly bitter, like concentrated IPA. FE Very even. Starts soft and expands. FI Dry and clean. BE Added to your favourite lager. BL Really cool product. Fun to play with in beer cocktails. –Josh Pape

Other products include: Baijiu Gold and Silver, Dragon Mist Vodka, Dragon Mist Gin, Blueberry Liqueur, Cranberry Liqueur.

Other products include: Noteworthy Gin, Age-Your-Own Spirits Kits.

Other products include: Stump Coastal Forest Gin, Fermentorium Handcrafted Tonics.

Tasting Room no

Tasting Room yes

Tasting Room no

G&W DISTILLING

GILLESPIE’S FINE SPIRITS

KEALY BEVERAGE CO.

7167 Vantage Way #8, Delta 604-376-0630 SidsVodka.com, SilverDawn.ca

8-38918 Progress Way, Squamish 604-390-1122 GillespiesFineSpirits.com @gillespiesfinespirits @gillespies1

2841 Pacific Pl., Abbotsford 778-549-5181 kealysdiamondvodka.com KealysDiamondVodka

Stephen Goodridge has garnered awards and fans with three expressions of vodka, an approachable gin, and a whiskeystyle rested spirit.

Friendship, a fun attitude, and a shared love of booze inspired Kelly Woods and John McLellan to start their Squamish-based still. Their spirits are designed to be cocktail-friendly.

Mason and Nicole Kealy incorporated their Abbotsford distillery in 2010 and launched their first product three years later.

NÜTRL

SIN GIN

KEALY’S MOONSHINE

FR Citrus notes, especially orange. FL Not much on the palate. FE Slightly creamy mouthfeel. FI Smooth and short. BE Chilled neat, or with a few ice cubes and lemon zest. BL Decent vodka that ticks the boxes vodka should: clean and neutral. –Trevor Kallies

FR Hints of stone fruit, apricot, apple, grapefruit. FL Hot spice, not juniper forward. FE Light on the palate with pleasantly creamy mouthfeel. FI Long, fresh citrus lingering notes. BE In a Martini with grapefruit zest. BL Fantastic for those looking for a non-juniper forward gin. –Scott Barber

FR Extremely light aroma, hints of citrus. FL Pepper spice and grain. FE Light-medium body. FI Short and dry, extremely clean. BE A great mixing vodka. Preferred lemon twist in a Martini. BL An excellent base spirit for simple classic vodka cocktails such as a Collins, Caipiroska, or any drink containing citrus. –Scott Barber

Other products include: Sid’s Vodka, Silver Dawn Vodka, Tempo Renovo Vancouver Dry Gin, Mapleshade Repose.

Other products include: Gastown Shine Vodka, Lemoncello, Aphro Chili Chocolate Elixir.

No other products.

Tasting Room yes

Tasting Room no

KOOTENAY COUNTRY CRAFT LEGEND DISTILLING DISTILLERY

THE LIBERTY DISTILLERY

7263 Gustafson Rd., Slocan 250-355-2702 kootenaycountry.ca Kootenay-Country-Craft-DistilleryLtd

3005 Naramata Rd., Naramata 778-514-1010 LegendDistilling.com @legendnaramata

1494 Old Bridge St., Vancouver 604-558-1998 TheLibertyDistillery.com @TLDistillery

Lora and Kevin Goodwin strive to keep to the100-mile philosophy in their spirit production, using organic heirloom wheat, seasonal flowers and fruits, and spring water from the Selkirk Mountains.

In a former doctor’s office on the Naramata Bench, Dawn and Doug Lennie created Legend together, drawing on the local bounty of the Okanagan for the base and flavours of their gin and vodkas.

With prime real estate on Granville Island, Liberty is open for tours, tastings and daily cocktails showcasing their vodka, different expressions of gin, and various white whiskies.

VALHALLA VODKA FR Sweet, dried fruit. FL Cereal grain with high minerality. FE Lightly creamy mouthfeel. FI Black pepper spice. BE Neat on ice. BL Kootenay Country water source filtered by granite strata brings a beautiful minerality to this spicy and fruity vodka. –Robyn Gray

SHADOW IN THE LAKE VODKA FR Alcohol, pepper. FL Hot, spice. FE Lean up front. FI Dry, lingering heat. BE In a Moscow Mule. BL More of a mixer than a sipper. –Josh Pape

TRUTH VODKA FR Fresh, bright. FL Sweet, fruity. FE Velvety, even, pleasant. FI Soft. Front palate. BE With less rather than more. Try it as a Martini with an olive or just neat. BL Well made vodka. Worth the price of admission. –Josh Pape

64 Other products include: Kootenay Country Gin, Kootenay Country Honey Vodka, seasonal flavoured vodkas.

Other products include: Doctor’s Orders Gin, Defender Island Smoked Rosemary Gin, Slowpoke Flavoured Vodka.

Other products include: Endeavour Gin, Endeavour Old Tom Gin, Endeavour Origins Gin, Railspur No. 1 (white), 2 (white) & 3 (spike).

Tasting Room yes

MAD LABORATORY DISTILLING

MAPLE LEAF SPIRITS

1451 Hornby St., Vancouver 604-266-0177 LongTableDistillery.com @LongTableDistillery @LT_Distillery

119-618 East Kent Ave., Vancouver MadLabDistilling

948 Naramata Rd., Penticton 250-493-0180 MapleLeafSpirits.ca MapleLeafSpirits @MapleLeafSpirit

Gin is at the heart of Long Table, with London dry-style, cucumber and barrel-aged varieties fueling its many awards. This downtown Vancouver distillery also produces vodka, as well as seasonal liqueurs.

Truly handmade using a small homebrew mill and a pump, Mad Laboratory’s vodka is tripledistilled and carbon filtered from Armstrong barley and Champagne yeast.

Originally from Germany, and now based in the Okanagan, Jorg Engel has created a range of fruit-based liqueurs, brandies and grappas, produced from distilling 100 per cent B.C. fruit.

LONG TABLE DISTILLERY

LONDON DRY GIN

MAD LAB VODKA

MAPLE LIQUEUR

FR Juniper, lemon peel, lavender. FL Alpine notes, juniper heavy, bitter lemon. FE Thin mouthfeel. FI Great coriander, and black pepper finish. BE Classic cocktails (Martini, Martinez, Hanky Panky). BL The best B.C. London Dry on the market. –Shaun Layton

FR Clean, light fragrance of sweet wheat, vanilla, and hints of doughy bread. FL Very smooth, lightly sweet with notes of black pepper, hint of vanilla. FE Silky and dry. FI Super clean, lightly creamy. BE Stirred, straight up with a twist. BL Brand new distillery, only the 4th batch made; Mad Lab nailed it. –Wendy McGuinness

FR Stone fruit, custard, vanilla, slightly hot. FL Butterscotch, maple, smoky vanilla. FE Thin, in a good way for a liqueur. FI Balanced, with pleasant maple. BE Over ice cream! BL Great product and a cool little place to visit. –Shaun Layton 65

Other products include: Cucumber Gin, Barrel Aged Gin, Texada Vodka, Långbord Akvavit, Amaro No. 1 – Linnaeus, Limoncello.

No other products.

Other products include: Cherry Liqueur, Canadian Kirsch, Pear Williams, Italian Prune.

Tasting Room yes

Tasting Room opening soon

Tasting Room yes

MERRIDALE ESTATE CIDERY

ODD SOCIETY SPIRITS

OKANAGAN CRUSH PAD

PO Box 358, 1230 Merridale Rd., Cobble Hill 250-743-4293 MerridaleCider.com @merridalecider

1725 Powell St., Vancouver 604-559-6745 OddSocietySpirits.com @oddsocietyspirits @OddSpirits

16576 Fosbery Rd., Summerland 250-494-4445 okanagancrushpad.com @OKCrushPad

This Vancouver Island cider business applied their traditional fruit focus to distilling, creating a range that includes gin, fruit brandies, a rested whiskey, and even a carbonated vodka.

This East Vancouver distillery’s three founding self-described “odd” owners are busy producing different expressions of gin, vodka and both white (unaged), and single malt whiskies.

The Summerland winery makes two expressions of gin (one of them for Vij’s restaurant), and a grappa-style spirit.

COWICHAN VODKA

WALLFLOWER GIN

FR Green apple and citrus, hints of floral notes. FL Fresh attack, light and bright eau de vie. FE Supple and round. FI Cool clean apple. BE Great over ice, or chilled neat. A great light choice for cocktails. BL A delicious eau de vie, not necessarily for the hard line vodka drinker. Think outside the box and you will not be let down. –Wendy McGuinness

FR Lavender. FL Surprisingly balanced. FE Lovely and fragrant. FI Sweet, long boozy finish. BE As a boozy cocktail. Martinez or Pink Gin. Maybe even an Old Fashioned. BL A really fun spirit. If you like floral notes then jump in — you won’t be disappointed. –Josh Pape

NARRATIVE GIN TWELVE BOTANICALS

Other products include: Cowichan Copper Gin, Cowichan Gin, Stair’s Pear Brandy, Cowichan Cider Brandy, Apple Oh! de Vie.

Other products include: East Van Vodka, Bittersweet Vermouth, White Rye Mongrel, Oaken Wallfower Gin, Crème de Cassis.

Other products include: Narrative Spirit of the Vineyard, Vij’s Bolly Water Gin.

Tasting Room yes

FR Raisin and orange peel. FL Citrus and floral. FE Pronounced sweetness. FI White pepper spice. BE In a gin Martini BL Grape spirit gives a fruity backbone, chamomile and lemongrass really shine through. –Robyn Gray

OKANAGAN SPIRITS CRAFT DISTILLERY

OLD ORDER DISTILLING COMPANY

PEMBERTON DISTILLERY

5204 24th St., Vernon 267 Bernard Ave., Kelowna 250-549-3120 | 778-484-5174 OkanaganSpirits.com @OkanaganSpirits

270 Martin St., Penticton 778-476-2210 | OldOrderDistilling.ca OldOrderDistillingCompany @Old_Order_Distilling @OldOrder_Spirit

1954 Venture Pl., Pemberton 604-894-0222 PembertonDistillery.ca pemberton.distillery @pembydistillery

A family-owned award-winning distillery with a wide range of products to its name, including an absinthe, and both rye and single malt whiskies. Tours and tastings are available in both its locations.

At their Penticton distillery, Graham Martens and Naomi Gabriel take barley from Vanderhoof, malt it in Armstrong, then distill it with spring water from Anarchist Mountain.

Master distiller Tyler Schramm uses local organic Pemberton potatoes as the base for his extensive range of spirits and liqueurs.

CHERRY LIQUEUR

BLESSED BEAN

FR Cherry pit, fruit rollups, rose petals. FL Tart cherry pie. FE Beautifully thin and bright. FI Cherry skins, rose water. BE Remember The Main cocktail. BL Great product showcasing Okanagan fruit. –Shaun Layton

FR Raw vanilla; imagine opening a bag of vanilla bean pods. FL Milk, vanilla and coffee. Almost a barista drink. FE Not as sticky as expected. Smooth and clean for a liqueur. FI Nice coffee bitterness at the back. BE Great addition to coffee or latte, or on rocks as a decent after dinner option. BL Very good alternative to commercial coffee liqueurs. –Trevor Kallies

SCHRAMM ORGANIC GIN FR Fresh herbs, hints of citrus, lavender. FL Subtle juniper, gooseberry. FE Off dry, light. FI Mild sweetness, herbaceous. BE Fun to use with blackberries or Bing cherries in cocktails. BL Fantastic local gin. Try some! –Scott Barber 67

Other products include: Fruit Liqueurs, Gin, Vodka, Single Malt Whisky, BRBN (Corn) Whisky, Taboo Genuine Absinthe.

Other products include: Heritage Vodka, Legacy Gin, Genesis Whisky, Wicked Brew.

Other products include: Schramm Organic Potato Vodka, Organic Single Malt Whisky, Kartoffelschnaps, Absinthe.

Tasting Room yes

SHELTER POINT DISTILLERY

SHERINGHAM DISTILLERY

SONS OF VANCOUVER

4650 Regent Rd, Campbell River 778-420-2200 ShelterPoint.ca ShelterPointDistillery @ShelterPoint

2631 Seaside Dr., Shirley 778.528.1313 SheringhamDistillery.com @sheringhamdistillery @SheringhamBC

1431 Crown St. North Vancouver 778-340-5388 SonsOfVancouver.ca @SonsOfVancouver

The first batch of single malt from this Campbell River distillery was released this summer, created with barley grown on site and distilled in copper pot stills shipped from Scotland via the Panama Canal.

Jason MacIsaac was a successful chef before he turned distiller, and he brings his local, sustainable attitude towards food to his small batch spirits.

James Lester and Richard Klaus say their North Vancouver distillery’s amaretto, sweetened with B.C. blackberry honey, was made as a tribute to their mothers.

SHELTER POINT SINGLE MALT WHISKY

FR Mild grain, little citrus and oak. FL Slight hint of spice, fruit sweetness and a hint of chocolate. FE Smooth and silky. FI Medium long, grain lingers and is very pleasant. BE Neat or rocks; you’ll be fine either way. BL Balanced and delicious. Easily mistaken for a more established distillery. This is a good buy. –Trevor Kallies

SHERINGHAM VODKA

CHILI VODKA

FR Floral, with white pepper nose. FL Light, slightly sweet. FE Well balanced, thin finish. FI Tad bit of tropical fruit, very pleasant. BE On the rocks, lemon twist. BL Pleasing, great packaging, good Martini vodka. –Shaun Layton

FR Peppers. Red bell and chillies. FL Fire. All chillies all the time. FE Hot. Spicy. FI Lingering heat. BE Sipped neat or in a Caesar. BL A fun one to try if you like it hot. Very hot. –Josh Pape

Other products include: Canada One Artisan Vodka, Sunshine Liqueur, Yo! Off the Wall Spiced Vodka.

Other products include: Seaside Gin, William’s White.

Other products include: Vodka Vodka Vodka, No. 82 Amaretto.

Tasting Room spring through fall

Tasting Room by appointment

Tasting Room yes

URBAN DISTILLERIES

VICTORIA DISTILLERS

VON ALBRECHT & ASSOCIATES

325 Bay Ave., #6, Kelowna 778-478-0939 UrbanDistilleries.ca @UrbanDistilleries @SpiritBearVodka

9891 Seaport Pl., Sidney 250-544-8217 VictoriaDistillers.com @VicDistillers

2220 Vauxhall Pl., Richmond 604-249-0003 VonAlbrecht.com xfourvodka @xfour_ @XFOUR_Vodka

A trip to France and an unplanned tour of a Cognac distillery put Mike Urban on the path to making his own liquor. He now owns the largest distillery in the province.

Launched in 2008, Victoria Gin graces bars across the country. Their first small batch, limited release whisky was launched in early 2015.

The XFour vodka range is distilled from rye and corn in Vernon; the lemonade base for their coolers is made from founder Marcus Von Albrecht’s great-grandfather’s recipe.

URBAN SINGLE MALT WHISKY FR Mild grain, sweetness with citrus and subtle grassy notes. Definitely some oak. FL Vanilla, citrus and wood. FE Oily with a nice smoothness. FI Medium. The grain sticks around, the sweetness doesn’t. BE Splash of ginger ale. BL Released in 2011, decent for the first single malt style whisky produced in B.C. –Trevor Kallies

VICTORIA GIN FR Anise, clove, angelica, with a slight burn. FL White pepper, rose, bitter lemon. FE Creamy, quite clean. FI Slight bitterness, hint of spice. BE Makes a great Negroni. BL The new packaging is more attractive, though I miss Queen Vic on the bottle. Good gift for out-of-towners. –Shaun Layton

XOXOLAT CHOCOLATE COCKTAIL FR Cocoa bean and dark chocolate. FL A boozy version of Hershey’s chocolate syrup. FE Very thick on the palate. FI Creamy, rich. BE Poured over ice cream. BL For those who like their spirits sweet and rich. –Wendy McGuinness 69

Other products include: Spirit Bear Gin, Spirit Bear Vodka, Spirit Bear Espresso Infused Vodka, a selection of fruit liqueurs.

Other products include: Oaken Gin, Left Coast Hemp Vodka, Craigdarroch Whisky, Twisted Bitters, Pinot Noir Eau de Vie.

Other products include: XFour Handcrafted Vodka, Percy’s Lemonade Cooler, Percy’s Old Fashioned Lemonade Infused Vodka.

Tasting Room yes

Tasting Room no

WAYWARD DISTILLATION HOUSE

YALETOWN DISTILLING COMPANY

2931 Moray Ave, Courtenay 250-871-0424 WaywardDistillationHouse.com @WaywardDistillation @WaywardDH

1450 Rupert Street, North Vancouver (opening soon) 778-996-7637 TheWoodsSpiritCo.com @WoodsSpiritCo

1132 Hamilton St., Vancouver 604-669-2266 YTDistilling.com Yaletown-Distilling-Company @YTDistilling

Harking bark to the earliest recorded alcohols, Comox-based Wayward starts all its products by first creating mead to form the base, and add a touch of sweetness on the nose.

Friends Joel Myers and Fabio Martini’s West Coast version of Amaro uses traditional botanicals such as rhubarb and bitter orange, as well as the more unconventional grand fir.

A successful brewery in the heart of the city, Yaletown moved into spirits in 2013, distilling gin and vodka from B.C. barley. Tours and tastings are available onsite.

UNRULY GIN

THE WOODS SPIRIT CO.

FR Juniper, and pine. Slight honey and sweet nose. FL Muted juniper, semi-sweet, white pepper on the palate. FE Thick, silky mouthfeel. FI Slightly bitter, with honeyed herbal finish. BE Delicious in a Last Word; mix with citrus. BL A sweeter, crowd-pleasing gin (not for London Dry fans). Use in cocktails. –Shaun Layton

PACIFIC NORTHWEST AMARO

YALETOWN MANDARIN VODKA

FR Woodsy with grand fir. FL Astringent, with an underlying spiciness. FE Clean and crisp, but with the sense of mouth-coating syrup. FI Spicy with a long lasting bitterness. BE I tried it in a Negroni and it works surprisingly well. Or serve chilled, neat. BL A great bitter liqueur made with the tradional amaro in mind. –Robyn Gray

FR Intense stewed mandarin. FL All about the orange essence; think opening a bag of Tang. FE Light on the palate. FI Long, mandarin orange. BE With soda. The mandarin is going to come through with anything you mix with this. BL An intense flavoured vodka. Tread lightly. –Wendy McGuinness

Other products include: Unruly Vodka, Depth Charge Espresso and Cacao Bean Liqueur, Bourbon Barreled Gin, Drunken Hive Rum.

No other products.

Other products include: Yaletown Gin, Yaletown Vodka.

Tasting Room yes

Tasting Room no

Tasting Room yes

The Canadian Professional Bartenders Association is a member-run non for profit society committed to establishing and upholding the highest standards in the proud trade of the career bartender. We consider continuous education, pride in service and principled responsibility to be the cornerstones of our profession, ideals we foster by building and maintaining community. The CPBA regularly organizes and executes educational seminars, competitions, product salons and meet-ups, and acts as a liaison between corporate brands and member businesses. Hospitality is our business, and we love it.

canadianbartenders.com @BCBartender

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ON THE TOWN

TWELVE OF B.C.’S TOP BARTENDERS TOOK ON THE DEIGHTON CUP COCKTAIL JOCKEY COMPETITION AT HASTINGS RACECOURSE IN JULY, USING BULLEIT BOURBON AS THE BASE FOR THEIR RACE DAY CREATIONS

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1 Jayce Kadyshuk won the Fastest Bartender award for Victoria’s Clive’s Classic Lounge. 2 L’Abbatoir’s Katie Ingram dressed the part and raced to an Honourable Mention with her Match Point. 3 Royal Dinette’s Kaitlyn Stewart took home the cup with her Bojack Horseman. 4 Justin Taylor (The Cascade Room) shook his Horse Play to the tune of the Lone Ranger to win an Honourable Mention. 5 The winning cocktail combined Bulleit Bourbon with a house-made Okanagan cherry shrub and Stewart’s own Milk Liqueur.

THE SECOND ANNUAL CANADIAN CELEBRATION OF ALL THINGS GIN, GINAPALOOZA, HIT BARS ACROSS VANCOUVER IN JUNE, WITH A PUBLIC VOTE ON THE BEST BESPOKE BEVERAGES SERVED

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4 1 Tearing up the city’s cocktail scene right now, Royal Dinette’s Kaitlyn Stewart took first place with Rock, which included lavender honey mead and Concord grape vinegar. 2 Tied for the runner-up spot was Justin Taylor’s Cascade Room entry, Bear Essentials. 3 The other runner-up was Yew Restaurant’s Firefighter, created by Phil Srigley. 4 Shaun Layton’s craft Juniper G&T came in third.

THE LAST WORD “I DRINK TO MAKE OTHER PEOPLE MORE INTERESTING.” A LEGENDARY DRINKER, ERNEST HEMINGWAY WAS SO PARTIAL TO A DAIQUIRI —– SERVED COLD, STRONG AND SOUR —– THAT CUBAN BARTENDER COSTANTINO RIBAL AIGUA OF HAVANA’S FAMED EL FLORIDITA CREATED THE PAPA DOBLE (ALSO KNOWN AS THE HEMINGWAY DAIQUIRI) JUST FOR HIM.

THE PAPA DOBLE or the Hemingway Daiquiri 3 oz white rum 1.5 oz fresh grapefruit juice 0.75 oz fresh lime juice 0.5 oz maraschino liqueur Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Or, for Hemingway’s preferred frozen version, combine with half a cup of ice in a blender. (For a lighter, sweeter daiquiri, use two ounces of rum and add a quarter ounce of simple syrup.)

Laura McGuire photo

Vancouverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Original Cocktail Tavern

957 Granville St

August 2016

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