The Alchemist • Issue 21 • Fall/Winter 2023 • BC Edition by Drink & Culture Magazines

B.C. EDITION

FALL/WINTER 2023

PUNCH & PALS

WHISKY WORLD

HOME BAR

NOW, BEHAVE!

Sharing cocktails, making friends

Flavours of fall: sweet, spicy, smoky

Barrel aging for better cocktails

Tasting room etiquette rules

ENVY thinks outside the gift box CELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON WITH AN AWARD–WINNING BOURBON

Contents 07 – BAR BITES News from the world of cocktails and spirits

12 – AT THE BAR Globetrotting flavours at The Watson by Allie Turner 20 – STILL LIFE Swirl? Sniff? Spit? Tasting room etiquette by Charlene Rooke

Chelsea Brown photo

24 – SHARING COCKTAILS Bigger is definitely better when it comes to these showstopper cocktails by Kate Dingwall 28 – SAVOURING MONTREAL Our guide to the city's dives and delights by Alexandra Gill 32 – BAIJIU GOES BIG The Chinese spirit is having a moment by Christine Sismondo

Photo courtesy of Dasha

39 – HOME BAR How to barrel-age cocktails (and why you should) by Matthew Benevoli 42 – TASTING PANEL Bartender picks for scotch cocktails Compiled by Reece Sims 46 – DISTILLERY LISTINGS Our guide to B.C. and Ontario distilleries 50 – L AST CALL Rooms we love: The Elephant Room by Doris Sun

36 – CL ASSICS: MANHATTAN The first modern cocktail and its urban siblings by Joanne Sasvari

RECIPES in this issue 25– Rule of 8 26– Tea Ceremony 27– Rosa's Punch 35– Shanghattan 36– Manhattan 37– Brooklyn 38– Toronto

41– Barrel-aged General Waverly 41– Barrel-aged Negroni 43– Penicillin 44– Meat Hook 45– Rob Roy Visits Toronto

Contributors Joanne Sasvari is the editor of The Alchemist and Vitis magazines. She is a WSET-certified writer-editor who covers food, drink and travel for a variety of publications, and is the author of several cookbooks, including the new Okanagan Eats.

Matthew Benevoli is an awardwinning mixologist, industry veteran and mentor. He has a passion for creating custom and unique cocktails and loves storytelling through them.

Reece Sims is a retired awardwinning bartender, avid destination distillery-goer and the owner of SIP Spirits, an agency that works with beverage brands. Follow her on Instagram @reecesims.

Kate Dingwall is a WSET-trained wine professional and a writer, editor and photographer covering spirits, food, culture and travel for publications such as Food & Wine and Serious Eats.

Christine Sismondo is a National Magazine Award-winning writer who covers spirits, wine, bars and cultural history for numerous publications, and is the author of America Walks into a Bar.

Alexandra Gill is the editor of Canada’s 50 Best Bars, a former restaurant reviewer for the Globe and Mail and the owner of Dine Like A Critic, which creates custom culinary experiences for corporate groups and event planners.

Doris Sun is a social media contributor for the World’s 50 Best Bars and World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Follow her on Instagram @cocktailfiles.

Charlene Rooke is a certified Specialist of Spirits and a Moonshine University-trained craft distiller who writes for enRoute, Taste and Food & Drink.

Allie Turner is a lifestyle journalist specializing in beauty and fashion, but a serious love for the people in Vancouver’s hospitality industry keeps her coming back to food and cocktail writing.

Editor's letter T

here’s a decided chill in the air and that can only mean one thing: It’s whisky season! True, we’re happy to sip whisky and whisky cocktails year-round, but fall especially cries out for their sweet, spicy, smoky notes. A whisky drink is a drink to savour, for taking your time, for enjoying with a good book or a better conversation. Its rich flavour is the foundation of many of our classic cocktails and the impetus for many new drinks. It’s also inspired many of the stories in this issue of The Alchemist, from our Classics column on the Manhattan and its urban siblings to our Tasting Panel featuring bartenders from B.C. and Ontario discussing their favourite Scotch whiskies and the cocktails they’d make with them. This issue also sees The Alchemist go national with coverage of Toronto’s exciting cocktail scene and introducing new contributors like Christine Sismondo, writing about baijiu’s big moment, and Kate Dingwall, who writes about sharing cocktails. Meanwhile, in his Home Bar feature, Matt Benevoli teaches us how to barrel-age cocktails at home. In Still Life, Charlene Rooke reveals the new etiquette rules around distillery tasting rooms. At the Bar welcomes us to our new favourite watering holes. And Alexandra Gill takes us on a tour of the best bars in Montreal, from divey holes-in-the-wall to fancy high-end hotspots. This issue, as has been tradition for the past three years, also kicks off Vancouver Cocktail Week presented by The Alchemist, scheduled for March 3 to 10, 2024. Tickets go on sale December 1, and trust me, you won’t want to miss the fun! Plus we cover all the latest spirited news from here and around the world, share a dozen great recipes and offer a guide to distilleries. For more, visit thealchemistmagazine.ca. —Joanne Sasvari, Editor

Getty Images photo

PUBLISHER: Gail Nugent gnugent@glaciermedia.ca EDITOR: Joanne Sasvari jsasvari@glaciermedia.ca DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGER: Tara Rafiq SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR: Valeria Remizova TheAlchemistMagazine.ca @TheAlchemistBC @TheAlchemistMag Published by: Glacier Media Group 303 West 5th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Y 1J6 778-240-4010 © The Alchemist 2023 This issue is complimentary.

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BAR BITES NEWS AND NOTES FROM BEHIND THE BAR AND AROUND THE WORLD OF COCKTAILS AND SPIRITS

VANCOUVER COCKTAIL WEEK IS BACK!

ro tip: Book March 3 to 10, 2024, off work right now. That’s when Vancouver Cocktail Week, presented by The Alchemist, returns to town, and you won’t want to miss one spirited minute of it. The city’s third annual celebration of cocktail culture will have even more national and international bar stars shaking things up in Vancouver with planned takeovers and mid-week pop-ups at the city’s most popular cocktail venues. But there will also be all the cocktail-paired dinners, seminars, master classes, tasting events, neighborhood crawls and spectacular parties that have become a highlight of the March calendar, supported by dozens of brand sponsors pouring their best products for you. Two signature events you won't want to miss: The traditional Punch Brunch that kicks things off on March 3 and the week's main event, the Green Garden closing gala, on March 9. A selection of global brand ambassadors will be on hand for this, with top bartenders creating a bower of botanicals in each glass. Plus there will be hot tunes, fine food and so much more. And everyone should take part in the unticketed Cinq à Sept series of elevated happy hours in bars across the city, many of them featuring guest shifts by out-of-town bartenders.

Cea Ejack/Living Room Creative photo

Finally, no celebration of community can go without supporting those who make it possible, especially when they need it most, so Vancouver Cocktail Week is proud to announce that a portion of ticket sales will once again go to our charity partner, the BC Hospitality Foundation, and its scholarship program. Tickets for Vancouver Cocktail Week go on sale December 1. For tickets or to browse the Vancouver Cocktail Week 2024 program guide, visit thealchemistmagazine.ca/vcw. For more info, contact Gail Nugent, The Alchemist publisher and VCW event producer, at: gnugent@glaciermedia.ca or 778-240-4010.

A BOOK TO REKINDLE YOUR LOVE OF COCKTAILS

f you are going to pick up one cocktail book this fall—or if you are looking for one to gift your cocktail-loving friend— make it For the Love of Cocktails by Evelyn Chick (Figure 1 Publishing). Chick is the ultimate cocktail pro, and one well-known to cocktailians in Vancouver, where she started her bartending career, and Toronto, where she is continuing it as the multi-hyphenate bar and beverage consultant, owner of Ahma and Love of Cocktails, and now author. Her first book is filled neither with triedand-true classics nor with super-complicated, bazillion-ingredient whizz-bang concoctions. Rather, it is packed with helpful advice and fresh, exciting new drinks you can’t wait to serve your friends, like the large-format Group G&T, zero-proof Zero Hero made with verjus and her sweetly spiced take on an Espresso Martini, the Afternoon Martini. Most of all, it will inspire you to shake up your own bartending game.

“Such beautiful and inspiration moments in my life, the ones I continually come back to, all have one commonality—they were about the simple joy of sharing flavours in approachable ways,” Chick writes in her introduction. “It’s not about the complexity of the construction of the cocktail …. It is about joyful pursuit, being unafraid to make mistakes, and the willingness to try something new.”

TIDBITS MOST WANTED: DECANTERS

It’s that time of year when we’re both hosting events and shopping for gifts, and there is one easy solution for both: decanters. An elegant decanter makes a lovely gift under the tree or even for a party host. It’s also a good vessel for your house whisky or brandy. But it’s best put to use for serving large-format cocktails—a decanter filled with pre-mixed Negronis or punch not only looks beautiful, but is easy to pour. Find some great options at: williams-sonoma.ca.

PYROTECHNIC PUNCH

Every year around this time we watch It’s a Wonderful Life, and every year we are intrigued by Clarence the angel’s request for a “flaming rum punch,” which earns him the scorn of Nick, the tough-guy barman—and unfairly so, in our opinion. What he’s thinking of is likely a feuerzangenbowle, the traditional burnt sugar or “fire tongs” punch served at Christmas markets across Germany. It’s a mulled wine served with a sugar loaf soaked in rum and lit on fire, which gives it a caramelized flavour. Sounds like just the sort of thing that really would make it a wonderful life.

CMY

MICHELIN HONOUR FOR SUYO’S MAX CURZON-PRICE

ax Curzon-Price is a bartender who is willing to go there, whether that means dressing in bonnet and matronly frock to represent an old Dutch portrait for a cocktail competition or serving a drink made with fresh blood. Now his fearless approach to cocktailing has earned him the prestigious Michelin’s Exceptional Cocktails Award, in the second year the Guide has covered Vancouver. As the bar manager at Suyo Modern Peruvian, he and co-creator Andrew Kong craft a list that is all about storytelling, at times told through flakes of gold, vessels of stone or iron, and flavours of the Pacific tides, desert, mountains or, like the cocktail pictured on this page, the rainforest. “It is an honour to share the stories of Peruvian culture, Incan history, and to celebrate the cuisine of Peru,” says CurzonPrice. “Our cocktail program is dedicated to storytelling and for that to be recognized by Michelin further fuels our inspiration for all our future endeavours.”

Amy Ho photo

CANOPY

Here’s what Curzon-Price and Kong have to say about their refreshing drink: “Canopy is a cocktail resonant of being above the spanning, cacophonous canopy of the Amazon. As tropical rainstor ms roll across a sea of g reen leaves and blot out the blue skies, they bring rains washing away yesterday and soaking ne w life taking root in the underg rowth.” Find the recipe at thealchemistmagazine.ca

FROM THE JUNGLE ROOM TO THE RAINFOREST

t’s always great to see a familiar face in an unfamiliar space, and so it was when we heard that Emily Vey was leading the bar program at the new(ish) Jungle Room in Vancouver’s West End. You probably remember her from the much-missed Diamond, as well as her thrilling run at the World Class Canada 2023 finals. At Jungle Room the cuisine is elevated Japanese and Indonesian street food, but Vey’s cocktails are a tempting mix of well-crafted classics (including a handful made with ultra-premium spirits and appropriately labelled “liquid gold”) and house signatures that lean gently toward the tropical. Think: Jungle Boogie (rum, Campari, pineapple sorbet, lime and cava) or the Clouds in the Forest (reposado tequila, Ancho Reyes liqueur, cacao, espresso and salt). Even better, from now through the end of the year, Vey’s team is running a special menu featuring drinks made with Patrón Reposado tequila—Tiger Breath,

NEW LOOK FOR LEGACY BRAND For 165 years, J.P. Wiser’s has been synonymous with Canadian whisky. But who says an old brand can’t learn new tricks? It’s just launched a bold new look across its entire portfolio, one that captures its heritage while looking ahead to the future. For the refresh, international design agency JDO created an updated logo that combines modern typography, a colour palette that pays homage to the brand’s industrial origins

Photo courtesy of Jungle Room

Bikini Bottom and El Gustavo—where partial proceeds will go to Pacific Wild, an initiative dedicated to preserving B.C.’s Great Bear Rainforest. jungleroom.ca

and two new brand symbols: a big W and a horse rearing over a barrel, a tribute to founder J.P. Wiser’s quote: “Horses should hurry, but whisky must take its time.” As Caroline Begley, vice-president of marketing for Corby Spirit and Wine, says: “That's what we call wisely done.”

AT THE BAR

A world of flavours AT THE WATSON, IT’S ALL ABOUT A L AIDBACK VIBE AND WELL-TRAVELLED COCKTAILS by Allie Turner

he late afternoon light filters through the window, casting a lazy haze over Main Street’s newest bar, The Watson. The crew preps for opening, whirring around the dark wood and green leather interior accented with marble and gold fixtures. The space feels simultaneously Parisian yet West Coast, Art Deco yet contemporary. Bar manager and partner Jordan Coelho says he wanted it to feel like a library and gestures to the apothecary shelf behind the bar that he hopes to deck out with homemade bitters. Their house-blend amaro already sits in pride of place, aging in Woodford Reserve barrels. As opening approaches, shakers are already ringing out in the capable hands of bartender Thomas Dodds (previously of The Diamond).

Some members of the tight-knit team have a bond going back eight years, says Coelho, who cut his teeth in the Vancouver bar scene at Bartholomew in Yaletown, The Watson’s sister bar, which has a darker, more intimate New York City vibe than this laid-back Main Street newcomer. (The Watson is named for both little-known Watson Street, which runs behind Main Street, and Sherlock Holmes’s sidekick.)

The Armed Robbery is a subtly butter-washed cocktail that is as cozy as it is complex; find the recipe online at thealchemistmagazine.ca. Chelsea Brown photo

After only two months, The Watson has generated plenty of buzz in its new neighbourhood. The first two hours after opening are happy hour, with a dedicated menu that, in a rare

turn of events, is completely separate from the regular cocktail menus—no overlap. Coelho explains that the five happy-hour cocktails use recycled syrups and ingredients from the rest of the menu. While these drinks add interest for returning guests, they also make prep and set-up a lot easier—and more sustainable. Coelho calls it “the green way.” “If we are connected to the world we’re living in, it’s a go to,” he says. “Using everything from A to Z should have been the way since Day One.” The cocktail menu is split in half: “House Conceptions” on one page, a reimagining of classic cocktails; and on another, “Boozy and Well-Travelled.” Unlike the happy hour menu, which lists the original cocktail inspiration plainly for all to see (Margarita, Vesper, sour, mule), here Coelho and the team have taken the building blocks of classic cocktails and swapped out the flavours in each component to create something inspired. For instance, the Trade Route is a twist on a Daiquiri, but made even more sweetly exotic with turmeric-infused Flor de Caña rum, Giffard Banane du Brésil, vanilla and lime. Meanwhile, the Armed Robbery, which tastes like warm, cozy comfort on a cold day, is made with a subtly butter-washed Johnnie Walker Black Label, shortbread, honey and spiced walnut bitters. It takes a long time to prepare, but “you need to be patient in life to get good things,” as Coelho points out. The plan is to rotate the menu seasonally, with each drink getting a shelf life of five months maximum, but Coelho will keep the “welltravelled” theme. After all, the fast-talking bartender grew up in a suburb of Paris but

The Watson's bar manager, Jordan Coelho, experiments with flavours he's discovered around the world. Chelsea Brown photo

lived in Australia and Asia before settling in Canada, and bursts with ideas for new flavour pairings inspired by his time abroad. He shares how he fell in love with cilantro and jalapeño while working in Thailand so he found ways to combine the flavours with tequila and mezcal. While working at a Peruvian-Argentinian fusion restaurant in Toronto, he was drawn to smokiness, charcoal, spices and citrus, which he turned into a Melon Martini burned with charcoal and made with in-house vodka. “You get marked by certain flavours,” he says. “If I don’t see it as a drink, I see it as a dish.” Coelho believes he has grown a lot from each of his experiences and considers opening The Watson to be the “ultimate achievement.” He, Dodds and the rest of the team have very high hopes for the future of The Watson and since the opening menu is unlikely to be in place come January, many patrons also eagerly await what comes next.

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Bartender Jacob Martin shakes things up at the World Class Global Final in Brazil. Photos courtesy of World Class Canada

Canada wins again A CANADIAN WINS WORLD CL ASS FOR AN UNPRECEDENTED THIRD TIME. SO WHAT’S NEXT FOR OUR TALENTED BARTENDERS?

O 18

n September 29, amid confetti and cheers, Toronto’s Jacob Martin became the World Class Global Bartender 2023, the third time a bartender from Canada—or any country—has won the world’s biggest, most prestigious cocktail competition. It’s an extraordinary accomplishment, and a fitting finale to Canada’s 10th year of competing in the event.

“Canada now has three global titles—2017, 2021 and 2023. No other country can say that,” says Michael Armistead, who oversees the World Class Canada program as National Onpremise, Reserve and Sponsorship Manager. “The nearest are Australia and Japan, which both have two.” He adds: “We are incredibly proud of what Jacob has achieved. We’re excited

to see where it takes his career over the next couple of years.” Not surprisingly, Armistead has been approached many times by others wanting to know what Canada’s secret is. “What’s the magic formula? It’s the strength of the Canadian bartending community and the supporting team, the World Class Canada team of previous winners,” he says. Supporting Martin at the global final in São Paulo, Brazil, were previous national winners Massimo Zitti, Shane Mulvany and Jeff Savage, who placed second globally in 2019. The Canadian contingent also included Canada’s global winners Kaitlyn Stewart (2017) and James Grant (2021), who were there as judges, as well as a videographer. “We went with two goals in mind,” Armistead says. “The first, obviously, was doing well in the competition. The next was to network as much as possible for a future global final to be held in Canada.” Meanwhile, since their return from São Paulo, the World Class Canada team has hit the ground running with appearances at Victoria’s Art of the Cocktail, the Vancouver Cocktail Week preview on November 28 and the relaunch of the World Class Studios Tour, a series of indepth seminars and pop-ups in 11 cities across the country, showcasing Diageo's reserve brands, such as Johnnie Walker whisky and Don Julio tequila. They are also accepting entries for World Class Canada 2024. The website (diageoworldclasscanada.com) is open for submissions until November 21, then Regional Finals will be held in January

As Jacob Martin is named World Class Global Bartender of 2023, previous winners rush the stage to celebrate—including two fellow Canadians, Kaitlyn Stewart and James Grant.

in Victoria and Toronto, with 15 finalists chosen from the East and 15 from the West. The 2024 National Final will be held in Halifax March 24 to 28, but coming as it does just days after the Juno Awards in that city, Armistead says: “We will be running the World Class Cocktail Festival in Halifax for two weeks and will have some exciting guests attending.” Next year’s global final will be in Shanghai, China, and after that who knows? It might one day even be in our own back yard. After all, Armistead says, “After all, Canada deserves to see a global final right here at home.”

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STILL LIFE

The new rules of tasting rooms A TOP 10 LIST ON HOW TO BE A GREAT GUEST ON A DISTILLERY TOUR OR TASTING-ROOM VISIT by Charlene Rooke

It pays to remember that a distillery isn’t a bar, it’s a working space with a bar, like this one at Wolfhead Distillery in Ontario. Photo courtesy of Wolfhead Distillery

istillery tasting rooms are hotspots in any city’s drinking scene. Author Janet Gyenes naturally included some in Vancouver Cocktails (new in October from Cider Mill Press; a Toronto edition is forthcoming). Distillery bars are a different breed: “You’re basically in someone’s workshop … Respect the skill and craft that goes into distilling,” Gyenes says. “Let’s face it: most people don’t know if you’re supposed to swirl spirits like you would with wine, if you should sniff or spit or do something else altogether.” Read her book for some of my tips (hint: no to swirling, but yes to adding some water to your spirit), but here are some tasting-room rules that come from distillers themselves. Good customers show common courtesy by arriving for tours on time, dropping nice

The new book Vancouver Cocktails by Janet Gyenes rounds up the best tasting rooms in the city.

online reviews and social media tags/follows, and buying something (especially if tastings are free). Along with an enthusiastic “do” list (“Do bring your dogs along for us to pet!” says Jenna Diubaldo, co-owner/distiller at Sons of Vancouver in North Vancouver; “Do book a tour with your family and relatives,” says Danielle Moldovan, marketing and events director at Wolfhead Distillery in Amherstberg, Ontario), distillers offered these constructive don’ts. Don’t be tipsy. Eat something and drink water before your tasting tour. Your palate will be sharper, and so will you. Samples might come in tiny glasses, but they’re not shooters. You don’t have to finish them, either. Don’t arrive outside tasting-room hours. “We’re busy making the alcohol!” says one distiller.

Adjust your expectations to the type of establishment you're vsiting, advises Scott Thompson of Vancouver's MadLab Distilling. Photo courtesy of MadLab Dstilling

At Vancouver’s MadLab Distilling, owner/ distiller Scott Thompson offers tours and tastings by appointment. “I am happy to show people around, but know the type of establishment you’re going to, and adjust your expectations.”

At North Vancouver's tiny Sons of Vancouver, dogs are welcome. Bad behaviour, not so much. Photo courtesy of Sons of Vancouver

Don’t step outside the lines. A distillery is a manufacturing plant: “Watch your step and surroundings,” says James Greig of Nickel 9 Distillery in Toronto. Miriam Karp, general manager of Odd Society Spirits in Vancouver, counsels: “We get a lot of stag/hen parties and high heels are not recommended.” Don’t forget to mention allergies or sensitivities. For instance, grapefruit can interfere with some medications. “We had a guest who did not reveal this info and fainted after sampling our grapefruit vodka,” says Wolfhead’s Moldovan.

Don’t overshadow the distillery team. “During specific parts of the tour, when the guide is explaining and demonstrating what to do, it’s best to stay attentive and quiet,” says Nickel 9’s Greig. Polite, curious queries are encouraged, but his colleague and the distillery’s director, Chris Jack, warns against humblebrags: “Don’t sneakily ask questions that you want to answer … or answer questions your fellow guests ask. Trust that we know more than you.” Don’t be a critic. “‘I don’t like your label’ will get you instantly and permanently disliked,” half-jokes one distiller. If something is not to your taste, cultivate an open mind.

Don’t boast that you know the distillery owner. “If you have to say it then it’s probably not true,” quips one distillery owner. Don’t ask for free stuff or discounts. Those samples, bottles and swag represent the blood, sweat and tears of entrepreneurs. Good, handmade juice should cost.

DON’T CALL OUT A RAT!

A distillery-tour cautionary tale Gordon Glanz, co-founder/distiller at Odd Society Spirits, recalls, “I was giving a tour to a large group. We were at the back of the distillery talking about mashing when suddenly someone screamed: ‘Rat!’ Sure enough, above our heads, was a giant rat running along the ceiling pipes. It disappeared up into a hole in the ceiling. Needless to say, I was at a bit of a loss. I pointed to the Port of Vancouver as our backyard …. I also mentioned that we had a contract with a pest-control company! Things settled down and we continued the tour. We haven't seen any rats for probably five years? (We do catch the occasional mouse: I think we need a distillery cat!) I didn't get any bad reviews as a result of the rat.”

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The flowing bowl WHEN IT COMES TO COCKTAILS, BIGGER IS BET TER AND WAY MORE SOCIAL by Kate Dingwall

Photo courtesy of Dasha

y early memories of punch are from college parties—party drinks cobbled together from curious arrays of cheap spirits mixed with saccharine juices and sodas and ladled from whatever vessel was large enough to quench the crowd. A mixing bowl in the best of times, a plastic trash can in the worst. Nevertheless, we’d gather around, clink glasses and share stories over the ever-flowing bowl. Convivial cocktails like these are appearing across Canada. Served in punch bowls, pitchers, teapots or trays, these drinks are far more craft-inclined than my college days— they’re great and grand, beckoning drinkers to bring friends and sit shoulder to shoulder. “Just like sharing a bottle of wine, sharing cocktails are all about unifying a group’s experience,” says Aleksandr Russell, bar manager at Toronto’s MIMI Chinese. “Food and drink bring a sense of community when shared.”

FOOD AND DRINK BRING A SENSE OF COMMUNIT Y WHEN SHARED. “Group cocktails provide conversation topics for guests,” says Joshua Cartwright, bar manager at MARKED Restaurant in Toronto. “And it’s a way for us to express big ideas in a way that’s more visually striking than a single glass.” Cartwright’s Costa Colada is a milk punch poured through a nitrogen-infused tap and presented tableside in a decanter. Trapped in Time is an herb, citrus and tea infusion, served in an oversized tea tower to allow the flavours to integrate in front of the guest. “Each sip will be slightly different than the sip that came before,” says Cartwright. “The last sip will be drastically different than the first.” Bitter Melon in Toronto makes a rum-andsake drink for two from lavender peach

RULE OF 8 By Polina Snitkova of Dasha, Toronto. 12 oz Bacardi Ocho 4 oz Rémy Signature Brandy 2 oz Luxardo Amaretto 4 oz fresh lime juice 8 oz pineapple juice 6 oz mandarin syrup (see recipe) 12 oz grapefruit soda Garnish: edible flowers, dehydrated pineapple, fresh fruit slices or whatever captivates your imagination Add all ingredients except soda to a punch bowl and stir well. Top with grapefruit soda and add ice until 60 per cent full. Stir well and add garnish. (Snitkova recommends edible flowers and dehydrated pineapple.) Add ladle for serving. Serves 8 to 16.

MANDARIN SYRUP: Zest 30 mandarin oranges and set rinds aside. Use a juicer to juice all 30 of the zested mandarins. You should have approximately 3 cups (750 mL) of juice; if you don’t have enough, add some orange juice. Combine juice and rinds with 2 cups (500 mL) water and 1,125 grams of sugar (5 2/3 cups) in a large pot. Bring to a boil, let simmer for 10 minutes and allow to cool. Once cooled, add 20 grams of citric acid to help with acidity and preserving. Note: This recipe yields over 2L of syrup; halve or quarter as needed.

SIPPING THE SAME COCKTAIL INCREASES CONNECTION—PEOPLE GATHER AROUND THE PUNCH BOWL, USE IT AS A CONVERSATION ICE BREAKER. tea, tonka bean and port. Bar St. Lo pours Martinis out of a carafe. The Raven Room in Whistler has clever punch bowls, including the blue-hued You're the One: a rumbased beverage spiked with curaçao (blue, naturally), coconut and pineapple.

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TEA CEREMONY Cocktail by Aleksandr Russell of Toronto’s MIMI Chinese.

5 oz Grey Goose vodka 1.75 oz Lillet Blanc 0.75 oz Strega 2 oz lemon juice 1.5 oz honey syrup (equal parts honey and warm water) 2 oz black wolfberry tea 2 oz cold-brewed jasmine tea 3 oz coconut milk Combine all ingredients in a bowl or pitcher and allow to rest for a minimum of two hours. Strain through damp cheesecloth triple layered or other ultrafine strainer, pass through multiple times if not clear on first attempt. Serve over ice. Serves 6.

At MIMI Chinese, Russell and team suggest guests start their meal with the Tea Ceremony, a vibrant pink vodka drink served out of a sleek black teapot. “We use black wolfberry to impart colour, jasmine tea for a floral element, and Strega and Lillet Blanc for an herbal finish. We clarify it with coconut milk and serve it on hand-carved ice to let that clarity shine through.” At Dasha, head bartender Polina Snitkova has a full menu of big drinks: the Crouching Panda with gin, Asian pear, calpico and soda; Hacienda Dreams with sake, tequila, yellow chartreuse, and hibiscus; and a boozed-up take on a Melona popsicle, all served in punch bowls. Large-format drinks aren’t a new concept. The earliest iterations date back to the 1600s, when seafaring merchants would sip large batches of punch made with funky spirits (like arak and Jamaican rum), teas collected at port and citrus to ward off scurvy. What brought big cocktails back? Perhaps the pandemic—sharing a drink after isolation is the liquid version of a hug. “Punches or large format cocktails are the drink equivalent of breaking bread,” says Goodfellow. “Sipping the same cocktail increases connection—

ROSA'S PUNCH Recipe by Robin Goodfellow, partner at Vela. “It’s inspired by Rosa, the chef and owner of 7 Numbers, the best under rated Italian restaurant in Toronto,” he says. 1.25 cups sugar, plus additional if needed 2 cups water 3 cups (750 mL bottle) Malfy Rosa 3 cups (750 mL bottle) Cocchi Rosa

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2 cups lemon juice 3 cups fresh grapefruit juice 2 star anise 2 sticks cinnamon One lemon, cut into wheels Garnish: rose petals and your favourite sparkling rosé

Mix sugar and water together until dissolved. Add all ingredients (except garnish) into a large vessel and let sit overnight in the fridge. Taste and add sugar if needed. Serve over ice in a stemmed glass; top with sparkling rosé and garnish with rose petals. Serves a crowd.

people gather around the punch bowl, use it as a conversation ice breaker.” “We were making huge volumes of sharing cocktails in 2022,” says Russell. “I think people were excited to be able to do things together and share experiences outside of a Zoom call.” Large-format and batched drinks are also a blessing for both bartenders and home hosts. “Sharing cocktails are much easier to execute,” says Goodfellow. “Plus, the ability to prep in advance frees up the host to focus their time on mingling and entertaining rather than mixing drinks.” If you are making your own punch, Russell suggests starting easy: “Vodka or white rum are solid foundations for flavour. Build off that with crowd-pleasing ingredients: teas or tisanes, berries, citrus, vanilla, etc., then expand on them with herbal liqueurs and aromatized wines. But add wisely—like a cocktail for one, too many ingredients will muddy the flavour.”

Snitkova recommends focusing on quality. “Our syrups and cordials are made from scratch in-house,” she says. “When it comes to spirits, we don’t shy away from using premium spirits like Grey Goose Pear, Bacardi Ocho or Briottet liqueur.” And, don’t skimp on the garnish. “We love to garnish them beautifully so they are Instagram ready—this isn’t your schooldance punch bowl!” If you’re pouring easy drinks like Old Fashioneds or Negronis, Goodfellow will amp up the presentation to elevate the drink. “Celery ribbons, cucumber nests, banana dolphins or pineapple carpaccio— these are easy to make and can be prepared earlier on the day of the event to stay fresh,” says Goodfellow. “They’re playful additions guests can just plop in their glass.” “The wow factor is important,” Cartwright notes. “You aren't just ordering a pitcher of beer for you and your friends. You’re sharing an experience and the presentation should reinforce that.”

Savouring Montreal HIGH, LOW OR DEEPLY DIVE-Y, THE COCKTAIL SCENE IS TRÈS MAGNIFIQUE by Alexandra Gill

Bar Dominion taps into its 1920s heritage for classic cocktails transformed for a modern palate. Photo courtesy of Bar Dominion

he Montreal bar scene has always been one of Canada’s best. But it was hit harder than most by the toughest COVID restrictions in the country. The city is rebounding with a number of great new cocktail spots that take us back to the future.

BAR DOMINION

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The beloved Dominion tavern—with roots going back to the Roaring Twenties—rises again. This time with classic cocktails by Andrew Whibley (Cloakroom) and a full raw bar from Pablo Rojas (Provisions Boucherie & Bar à Vin). The building’s stately bones, including original wood-beamed ceiling and tiled floor, remain intact. But the tables have been elevated to bar height for extra conviviality. Treat yourself to a dirty Martini with a touch of sage and olive leaf, a Tuxedo No. 2 infused with black tea or a Ramos slushie. The drinks have all been slightly tweaked for the better and pre-batched to perfection. Close to the Bell Centre, this is the downtown boîte to hit before a Habs game—or any occasion that calls for stylish imbibing.

BAR BISOU BISOU

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Like a kiss of Mediterranean sunshine off the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal, the whitewashed, azulejo-tiled Bisou Bisou specializes in apéritif, low-ABV and spiritfree cocktails. The semi-basement snug is lighter, brighter and more spacious than its renowned siblings across the way: The Coldroom and the nine-seat El Pequeño Bar. Kevin Demers has teamed up with NYC’s Gregory Buda (former director of education and training for The Dead Rabbit) for a complex menu that will appeal to adventurous drinkers. Sherry lovers

At Bar Bisou Bisou, it's all about refreshingly complex low-ABV cocktails. Greg Buda photo

will be in seventh heaven with savoury sippers like the manzanilla-and-anise-laced Stoneflower. For a vegetal punch, go for the Campobasso Highball with Cynar, red bell pepper and green olive.

BON DÉLIRE

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Montreal has a special place in its heart for dive bars. And this Saint-Henri hole-in-thewall, made to look like a pawn shop from the front window, has curated the cheapshots-and-bottled-beer experience through a fun, goofy, neon-lit, ’90s lens. Think free popcorn, bubble guns, a leopard-print pool table and Shania Twain on the jukebox. The concept comes from the Barocco Group (Atwater Cocktail Club, Milky Way) so the cocktails are better than average. But they’re

shaken with a dash of camp—the Raspberry Sour Puss Margarita, for instance, or the Miami Vice (with Malibu) slushie. Mix it up with a high-low boilermaker: Labatt 50 in a brown paper bag chased by a $20 shot of Johnnie Walker Blue Label.

DOUBLE’S L ATE NIGHT

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If Bon Délire is a pop-crossover dive bar, Double’s Late Night in the artsy Mile End is its grunge cousin—replete with a Dave Grohl sighting this summer. The graffitistrewn storefront, scuffed red-vinyl floor and padded elbow rests on the bar channel a dark-’90s vibe, when the city really was down in the dumps. Iron Chef Danny Smiles, slumming it on a side hustle from his main gig at the Auberge Willow Inn, has created a double-patty, brioche-bun burger that already ranks as one of the city’s faves. Order it with a Budweiser by the bottle. Beyond a small selection of import wines, a classic Martini is as fancy as it gets.

YAMA

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At Antonio Park’s modern-Japanese YAMA restaurant in the newly renovated Vogue Hotel, Justin Daigle has created extraordinary cocktails inspired by the room’s sumptuous textures. Clay is a fresh take on the Margarita, mixed with house-made orgeat, activated charcoal, cricket bitters and a dehydrated almond powder, giving it a sandy mouthfeel that pays homage to Venetian plaster walls and Turkish travertine floors. The lavish Leather combines Japanese umami bitters and a gochujang sweet-and-sour syrup in a Rémy Martin VSOP and red vermouth split base, which is flamed and thrown over a piece of

Drinks like the Miami Vice Slushie are served with a dash of retro ’90s camp at Bon Délire. Photo courtesy of Bon Délire

A5 Wagyu. The drink is filtered and chilled tableside for an à la minute fat wash. And, yes, you get to eat the meat, too, which is served with a side of red wine.

BADIN

Although it hadn’t yet opened at press time, this Lebanese-inspired speakeasy underneath HENI Restaurant will be one worth seeking out. Émile Archambault, whose gastronomic cocktails at Le Petit Mousso won the 2019 Lauriers Award for Mixologist/Bartender of the Year (and a rave review from then-Montreal Gazette critic Lesley Chesterman), will be behind the bar. We tried his drinks last spring at the short-lived Bar Emil (now Jules Bar à Vin) and they were phenomenal. Look for Dizzy Lips (an elevated amaretto sour with a Sichuan-peppercorn buzz) among his new creations, which will incorporate rose, honey and za’atar. Archambault promises a chill vibe and a superb, vinyl-spinning sound system.

NATURE IS THE BEST INGREDIENT.

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@giffardcanada www.giffardcanada.com

Baijiu’s moment OR IS IT? THIS SOARINGLY POPUL AR CHINESE SPIRIT IS AS LOATHED AS IT IS LOVED by Christine Sismondo

Baijiu, a Chinese spirit made from sorghum, is tapped to be the next big thing. Some say it already is. Getty Images photo

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here are a few spirits that are often called the “next big thing,” but, for whatever reason, never seem to quite make it to the major league. Rakia, aquavit and even rum are all often pegged as promising new future “it” spirits. After you hear their names thrown around for a decade or so, though, it starts to make sense to take the trend forecasters with a grain of salt.

These days, an oft-cited “one to watch” is baijiu, a spirit from China with a lot of different personalities that a few prominent bars are going all in on. The most notable are Laowai in Vancouver and Toronto’s Hong Shing, both of which have built a cocktail program around baijiu. In addition, several bars and restaurants in Toronto feature baijiu in cocktails or straight up, including Chinatown’s Big Trouble and the

THE TREND IS BLOSSOMING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT CHINESE RESTAURANTS IN TORONTO THAT ARE EXPLORING THE DRINKS THAT TRADITIONALLY WENT WITH THESE FL AVOURS. Michael Ranger, bar manager at Toronto's Hong Shing, is excited for the creative opportunities presented by baijiu's myriad and funky personalities. Photo courtesy of Hong Shing

same standard spirits you would find on any back bar. After the lockdown, when several different new Chinese baijius found their way to the Canadian market, the team at Hong Shing decided it was time to explore the spirit—a natural fit with the food and identity of the restaurant.

acclaimed restaurants MIMI Chinese and Sunnys Chinese. Montreal’s Poincaré Chinatown also sells a Baijiu Caipirinha and there’s an entire venue in Edmonton named Baijiu—although it’s worth noting that they only currently have one cocktail with this divisive spirit on the menu, the Baijiu Sour. “I think the trend is blossoming right now, because there are so many great Chinese restaurants in Toronto that are exploring the drinks that traditionally went with these flavours,” says Michael Ranger, bar manager at Hong Shing. Ranger explains that this 26-year-old Chinatown institution started working on ramping up its cocktail program prepandemic. Back then, they were using the

“A lot of people haven’t really played with or indulged in baijiu, so it’s kind of like a new chapter in a lot of peoples’ books,” Ranger says.

FROM PRETTY TO PRETTY FUNKY

Then again, for many, it’s not a new chapter at all. As Ranger points out, baijiu is the most consumed liquor in the world. Precise numbers are hard to come by because the production is so varied and vast, but some estimates put it at seven billion litres per year. Strangely, though, in China, the market for the country’s national spirit has been waning for nearly a decade. This traditional spirit is failing to capture the interest of the younger generation within China, which, of course, is a big reason there’s been a push from baijiu producers to sell it to the West as a cocktail-friendly spirit.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVEN’T REALLY PL AYED WITH OR INDULGED IN BAIJIU, SO IT’S KIND OF LIKE A NEW CHAPTER IN A LOT OF PEOPLES’ BOOKS.

fairly hefty number of baijiu expressions. The whole gamut was being poured, from light, floral and herbal baijius to expressions with wild fruit and even potent, punchy spirits with aggressively funky profiles and notes that can only be described as “intense compost.” That range can be hard to reconcile with our standard ideas about what spirits should taste like—and a challenge to plan a cocktail menu around.

There are countless variations of baijiu; a few that are available on this side of the Pacific include, from left: Niu Lan Shan 50 Year Er Guo Tou, Shui Jong Fang and QingHua YunJiu. Photo courtesy of Hong Shing

It’s an ambitious project, since there are more regional variations than anyone can keep track of and not every expression is what you’d call “easy mixing.” A spirit made from sorghum through a dryferment process (dry fermentation, in itself, is a challenging concept for westerners to grasp), baijiu comes in several major styles (or “aromas”) and the range in flavour profiles is profound. 34

I can speak to this from experience. Eight years ago, I spent some time in China, a week of which was spent judging spirits—both the usual gins, rums and whiskies you would expect at an international competition, as well as a

Both Vancouver’s Laowai and Hong Shing have done an amazing job trying to find solutions to this problem. But it took months of prep and research and, in both cases, their cocktail menus resemble books more than drink lists. “With a strong aroma, for example, we know that the flavour is fermented pineapple, with a little bit of banana, star anise and Szechwan peppercorn warmth,” Ranger says. “So, for that, we decided to use it in our Piña Co Baijiu, which everybody likes because it’s really smooth and easy.” Each style of baijiu really needs a completely different solution. Hats off to the bars that are tackling the problem creatively and methodically. Still, I’m not sold on it being the “next big thing.” A high-maintenance spirit like this seems almost destined to be niche. But trend forecasters are wrong as often as they’re right, so we’re not making any hard and fast predictions on this one.

Photo courtesy of Hong Shing

SHANGHATTAN COCKTAIL Created by Michael Ranger, senior bartender at Hong Shing Restaurant. 1oz Luzhou Laojiao Baijiu 1oz D.O.M. Bénédictine 1.5 oz Seedlip Grove 42 3 to 4 dashes Angostura bitters Garnish: orange peel

Pour all ingredients (except garnish) into a mixing glass and add ice. Stir well and pour over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Twist the orange peel over the drink to release its oils, then pop into the glass as garnish. Serves 1.

CLASSICS

First we take Manhattan AND THEN WE TRY THESE OTHER CIT Y COCKTAILS by Joanne Sasvari

MANHATTAN 2 oz rye whisky (or, if you must, bourbon) 1 oz sweet vermouth 2 dashes Angostura bitters Garnish: brandied cherry or lemon twist

Pour rye whisky, sweet vermouth and bitters into a mixing glass with ice. Stir until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora or coupe glass. Garnish with a brandied cherry or, if you prefer, a lemon twist. Serves 1. Getty Images photo

ike its namesake city, the Manhattan is elegant but uncompromising and invulnerable to fashion’s changing whims. Oh, sure, it can bend a little—rocks or up, bourbon or rye, occasionally willing to entertain a variation like the scotch-inflected Rob Roy—but it will always be what it is: a drink of whisky, vermouth and bitters. It’s been that way since the 1880s, when it was invented. Or maybe it was the 1870s or 1860s. In any case, writing in Difford’s Guide, Simon Difford notes that “the Manhattan is regarded as the first ‘modern cocktail.’” Or as the late bartending legend Gary “Gaz” Regan once said, “It was the drink that changed the face of cocktails.”

along with angostura bitters. Today the proportions are typically 2:1 whisky to vermouth. Bourbon occasionally muscles its way in instead of rye. It’s that balance of rich whisky with sweet, herbal vermouth and the spice of bitters to tie it all together that makes it such an enduring classic. The Manhattan is also a leader in another way—in drinks named for cities, of which there are surprisingly few. Here are some of the best known.

Where the drink veered from the traditional “bittered sling” formula of spirit, sugar and bitters was with the use of aromatized and fortified wine, in other words: vermouth. Every vermouth-based cocktail since, from the Martini to the ubiquitous Negroni, can trace its lineage to the Manhattan. Who came up with this clever idea is lost to the mists of time. Some sources say it was created in the early 1880s for a party thrown by Lady Randolph Churchill in New York’s Manhattan Club. Others insist it was invented by a man named Black at a joint south of Houston Street. No one knows for sure, but its first mention in print was in a September 1882 article published by the Olean, New York, Sunday Morning Herald, so it must have been kicking around for some time by then. In any case, we’re still enjoying pretty much the same drink 150 years later. Back then it was made with equal parts whisky—typically rye—and Italian (sweet) vermouth, with some recipes adding a dash of gomme syrup, orange bitters or absinthe

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BROOKLYN 2 oz rye whisky 1 oz dry vermouth 0.25 oz maraschino liqueur 2 dashes Angostura bitters Garnish: brandied or maraschino cherry, preferably Luxardo Pour the rye whisky, dry vermouth, maraschino liqueur and bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry. Serves 1.

THE BOROUGHS

Aside from the Manhattan, New York City has a whole lineup of cocktails named after its boroughs. The Bronx is basically a perfect Martini with a splash of orange juice; the Queens is similar, but with pineapple juice instead of OJ. The Brooklyn, on the other hand, is a drier Manhattan: whisky, dry (French) vermouth, maraschino liqueur, Angostura bitters. Then there is Long Island, which is not a borough, but home to two of them (Brooklyn and Queens) and lends its name to the lethally boozy mix of tequila, vodka, rum, triple sec and cola known as the Long Island Iced Tea.

SINGAPORE SLING

Back in 1915, at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel, a bartender named Ngiam Tong Boon whipped up this concoction of gin, cherry heering, Bénédictine, lime and bitters, topped with soda, and the cocktailsipping world has never been the same.

PARISIAN

Created in the 1920s to promote crème de cassis, the Parisian is equal parts vermouth, gin and blackcurrant liqueur. Sadly, it’s never been as popular as other cocktails (allegedly) invented in the City of Lights like the Sidecar, French 75 or Boulevardier.

MOSCOW MULE

This is another, much more successful, cocktail invented to promote a struggling product, in this case, Smirnoff vodka. That was in the 1950s, just before some guy named James Bond would send sales of vodka soaring.

TORONTO

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TORONTO

2 oz rye whisky (Canadian, of course) 0.25 oz Fernet-Branca 0.25 oz simple syrup 2 dashes Angostura bitters Garnish: orange twist Pour the rye whisky, Fernet-Branca, simple syrup and bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass and garnish with an orange twist. Serves 1.

Not a million miles away from the Manhattan in style, location or ingredients, the Toronto first appeared in print in 1922, replacing vermouth with the darker, more intensely herbaceous Fernet-Branca.

VANCOUVER

Vancity’s hometown cocktail was, the story went, created at the Sylvia in the 1950s to celebrate the opening of the city’s first official cocktail bar. But as it turns out, the Vancouver Club had been making a similar drink of gin, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine and bitters for some 30 years before that. We’ll happily raise a glass to either tale.

HOME BAR

Well aged COCKTAILS ARE BET TER IN A BARREL—EVEN IF YOU DON’T HAVE ONE Story, photos and recipes by Matthew Benevoli companies even sell oak chips from their whisky barrels. As with spirits, a barrel-aged cocktail becomes a fuller and deeper version of the original. It’s a more immersive flavour experience, if you will. A Negroni, for example, sees the bitterness become softer, the vermouth warmer and the gin more complex with woodsy layers over its dry, botanical profile.

Before, during and after—the spirits, the barrel and the finished, barrel-aged cocktail.

hat exactly is barrel aging? Simply put, it’s the interaction between alcohol and the wooden barrels it’s resting in. This process can range from a mere 60 days to years, decades, even centuries. When temperatures rise, spirits absorb deeper into the barrel staves; then they retract out when temperatures cool. This constantly changing interaction affects the spirits by mellowing harsher notes, adding body and giving deeper, richer flavours. We can do this at home with small barrels and unaged or shortly aged spirits, but today we’ll be aging cocktails—specifically, spirit-forward libations. This takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks depending on personal preference. No barrel? No problem! You can find an array of different untreated woods like cherry, pear, apple and hickory in barbecue smoker chip and other formats. Some spirit

Once your desired flavour experience is achieved, simply transfer the cocktail to sealable containers and store in the fridge. Making an unaged version to compare side by side with your experiment is a fun way to enjoy the fruits of your (and your barrel’s) labours. For any questions or additional tips, please reach out to @m.benevoli on Instagram.

Those woodsy flavours can come from aging a cocktail in a barrel, or by adding wood chips or chunks to another vessel.

HOW TO BARREL-AGE COCKTAILS AT HOME 1. 1 .If you are using a barrel, you will need to prep it a day or two before you use it. Place it in a sink or bin (to catch any leaks or drips) and fill it with warm water. Check and top it up periodically until barrel no longer leaks; then it is ready for your cocktail. (If the barrel continues to leak, you can patch it with a bit of melted beeswax.)

5. You may shake, move or roll your aging vessel to promote additional interaction once a day if desired. This is optional.

2. Build your cocktail without any dilution.

7. Once it has come to your desired taste, strain the cocktail through a few layers of cheesecloth or coffee filter to remove any chips or debris, then transfer it to a sealable container.

3. Transfer to the prepared barrel if you are using one. If not, transfer to a sealable container and add the wood of your choice. 4. S tore in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight.

6. Open and taste after a few days; see if it needs more time. For a first batch, aging will generally take five to 35 days; subsequent barrels will be much shorter.

8. Store in fridge up to six months, but taste frequently to check quality.

7 TIPS

• The ideal barrels for aging cocktails are lightly charred American oak casks that are one to three litres in size, with two litres being optimum.

plan on using 5 or 6 smallish chunks of charred wood or 2 to 3 Tbsp of chips per litre of liquid in a non-reactive vessel such as a large mason jar.

• Even a well-sealed barrel will still lose some liquid to the angel’s share—count on about 10 per cent loss.

• Use only untreated and food-safe wood.

• Between batches, keep the barrel full of liquid to prevent it becoming leaky. • The barrel will retain the flavour of whatever has been stored in it, so plan to always use it for the same drink. • If you are using staves or chips instead of a barrel,

• Never put anything perishable in the aging barrel or jar. • In general, stick to liqueurs for sweetener—honey will crystallize and simple syrup can begin to ferment. • Go light on the bitters—they can become very intense with aging. You can always top up the bitters when you serve the cocktail.

BARREL-AGED GENERAL WAVERLY 15 oz Reifel Rye 6.75 oz Punt E Mes 2.5 oz Galliano liqueur 2.5 oz Krupnik Spiced Honey Liqueur (or any honey liqueur) 10 dashes orange bitters 2 dashes orange bitters Garnish: Honey, freshly ground black peppercorn Pour all the ingredients into an aging vessel that will hold at least 1L of liquid. If the vessel is larger than that, you can multiply the amounts as needed. Seal and age for at least five days and up to six weeks, tasting frequently. When it reaches your desired flavour, strain and transfer the cocktail to a sealable container (such as a glass bottle or jar) and store in the fridge. Serves 10. To serve: Roll half of the outside rim of a cocktail class in honey, then dip into freshly ground black pepper. Place the glass in the freezer until you are ready to serve the cocktail. Pour 2 to 3 oz of the aged General Waverly into a mixing glass with ice, add an additional dash of orange bitters, stir well, and then strain into prepared cocktail glass. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice, stir well and strain into prepared cocktail glass.

BARREL-AGED NEGRONI 10 oz Roku Gin (or whatever gin you prefer) 10 oz sweet vermouth 10 oz Campari (or whatever red aperitivo liqueur you prefer) Pour all the ingredients into an aging vessel that will hold at least a litre of liquid. If the vessel is larger than that, you can multiply the amounts as needed. Seal and age for at least five days and up to six weeks, tasting frequently. When it reaches your desired flavour, strain and transfer the cocktail to a sealable container (such as a glass bottle or jar) and store in 41 the fridge. Serves 10. To serve: Pour 2 to 3 oz of barrel-aged Negroni into a rocks glass over ice, stir and garnish with an orange twist, expelling oils over cocktail and placing peel into glass.

TASTING PANEL

Scotch Sippers OUR BARTENDERS EXPL AIN HOW TO MASTER SINGLE-MALT MIXOLOGY Compiled by Reece Sims

Sweet, spicy, smoky: Scotch whisky has something for everyone. Getty Images photo

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n the world of spirits, few elixirs carry the weight of tradition and reverence as does single malt whisky. This liquid gold, celebrated for its complexity and rich character, has long been the epitome of sipping perfection. It is often imbibed neat, treasured in crystal glasses and savoured slowly, as if each drop encapsulates generations of craftsmanship. Historically the thought of mixing such a revered spirit into a cocktail was nothing short of sacrilegious. However, with the variety of flavour profiles offered

by the category, as well as an interest from distilleries to produce their own interpretations around the globe, a transformation is underway. Bartenders are now revitalizing classics and reimagining new possibilities. Our tasting panel team comprises Jenna Gillespie, Lory Nixon and Kate Chernoff from British Columbia and Erika Mauro, Ashley Flynn and Jenn Abergel from Ontario. This all-female perspective weighs in on their favourite single malts and how to cocktail with them.

JENNA GILLESPIE ROYAL LOCHNAGAR 16 YEAR 57.5% ABV, $249.99, 700 ML “The peat isn’t too abrasive, but I still get that lovely smoky finish I’m looking for,” says Gillespie, head bartender at L’Abattoir in Vancouver (@jazzyjenna). Gillespie’s favourite flavours are represented in Royal Lochnagar 16 Year, a rare release from Diageo that came out in 2021. “On the nose it’s lightly smoky with notes of green apples, grapes and orange zest. Then upon tasting it, you experience a wave of spices, dry oak, and citrus.” (If you’re unable to track down a bottle of Royal Lochnagar 16 Year, Ontario residents can find the Royal Lochnagar 12 Year for around $100 at LCBO stores.) Suggested cocktail: Rob Roy or Penicillin. “Depending on your budget, you can either use in a Rob Roy as the base, or float a small amount on top of a Penicillin to showcase the subtle smoke,” Gillespie notes. LORY NIXON LAPHROAIG QUARTER CASK 48% ABV, $104.99, 750 ML “My favourite single malt to drink is Laphroaig Quarter Cask, mainly due to its nostalgic place in my upbringing,” says Nixon, bar manager at Bagheera in Vancouver (@loryhnixon). “I come from a Scottish family and the campfire smell from the peat is very comforting to me. I find its heavy medicinal notes very pleasant and warming as the whisky on its own. I do use it in a cocktail, though, when I can get my hands on it.” Suggested cocktail: Penicillin. “One of my favourite classics is a Penicillin. I like it really spicy and warm. I will generally use either a blended scotch like Johnnie Walker or a single malt that’s forgiving, like Deanston Virgin Oak, for the base,” notes

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PENICILLIN Jenna Gillespie adds a sweet touch to her version of the moder n-classic Penicillin, created in the mid-2000s by bartender Sam Ross at Ne w York City’s famous Milk & Honey bar. 2 oz blended scotch of your choice 0.75 oz Honey, Tonka Bean & Ginger Syrup (recipe follows) 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice Float: 0.25 oz Royal Lochnagar 16 Garnish: lemon twist (optional) Add the whisky, syrup and lemon juice into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled and diluted. Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Using the back of a bar spoon, float Royal Lochnagar on top of the cocktail. Garnish with a lemon twist if you please. Serves 1. HONEY, TONKA BEAN & GINGER SYRUP 1 cup water 1 cup honey 1 tonka bean 1 piece ginger, about 2 inches long, lightly smashed Place all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes, then remove from heat and cool to room temperature, leaving the bean and ginger to steep. Strain, transfer to a sealable glass jar or bottle. Keep chilled for up to two weeks. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Nixon. “My simple recipe is three-quarter ounce Johnnie Walker or Deanston and then half an ounce of Laphroaig with one ounce ginger-lemon syrup.” ERIKA MAURO CRAIGELLACHIE 13 YEAR 46% ABV, $80.99, 750 ML “Having been introduced to Craigellachie 13 by [Toronto bartending legend] Evelyn Chick, it has become one of my favourite single malts,” says Mauro, owner of Sips Mobile Cocktails in Toronto (@e. mauro). “It has a more approachable, less smoky taste, but it is full of big tropical flavours like pineapple and mango. For those who are new to single malts, a fruity single malt is an excellent first step when it comes to cocktail making. Craigellachie is one of my favourite single malts because it delivers both sweetness and strength of what you'd expect from most single malts. A good description I've read about Craigellachie is the ‘Bonfire Night’ single malt. Imagine sweetness from toasty marshmallows with a smoky finish from the campfire.”

Suggested cocktail: The Golden Sipper. “We used to serve a riff on the Old Soul cocktail that we called The Golden Sipper,” notes Mauro. “It’s essentially a Craigellachie Sour that’s super approachable, delicious and it really satisfies the masses. It’s super easy to make and tasty; even though we don’t serve it anymore, I still make and like to enjoy it at home!” KATE CHERNOFF BRUICHLADDICH CLASSIC LADDIE 50% ABV, $85.99, 750 ML “My favourite single malt is Bruichladdich Classic Laddie,” remarks Kate Chernoff, bartender at Humboldt Bar in Victoria (@katechernoff). “I really enjoy this product from the Bruichladdich lineup. In particular, I love how the light smokiness ties together all of the stone fruit and floral notes. The high proof also allows it to perform really well in cocktails, which is great when making drinks for guests looking for something spirit forward.” Suggested cocktail: Meat Hook. “I love to use Bruichladdich Classic Laddie in a Meat Hook.

MEAT HOOK T his is Kate Cher noff ’s prefer red recipe for the Meat Hook, a classic whisk y cocktail named for a famed Ne w York neighbourhood. 1.5 oz Bruichladdich Classic Laddie 0.75 oz sweet vermouth 0.25 oz maraschino liqueur 1 bar spoon (5 mL) Port Charlotte single malt Garnish: expressed orange oils and a quality cherry

Kate Chernoff photo

Add Bruichladdich, vermouth and maraschino into a mixing glass with ice. Stir down until adequately chilled and diluted. Strain into a chilled coupe and, with the back of a bar spoon, float the Port Charlotte on top of the cocktail. Garnish with expressed orange oils and a good quality cherry. Serves 1.

This riff on a Manhattan is a great stirred, fruity smoky and nutty cocktail,” says Chernoff. JENN ABERGEL THE GLENLIVET CARIBBEAN RESERVE 40% ABV, $69.99, 750 ML “My favourite single malt to mix with is The Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve,” says Abergel, owner of Quench Bar, based in Toronto (@quench.bar). “I find it has a mildly sweet finish with notes of vanilla, toffee and caramel, which is why I love to use it in scotch-forward cocktails. That being said, my favourite single malt to drink neat is the Oban 14 Year Old. I love the rich smokiness both on the nose and on the palate.”

Suggested cocktail: Rob Roy. “In my view, the Rob Roy cocktail is the ideal canvas for those Sauternes notes to shine and for the full flavour profile of this single malt to be unveiled,” Flynn says. “Sweet vermouth elevates the rich dried fruit and honey notes, while aromatic bitters act as the culinary artists, bringing out the ginger and nutmeg nuances. Stirred just right and served in an ice-cold coupe glass, a couple of bourbon-soaked cherries on top complete the picture.” She adds: “When diving into the world of whisky cocktails, it’s all about picking ingredients that dance in harmony with the whisky, letting its true character shine through.”

Suggested cocktail: Rob Roy Visits Toronto. “Generally, our scotch cocktails are very spirit forward. We love doing a mix of a Rob Roy and a Toronto cocktail using the Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve, FernetBranca, Dolin sweet vermouth and Amaro Cinpatrazzo instead of bitters.” ASHLEY FLYNN GLENMORANGIE NECTAR D’OR 46% ABV, $119.99, 750 ML “My top pick for single malt has to be Glenmorangie Nectar d’Or,” says Flynn, senior bartender at The Drake Hotel in Toronto (@ashhflynn). “Give it a good sniff, and you’ll be met with hints of lemon, lime, spices and the nostalgia of dried raisins. Take a sip, and you’re greeted with an upfront burst of spice, featuring ginger and nutmeg, only to be followed by a smooth, lingering vanilla finish. It’s a delightful blend of sweet and complexity, like a vanillaspiced firework. I’m a fan because of its distinctive, multi-layered, honey-smooth character. Nectar d’Or first matures in American bourbon barrels and then is finished in Sauternes barrels, formerly home to a sweet French wine. What really grabs me is how those dried fruits, spices and vanilla nuances come to life.”

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ROB ROY VISITS TORONTO Recipe by Jean Abergel of Toronto's Quench Bar. 1 oz Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve 1 oz Fernet-Branca 1 oz Dolin sweet vermouth 0.5 oz Amaro Cinpatrazzo Garnish: Luxardo cherry Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice. Stir until diluted and chilled. Strain into a chilled Nick and Nora and garnish with a Luxardo cherry. Serves 1.

B.C. & ONTARIO DISTILLERY LISTINGS

YOUR GUIDE TO THE SPIRIT MAKERS

These 76 distilleries in B.C. and 46 in Ontario (and growing!) produce everything from vodka to vermouth. Start exploring them here—and find a complete list of Canada's 252 distilleries at thealchemistmagazine.ca.

BRITISH COLUMBIA After Dark Distillery Sicamous afterdarkdistillery.com Alchemist Distiller Summerland alchemistdistiller.ca Ampersand Distilling Co. Duncan ampersanddistilling.com Anderson Distilleries Burnaby andersondistilleries.com Antidote Distilling Co. Port Alberni antidotedistillingco.com Arbutus Distillery Nanaimo arbutusdistillery.com Bohemian Spirits Kimberly bohemianspirits.com Bruinwood Estate Distillery Roberts Creek bruinwood.com Central City Brewing and Distillery Surrey 46 centralcitybrewing.com ClearCut Distilling Co. Quadra Island southend.ca Copper Spirit Distillery Bowen Istand copperspirit.ca

Copperpenny Distilling North Vancouver copperpennydistilling.com

Goldstream Distillery Duncan goldstreamdistillery.com

Crossroads Brewing & Distillery Prince George crossroadscraft.com

Goodridge & Williams Craft Distillers Delta gwdistilling.com

Crows Nest Distillery Abbotsford crowsnestdistillery.com

Indigenous World Spirits Kelowna indigenousworldwinery.com

DeepEarth Farm Lindell Beach deepearth.ca

Island Spirits Distillery Hornby Island islandspirits.ca

Devine Spirits Saanich devinedistillery.com

Kootenay West Distilling Trail kootenaywestdistilling.com

Dragon Mist Distillery Surrey dragonmistdistillery.com

Legend Distilling Naramata legenddistilling.com

Driftwood Spirits Victoria driftwoodspirits.ca

Long Table Distillery Vancouver longtabledistillery.com

Dubh Glas Distillery Oliver thedubhglasdistillery.com

Macaloney's Island Distillery Victoria macaloneydistillers.com

Elder Bros Farms Distillery Cranbrook elderbrosfarms.com

Mad Laboratory Distilling Vancouver madlabdistilling.com

Fernie Distillers Fernie ferniedistillers.com

Mainland Whisky Surrey mainlandwhisky.com

Forbidden Spirits Kelowna forbiddenspirits.ca

Maple Leaf Spirits Penticton mapleleafspirits.ca

Merridale Cider & Distillery Cobble Hill merridale.ca/distillery Misguided Spirits Distillery Parksville misguidedspirits.ca Monashee Spirits Revelstoke monasheespirits.com Montis Distilling Whistler montisdistilling.com Moon Brewery & Distillery Victoria moonunderwater.ca New Wave Distilling Abbotsford rippleswinery newwavedistilling.com North West Distilling Co. Maple Ridge northwestdistillingco.ca Northern Vintage Distillery Topley facebook.com/northernvintage-distillery Odd Society Spirits Vancouver oddsocietyspirits.com Okanagan Spirits Vernon okanaganspirits.com

One Foot Crow Distillery Gibsons onefootcrow.com

Roots and Wings Distillery Langley rootsandwingsdistillery.ca

Stealth Craft Distillers North Vancouver stealthcraftdistillers.com

Pacific Rim Distilling Ucluelet pacificrimdistilling.ca

Route 1 Distillery Kamploops route1distillery.ca

Stillhead Distillery Duncan stillhead.ca

Pemberton Distillery Pemberton pembertondistillery.ca

Salish Sea Spirits Powell River salishseaspirits.ca

Taynton Bay Spirits Invermere tayntonbayspirits.com

Phillips Fermentorium Distilling Victoria fermentorium.ca

Salt Spring Shine Craft Distillery Salt Spring Island saltspringshine.com

The 101 Brewhouse and Distillery Gibsons the101.ca

Raincity Distillery Squamish raincitydistillery.ca

Sharpe Distillery Cawston sharpedistillery.com

The Liberty Distillery Vancouver thelibertydistillery.com

Ravens Distilling Abbotsford ravensdistilling.com

Shelter Point Distillery Campbell River shelterpoint.ca

The Woods Spirit Co. North Vancouver thewoodsspiritco.com

Red Bridge Distilling Kamloops redbridgedistilling.ca

Sheringham Distillery Sooke sheringhamdistillery.com

Tofino Distillery Tofino tofinocraftdistillery.com

Red Collar Brewing & Distilling Kamloops redcollar.ca

Sons of Vancouver Distillery North Vancouver sonsofvancouver.ca

Tonik Distillery Crescent Valley tonikdistillery.com

Resurrection Spirits Vancouver resurrectionspirits.ca

Spinnakers Brewpub Victoria spinnakers.com/drink/spirits

Trench Brewing & Distilling Prince George trenchbrew.ca True North Distilleries Qualicum Beach truenorthdistilleries.com Tumbleweed Spirits Osoyoos tumbleweedspirits.com Vernon Craft Distilleries Vernon vernoncraftdistilleries.com Victoria Distillers Sidney victoriadistillers.com Wayward Distillation House Courtenay waywarddistillationhouse. com Wynndel Craft Distilleries Wynndel wynndelcraftdistilleries.ca

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ONTARIO Beattie's Distillers Alliston beattiesdistillers.com Black's Distillery Peterborough blacksdistillery.com Canadian Mist Distillers Collingwood canadianmist.com Collective Arts Distilling Hamilton collectiveartsbrewing.com/ distilling Copperhead Distillery and Spirits Sundridge copperhead-distillery.com Crosscut Distillery Sudbury crosscutdistillery.ca Dairy Distillery Almonte dairydistillery.com Dillon's Small Batch Distillers Beamsville dillons.ca Dixon's Distilled Spirits Guelph dixonsdistilledspirits.com Dunrobin Distilleries Dunrobin dunrobindistilleries.com Elora Distilling Company Elora eloradistillingcompany.com Forty Creek Distillery Grimsby fortycreekwhisky.com Georgian Bay Spirit Co. North York georgianbayspiritco.com Heretic Spirits Collingwood hereticspirits.com Junction 56 Distillery Stratford junction56.ca

Kings Lock Craft Distillery Johnstown klcraftdistillery.ca

Murphy's Law Distillery Elmira murphyslawmoonshine.com

Polonée Disillery St. Catharines polonee.ca

The White Distillery Mississauga thewhitedistillery.com

Kinsip House of Fine Spirits Bloomfield kinsip.ca

Niagara College Distillery Niagara-on-the-Lake ncteachingdistillery.ca

Reid's Distillery Toronto reidsdistillery.com

Top Shelf Distillers Perth topshelfdistillers.com

Laneway Distillers Niagara lanewaygin.com

Niagara Falls Craft Distillers Niagara Falls niagarafallscraftdistillers.ca

Rheault Distillery Hearst rheaultdistillery.ca

Vieni Estates Wine and Spirits Beamsville vieni.ca

Last Straw Distillery Concord laststrawdistillery.com

Nickel 9 Distillery Toronto nickel9distillery.com

Limited Distilling Niagara-On-The-Lake limiteddistillery.com

North of 7 Distillery Ottawa northof7distillery.ca

Magnotta Distillery Woodbridge magnotta.com

O’Kenny Craft Spirits Pembroke okenny.ca

Manns Distillery Brantford mannsdistillery.com

Ogham Craft Spirits Ottawa oghamcraftspirits.ca

Maverick Distillery Oakville maverickdirect.ca

Paradigm Spirits Co. London paradigmspirits.com

Silver Fox Distillery Arthur silverfoxdistillery.ca Spirit of York Distillery Toronto spiritofyork.com Stalk and Barrel Distillery stalkandbarrel.com Still Waters Distillery Concord stillwatersdistillery.com Tawse Winery & Distillery Vineland tawsewinery.ca

Wayne Gretzky Estate Winery & Distillery Niagara-on-the-Lake waynegretzkyestates.com Willibald Farm Distillery Ayr drinkwillibald.com Wolfhead Distillery McGregor drinkwolfhead.com Yongehurst Distillery Co. Toronto yongehurst.com

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LAST CALL GREAT WORLD BARS WE LOVE: THE ELEPHANT ROOM nearby Tekka Centre, a popular wet market that supplies much of the produce that goes into the bar’s various infusions and fermentations. (Think: green mangoes, Kerala tamarind, ghee and curry leaf. Aside from wow factor cocktails, what’s most striking about the bar is how cohesive and agile the small team is. Led by bar veteran and founder Yugnes Susela, staff switch roles every shift, meaning they serve one day, bartend the next and assume chef duties the day after that. The idea behind this egalitarian concept is to empower staff to be expert in every aspect of service. The Elephant Room's founder Yugnes Susela leads a team that regularly swaps roles to keep things fresh.

Fans of the Elephant Room have a new reason to stop in for a visit—it recently moved to a larger space and reopened with a fresh list of Indian-inspired tipples. theelephantroom.sg —Doris Sun

Cocktails at The Elephant Room find inspiration from different Indian states. Intricate details abound, and you may find yourself presented with a drink that’s garnished with Indian cheese, topped with fragrant coconut air or housed in an ornate vessel. Ingredients are freshly sourced from

Cocktails like the Goldsmith gather their flavours and inspiration from all over the Indian subcontinent.

n a city with no shortage of conspicuous cocktail bars, it’s refreshing to see a small, independent establishment gain serious attention. Such is the case with Singapore’s Elephant Room, which made an impressive debut on this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Bars’ extended list, coming in at number 64. A self-described “culture-forward” bar, The Elephant Room is a staunch ambassador for everything India and has been showcasing the diverse flavours, colours and stories of the world’s second-most populous country, by way of Singapore’s Little India.

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