The Alchemist BC • Issue 22 • Spring/Summer 2024

It’s what everyone is drinking now

ROTO REVOLUTION

Distilling flavour from, well, anything

HOME BAR The magic of clarification

LGBTQ+ LIQUOR Out, proud and inclusive

MARTINI MADNESS

10 – AT THE BAR

At Chinatown’s Meo, savour all-new flavours in a retro space by Allie Turner 12 – STILL LIFE

The fabulous inclusivity of Squirrel Friendz vodka by Charlene Rooke

20 – MARTINI MADNESS

The ultimate classic cocktail has never been so cool by Kate Dingwall

24 – ROTOVAP REVOLUTION

Distilling flavour through technology and imagination by Christine Sismondo 28 – A NIKKA PILGRIMAGE

Around the world with Japan’s signature whisky by Charlene Rooke 33 – HOME BAR

How to transform your cocktails through the magic of clarification by Matthew Benevoli

Our bartenders pick the best gins for making Martinis

Rooms we love: The Alice in Oxford by Allie Turner

in this

08– Tiffany’s Breakfast 08– Chamomile and Dememara Syrup

Clarified Piña Colada Punch

Dirty Gin Martini

37– 50:50 Gin Martini

38– Wet Martini 1

39– Gin Martini

39– Wet Martini 2

40– Gin Martinez

Ian Lanterman photo

Rick O’Brien photo

Contributors

Joanne Sasvari is the editor of The Alchemist, Vitis and YAM 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 recently released 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

Sometimes—well, most of the time, really—all we crave is an icy-cold Martini. We're thirsty for the botanical bite of the gin, the delicate floral essence of the vermouth, maybe the tiniest splash of salty brine. And it seems we’re not alone. Although the Martini has been around for at least a century and likely longer, it has never been trendier than it is right now. (Unless you include the syrupy “tinis” of the 1990s, which we don’t.)

In her piece “Make it a Martini,” writer Kate Dingwall explores the trend and some of the creative and luxe variations on the Martini that are being stirred up (never shaken) across Canada. And in Tasting Panel, Reece Sims taps bartenders in Toronto and Vancouver for their favourite Martini gins and the recipes they’d make with them. Enjoy! We sure plan to.

Also in this issue: Our Home Bar columnist Matthew Benevoli explains the craft, science and magic behind clarifying cocktails. In Still Life, Charlene Rooke discovers Squirrel Friendz, the world’s first 2SLGBTQIA+-owned and -operated spirits brand. She also follows the evolution of Nikka Whisky on a malty pilgrimage around the world. Allie Turner checks out cool bars near and far, with a peek inside Chinatown’s Meo and a trip down the boozy rabbit hole at The Alice in Oxford. Meanwhile, Christine Sismondo introduces us to the rotovap, the gadget we didn’t know we needed and now think we can’t survive without, if only we could afford it.

Plus we round up some of Canada’s recent awardwinning bars and bartenders and cover the latest spirited news from here and around the world. For more, visit thealchemistmagazine.ca.

—Joanne Sasvari, Editor

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 2024

This issue is complimentary.

iStock/Getty Images Plus/Beo88 photo

BAR BITES

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

HOT SPOTS – PROPHECY

The gleaming bar at Prophecy, the highly anticipated new lounge at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia. Jonathan Thompson photo

We’ve been waiting impatiently to see what’s going into the grand space under the Rosewood Hotel Georgia where Prohibition used to be. We’ve been waiting just as impatiently to learn where Jeff Savage would land after leaving Botanist Bar last year.

As it turns out, the space has been transformed into the brand-new Prophecy, with Savage leading the bar, and we’re excited to share a peek of it with you.

Prophecy is, for one thing, gorgeous, all glamorous and moody in a design by Ste. Marie Studio. At once classic and contemporary, it will feature an evolving

showcase of digital artwork and live jazz during the week and DJs in the late hours.

As beverage director, Savage brings with him plenty of cred, notably placing second in the 2019 Diageo World Class global championship. He’s teamed up with bar manager Nicole Cote, formerly of Michelinstarred AnnaLena and Published on Main. These two rock stars have crafted a fascinating journey of a menu, which is captured in a stunning Cocktail Book divided into libations Spirituous, Refreshing, Herbaceous or Lush.

These are drinks that tell a story, drawing inspiration from writers, musicians and artists, as well as time and place. There’s the Sirocco (sotol, amaro, chilies), described as “a song of wind and sand, scraped across carved landscapes”; a Martini they promise will become a local legend; and “Short Stories,” small serves with a distinctly literary flavour, like the Ponyboy (sherry, calvados, nutmeg), named for a character in S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders.

There are also alcohol-free drinks, beer, wine and sharable snacks like fresh oysters, truffle fries and many more of our favourite things.

We have a prophecy, too—that this will quickly become Vancouver’s favourite new cocktail bar.

Prophecy is at the Rosewood Georgia Hotel, 801 West Georgia Street. prophecybar.com

SHAKING UP THE AWARDS WORLD

If it’s spring it must be competition season and Canada’s best bars and bartenders are winning awards all over the place. Here are just a few that have made news the past few months.

WORLD’S MOST IMAGINATIVE BARTENDER

Elise Hanson, bar manager at Bar Raval and the founder and executive director of Higher Harvests in Toronto, has won the prestigious Most Imaginative Bartender competition, presented by Bombay Sapphire and Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. Her winning cocktail, The Happy Place Project, earned her a $20,000 creative grant for Higher Harvests, which turns Toronto rooftops into gardens for growing fresh, organic produce.

DIAGEO WORLD CLASS CANADA

Each year, some 10,000 bartenders compete in World Class, with Canada always among the top competitors— three of our bartenders have taken the global title since we started competing in 2013 (Kaitlyn Stewart, James Grant, Jacob Martin). So winning World Class Canada is no small thing. This year’s newly crowned World Class Canada Bartender of the Year is Keegan McGregor from The Highwayman in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He represents Canada at the World Class Global competition in Shanghai, China, from September 9 to 13.

NORTH AMERICA’S 50 BEST BARS

This year, Canadian bars took seven places on this prestigious list, our best showing to date.

For the third year in a row, Toronto’s Civil Liberties was named Best Bar in Canada and placed at number 21. Vancouver’s Botanist Bar also placed in the top half

Bar Raval’s Elise Hanson has been crowned the world’s Most Imaginative Bartender. Photo courtesy of Bombay Most Imaginative Bartender

at number 24, while The Keefer Bar reentered the list at number 49. Toronto’s Bar Pompette ranked number 29 and Bar Mordecai ranked number 40. Two Montreal bars also placed: Cloakroom at number 39 and Atwater Cocktail Club at number 50, with Atwater’s Kate Boushel winning the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award.

In addition, Vancouver’s Laowai was one of just three finalists among hundreds of contenders in the hotly contested Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award, and author and bartender Evelyn Chick won the Campari One to Watch Award.

A TIPSY TAKE ON TEA AT THE EMPRESS

Afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress is one of Victoria’s bucketlist experiences, served in one of the city’s most iconic spaces, the hotel’s soaring and ornate tea lobby. But now, says Maeve Fogarty, “We’re twisting afternoon tea on its head.”

Each night the tea lobby is transformed into the city’s most glamourous cocktail lounge for Sunset Sips. “Everything on the Sunset Sips menu has a tea component,” says Fogarty, a tea and wine sommelier who is also the hotel’s director of restaurants and bars. “They wanted to do tea, but tea doesn’t make sense at 8 p.m.”

Cocktails are served in elegant glass teapots for one or two, and guests can also order sweet and savoury snacks served on tiered plates, just like at afternoon tea, but all grown up.

Among the half-dozen bespoke cocktails is Tiffany’s Breakfast, a twist on a Breakfast Martini that’s named for the nightclub that used to be tucked away in the basement of the hotel.

“The components of the drink are what you’d see on the breakfast table and a night out at a nightclub like Tiffany’s,” Fogarty says. That includes coffee bitters, grapefruit liqueur and chamomile tea, its floral notes a nod to the Tiffany lamps that used to decorate the nightclub.

“And the nice thing is,” Fogarty adds, “you can have it morning, noon and night.”

TIFFANY’S BREAKFAST

This bright and refreshingly tart update on the classic Breakfast Martini is just one of the tea-inspired cocktails served at Victoria’s Fairmont Empress during its nightly Sunset Sips.

2 oz Empress Oaken Gin

0.5 oz Giffard Crème de Pamplemousse Rose (pink grapefruit liqueur)

0.5 oz Lillet Blanc

0.5 oz Chamomile and Demerara Syrup (see note)

1 tsp marmalade

1 oz lemon juice

4 dashes coffee bitters

Garnish: dehydrated orange wheel

Amy Ho photo

Place all ingredients (except garnish) in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Fine-strain into a small glass teapot. To serve, place dehydrated orange wheel in a teacup (adding some ice if you would like) and pour the cocktail over it. Serves 1.

Note: To make the Chamomile and Demerara Syrup, place 1 cup water and 1 cup demerara sugar in a small pot over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and add 3 chamomile tea bags. Steep for 10 minutes, then discard tea bags. Cool to room temperature before using. Can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Photo courtesy of Fairmont Empress

SPIRITED READS

These three new books will get you inspired to shake up your cocktail routine.

A Quick Drink: The Speed Rack Guide to Winning Cocktails for Any Mood by Lynnette Marrero and Ivy Mix with Megan Krigbaum (Abrams Books)

Marrero and Mix are the founders of Speed Rack, the famed all-women quality-plus-speedplus-insanely-fun bartending competition that raises money for breast cancer charities. Here they’ve gathered more than 100 recipes from more than 80 international bartender competitors. Plus they offer useful tips for batching cocktails, making infusions and syrups, creating new drinks and much more.

NEW SIPS TO SAVOUR

Here are some exciting new products to check out this summer—and they just happen to make great gifts for Father’s Day, or for yourself at any time.

Alberta Distillers Rare Batch Issue No.

1: There’s not much info on this yet, but we’re pretty excited to try it anyway. It will be a limited-edition whisky from the “Distillery of the Decade”—which produces Alberta Premium, the world’s top-selling all-rye whisky—and is scheduled to hit shelves across Canada the last week of June. albertadistillers.com

Cabin Gin 2024 Green Label: Okanagan Spirits has just released the first in a new lineup of

The Connaught Bar: Cocktail Recipes and Iconic Creations by Agostino Perrone with Giorgio Bargiani and Maura Milia (Phaidon Press)

The Connaught is one of the world’s most beautiful, stylish and iconic bars, thanks in part to its elegant cubist décor, but mostly down to Ago Perrone, its director of mixology since 2008, and his talented team. This gorgeous book includes recipes for 100 cocktails, mainly twists on the classics, as well as 120 additional recipes for the homemade syrups, infusions and garnishes that make them so memorable.

The Cocktail Parlor: How Women Brought the Cocktail Home by Nicola Nice (Countryman Press)

For much of drinks history, cocktail manuals were written by men for other men working behind the bar and serving mainly men in front of it. Yet many of our most famous cocktails were perfected at home by women in their cocktail parlors. Here Nicola Nice, a sociologist and spirits entrepreneur, profiles some of those influential hostesses and the cocktails they popularized.

seasonal small-batch gins inspired by time spent at the family cabin and escapes to other places. It features hints of lemongrass, fresh ginger and Thai lime leaf, reminiscent of trips through Southeast Asia. It retails for $35 (for a 500 mL bottle), with at least two more in the series expected by the end of the year. okanaganspirits.com

J.P. Wisers 42-Year-Old: As you can imagine, only limited quantities are available of this 42-year-old expression from the Canadian whisky trailblazer. Aged in Speyside single malt casks, Canadian oak barrels and ex-bourbon barrels, it has rich, complex notes of dried fruits and English toffee, dark cherry, roasted nuts, rye, nutmeg and leather with a warm cinnamon finish. Part of The Decades Series, it will be available in June, retailing for $469.99.

Totallyall-newretro,Meo

CHINATOWN’S HOT NEW BAR IS ALL ABOUT TANTALIZINGLY UNEXPECTED TASTES

by Allie Turner

“Is it OK if the flowers are on the edges?” a server asks as she tweezes a bloom onto the Citrus Crush cocktail and carries it to a waiting table of excited friends.

It’s 5 p.m. on a Thursday at Meo, Chinatown’s newest cocktail bar. Though the doors just opened, the place has immediately started to fill. I overhear one of the managers say there are 55 people on the books tonight and more walk-ins are expected.

It’s sunny outside, but you’d never know it in the low light of the room themed after a 1970s love-motel. Part lounge and part living room, Meo feels like an elevated version of a retro home bar. As if you stepped back in time to visit your grandparents with exquisite taste and an extensive liquor collection. The pinkhued interior and menus are influenced by Taipei and photos of Vancouver’s Chinatown from the same era.

Teapots line the top shelf awaiting the Special Punch—an ever-changing offering that celebrates fresh local ingredients—and the angled mirror above the bar offers visitors a silent education in mixology. The bartenders expertly navigate the narrow space, deftly dancing around each other to reach for a crystal highball glass, scoop crushed ice and

At Meo, cocktails like the Golden Divine play with unexpected flavours of fruits and vegetables. Mark Yammine photo

artfully arrange garnishes atop drinks that will playfully mess with your head.

“Behind,” asserts bar manager Denis Bykov.

Bykov arrived in Vancouver via Dubai with plans to test the market when he met the team behind Bao Bei and Kissa Tanto. Bykov began

working with the team to develop the cocktail menu for Meo while also bartending at Kissa Tanto, which he says gave him the opportunity to get to know the community and its palate.

According to Bykov, Vancouverites are very dialed into local flavours and are harder to surprise than people in Dubai, to whom everything is new and fresh. North Americans are familiar and attached to traditional cocktail flavours and ingredients, he says, so when developing the central concept of Meo’s cocktail menu he knew he had to deliver something unexpected.

“Everything needs a theme, not just a list of ingredients,” he says. Meo’s theme needed to be fun, interesting, high quality and sophisticated at the same time. Eventually, after much crowdsourcing, Meo landed on fruits and veggies. More specifically, playing with the sweet and savoury expectations of fruits versus vegetables.

The Dirty Lychee Martini, for instance, uses lacto-fermented lychee to preserve the sweet aroma of the fruit while maintaining a completely savoury flavour that messes with your head and sticks with you after your leave. “You need something to remember these days,” says Bykov, “you need more than just a good drink.”

The menu consists of eight twists on classic and eight signature cocktails. “We play by the rules of the game,” Bykov says of the twist, whereas the signatures are Meo’s own unique creations that buck convention. “We would like you to give us a chance,” Bykov asks. “Relax, don’t compare.”

In many ways, the Meo menu is on trend while eschewing expectations of those trends. It’s no secret that Martinis are having a moment, much like the Negroni last year, but Meo has leaned into the hype with three different styles. “The bar industry trends are a circle,”

Inspired by vintage Taipei and historic Chinatown, Meo is tucked below (and a sibling to) Michelinstarred Kissa Tanto. Charles Nasby photo

says Bykov, pointing out that most flavours and techniques have been invented already. Bykov believes in adapting to what people are asking for and then puts his own spin on it in the lab by playing with your expectations.

The Espresso Carrotini is like a summer cold brew and is made without any artificial sugar. The carrot juice reduction, coffee and citrus peels remove any savoury aspect of the carrot and produce a classic Espresso Martini, but with a little added complexity from the vegetable.

The Spicy Margarita is another trendy fan favourite, but Bykov uses a pre-batched clarified melon milk punch to keep the spiciness from hitting the back of the throat. The spice level can also be customized from mild to deadly so the drink is punchy yet sippable.

“If you have six to seven ingredients, you’re not going to get them all,” says Bykov, and he doesn’t want you to get them all. “It’s like a sauce. There’s this one majority flavour.”

Squirrel Friendz isn’t just a spirit brand; it also promotes inclusivity and community, often by hosting drag events. Photo courtesy of Squirrel Friendz

Nuts for inclusive vodka

CANADA’S FIRST OUT-AND-PROUD 2SLGBTQIA+ OWNED AND OPERATED BRAND IS BECOMING SQUIRREL FRIENDZ WITH COCKTAIL FANS IN B.C. AND BEYOND

by Charlene Rooke

It all started with a night out at a casino, after which Kyle Aszalos woke up with what he thought could be a million-dollar idea.

“Cocktail kits!” he said to his partner, Jeremy Fischer. That pivoted to producing their own spirits to put in the kits, and “then we scrapped the kits,” Fischer laughs.

The co-founders of Squirrel Friendz vodka are celebrating the brand’s one-year anniversary this summer, with entry into BC Liquor Stores in May and a bold, colourful presence on many private-store shelves and back bars.

“We went with vodka because it’s the quickest to get to market,” Aszalos says of sourcing the crisp spirit, in all-natural flavours with no added sugar, from commercial distillery Orchard City Distilling Co. in West Kelowna. Quick was important, because it meant they could quickly start making a difference.

The brand’s Inclusive Vodka, plus lemon lime and cucumber mint vodka bottlings, stand out for more than their great taste and style (with bright and colourful modern labels courtesy Foe Creative in Victoria). Squirrel Friendz is the first proudly 2SLGBTQIA+ owned and operated spirits company in Canada, with spirits as sippable over ice as they are topped

Squirrel Friendz vodka is available in three cocktail-friendly flavours, from left: lemon lime; the original Inclusive Vodka; and cucumber mint. Photo courtesy of Squirrel Friendz

with soda or shaken into fabulous cocktail creations. (Find recipes at squirrelfriendz. com/cocktails and on Instagram @squirrel. friendz.)

It’s a move that Debbie Shing, a co-founder of the drinks-industry diversity, equity and

inclusion organization Vinequity, applauds. “Recent 2022 data by Statistics Canada shows that four per cent of all Canadians identify as 2SLGBTQ+, and that percentage increases staggeringly to 33 per cent of all Canadians between the ages of 15 to 34. The highly gendered coding of some on-premise chains and mainstream brands on our shelves simply does not reflect the values and intersectional identities of our shifting population properly any more,” says Shing.

Squirrel Friendz walks the walk of inclusivity by donating to local organizations to empower 2SLGBTQIA+ people. In B.C., their partner is Qmunity, a resource centre with provincewide services for youth and adults identifying with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. “We’re giving a voice back to a community that is under-represented in the liquor industry,” says Fischer.

Sons of Vancouver distiller and partner Jenna Diubaldo, who identifies as queer, concurs. “Coming from the non-profit sector in my previous career, I’ve always thought that a

Squirrel Friendz co-founder Jeremy Fischer says the brand also supports charities like Qmunity.

Photo courtesy of Squirrel Friendz

distillery as a social enterprise that benefits social causes is something that could make sustainable change,” she says. “More visibility for typically underrepresented groups in this industry is something we’re definitely starting to see more of.”

Fischer has a long career history in hospitality, and notes that 2SLGBTQIA+ team members—from bussers and barbacks to bar managers and owners—help power bars and restaurants everywhere. Squirrel Friendz is at its cheeky best when it partners with local establishments. “That’s where we can do a lot of fun events, like putting on drag shows and drag brunches,” says Aszalos. (Drag fans know that so-called squirrel friend queens, um, hide their nuts.) The name is “a conversation starter,” laughs Fischer, who says the brand is all about friends gathering together to build community and have a good time.

The Squirrel Friendz commitment goes beyond rainbow-emblazoned bottles or Pride events, Fischer and Aszalos emphasize. “We are a brand that charities like Qmunity can always trust and count on to support them, and share their stories and projects,” Fischer says, of the commitment to empower the 2SLGBTQIA+ community year-round. “We’d love to work with other brands, to show them how to truly be allies of this community.”

At Vancouver Cocktail Week, Squirrel Friendz poured a drink called the Cucumber Spice Oasis (cucumber mint vodka, jalapeño syrup, pineapple juice). Living Room Creative photo

LIME WEDGE

VODKA

LEMON

SUMMER DISTILLERY GUIDE

MAPLE LEAF SPIRITS

CHERRY LIQUEUR

25% ABV, $39 (375 ml)

Visit our family-owned craft distillery tasting room in Penticton on the beautiful Naramata Bench. Get to know our locally inspired liqueurs, spirits, Genie Gin, and Lady of the Cask. Our Cherry Liqueur got the Best in Class award at the Canadian Artisan Spirit Competition 2024. South Okanagan sun-ripened cherries, distilled, and infused with Sour Cherries. Your easy summer treat for desserts or cocktails. Available at mapleleafspirits.ca.

DEVINE DISTILLERY GLEN SAANICH

SINGLE MALT WHISKY

45% ABV, $82 (750 ml)

Good honest spirits made by hand and crafted from the heart. Locally made and sustainably produced from grain to glass. Experience our terroir-focused small batch single malt whisky produced using 100% Saanich Peninsula grown and malted barley.

2024 World Whisky Awards – Best Canadian Small Batch Single Malt

2024 Canadian Artisan Spirit Competition –Gold w/Distinction, Merit in Terroir

Shop all our award-winning whiskies at DEVINEDistillery.com

MACALONEY'S ISLAND

DISTILLERY

ST. MALLIE: PORTUGUESE RE-CHARRED RED WINE BARRIQUE

46% ABV, $105 (750 ml)

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

Winner of The Best Canadian Single Malt, the creamy and full bodied St. Mallie is truly a special creation for any whisky connoisseur to savour . With notes of red berries, dried fruits and honey, this wonderfully complex bottle is a whisky lover's dream.

With free shipping on any purchase of two or more bottles, now is the perfect time to treat yourself to one of our most loved award winners. Available in store and online at macaloneydistillers.com

MACALONEY'S ISLAND DISTILLERY BREWERY AND DISTILLERY TOURS

Looking for an unforgettable experience this summer? Our five star rated tours are the perfect way to treat your friends and family! For 45 minutes we'll take you on a journey that flows through the entire facility, showcasing the inner workings of just how a brewery and distillery really operates, and of course let you sample a few wee drams of whisky and three selections of our finest craft beers.

To book your space visit us at macaloneydistillers.com/tours

COPPER SPIRIT DISTILLERY CANADIAN RYE WHISKY

43% ABV, $93 (750 ml)

This fresh take on Canadian Rye Whisky is full bodied and beautifully lingers with notes of dried apricot and cinnamon caramel. Made on Bowen Island and aged in a single Hungarian oak barrel, this 100% pure organic BC rye whisky is sure to be a coveted bottle for any whisky collector. A perfect gift, if you’re aiming to impress.

DRIFTWOOD SPIRITS CONTACT GIN

40% ABV, $46 (750ml)

Available at our distillery, select private liquor stores, and at copperspirit.ca

ROOTS AND WINGS DISTILLERY

DISCOVER A WORLD OF EXQUISITE SPIRITS

Immerse yourself in the art of craft distilling and savor the unique flavors of our premium products. Visit our Langley distillery for an unforgettable experience that will tantalize your taste buds and captivate your senses. Don’t miss out on our exciting events—check out our website’s events page for the latest updates and join us for a celebration of exceptional spirits. rootsandwingsdistillery.ca/events

Contact Gin is a citrus forward gin that is perfect for those looking to elevate their spirit. Crafted with a careful balance of botanicals including grapefruit peel, iris root, beeswax, and orange, Contact Gin offers a unique flavour that is bright, refreshing, and perfect for any occasion. Whether you enjoy it in a classic gin and soda, a citrus forward cocktail, or simply over ice, Contact is sure to leave a lasting impression. Available at shop.driftwoodbeer.com.

RAINCITY DISTILLERY GINSENG RYE OLD FASHIONED

36% ABV, $33 (375 ml) , $52 (750 ml)

At the heart of this cocktail lies our carefully crafted rye, aged in oak barrels to develop its rich character, resulting in a fine balance between the bitter undertones of ginseng and the indulgent notes of caramel and vanilla.

To enhance the complexity of our Old Fashioned-inspired cocktail, we incorporate our house-made bitters and a touch of Canadian maple syrup.

Serve on the rocks with a twist of orange and indulge in this ready-to-enjoy cocktail that captures the spirit of the classic Old Fashioned.

Available at raincitydistillery.ca

SUMMER DISTILLERY GUIDE

SQUIRREL FRIENDZ

INCLUSIVE VODKA

40% ABV, FROM $33 (750 ml)

Celebrate diversity this summer with Squirrel Friendz! Our corn based, triple distilled vodka contains all natural flavours and is a great addition to any bar! Being Canada’s only 2SLGBTQ+ owned spirits brand means when you support us, you are supporting local organizations that we donate a portion of our sales to. Our Inclusive Vodka is also a Silver medal winner at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Join our mission to bring more inclusivity and to support local 2SLGBTQ+ organizations. Find out more at squirrelfriendz.com

MERRIDALE CIDERY AND DISTILLERY COWICHAN AURA GIN

40% ABV, $32.10 (375 ml), $46.10 (750ml)

Merridale’s Cowichan Aura Gin is a gorgeous handcrafted and mystical gin for those who value beauty and adventure. With a balance of juniper and floral notes, the awe-inspiring violet colour is produced from a combination of lavender, hibiscus and Thai butterfly flowers and transforms from deep violet to beautiful pink as the PH changes. Aura Gin is sure to impress on any occasion. Available at shop.merridale.ca.

OKANAGAN SPIRITS CRAFT DISTILLERY

WHISKY IS WHAT WE DO.

Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery is Western Canada’s original craft distillery, dating back to 2004. The distillery sprung from the idea of using 100% locally grown fruits and grains to make premium, world-class spirits just a tractor ride away from the orchards and fields where the base ingredients were grown. Open daily in Vernon and Kelowna for tours, tastings and cocktail lounges. okanaganspirits.com

Make it a Martini

SHAKEN, STIRRED OR STEAMING WITH DRY ICE— THE CLASSIC

COCKTAIL HAS NEVER BEEN SO COOL

by Kate Dingwall

Drink trends come and go—remember the Negroni Sbagliato? Frosé?—but through it all, the Martini persists. For over 100 years, fans of the drink (James Bond, Lucille Bluth, Carrie Bradshaw, Winston Churchill) have sipped fervently and ask for theirs by specifics: bone-dry, brine-packed, with olives or a twist.

Recently, the drink’s popularity has been pushed into overdrive. “The Martini has become really trendy,” says Calum Wilson, director of food and beverage at the downtown Toronto hotel Revery. “It’s having a huge resurgence right now.”

TWISTS ON TRADITION

It’s not just standard combos of gin, vermouth and olives—this new guard of ’tinis is bigger and flashier than ever before. Maxime’s in Toronto adds dry ice to the shaker so smoke billows over the glass. At Library Bar, the Birdbath Martini costs $75 and includes sturgeon caviar.

Other Martinis consider more surrealist or cerebral concepts, like cultural traditions or sense of place. Cantonese-American restaurant Bonnie’s in Brooklyn adds drops of MSG, for instance. Meanwhile the Lunar at Suyo Modern Peruvian in Vancouver captures the motion of the ocean: Islay gin, oyster shell and a liquid “moon” made with kombu, aquavit and ponzu. Botanist Bar’s equally

oceanic version highlights coastal gin, chive oil, oyster leaf (a briny wild herb) and sea asparagus.

“Martinis are, without a doubt, making a comeback,” says Max Curzon-Price of Suyo. “Excitingly, they’re often in new forms. Just as we saw with the Old Fashioned, it’s transcending its specific recipe. The bones are the same, but bartenders seem to be playing with the delicate profiles of a spirit stirred with a little vermouth. I’ve seen sotol served with Spanish vermouth and shochu versions—a take on the ever-more-popular low-ABV Martini.”

THE BONES ARE THE SAME, BUT BARTENDERS SEEM TO BE PLAYING WITH THE DELICATE PROFILES OF A SPIRIT STIRRED WITH A LITTLE VERMOUTH.

LEFT: The Dirty Martini at Le Tigre in Toronto is just one of countless variations on a cocktail that, more than any other, is an expression of the drinker’s personality. Rick O’Brien photo

RIGHT: At Vancouver’s Suyo Modern Peruvian, the Lunar is a play on the Martini that captures the essence of the moon in its briny depths. Chelsea Brown photo

pandemic, a Martini romanticizes the night out—it’s strong, sexy and says, we’re back, baby.

Flip through Instagram and the see-and-beseens are sloshing around Martinis, carrying them with the importance of a Fendi bag. “Skewered olives in cute stemware are all over social media these days, backdropped by nice manicures and tablecloths,” says Granicolo. “Instagram and TikTok are really influencing popularity, but I’m all for that—it spreads the gospel and keeps people drinking in cocktail bars.”

And with inflation, a lethal Martini offers a serious bang for your buck. “People are tight on spending at the moment, especially during this economic shitstorm,” says Granicolo.

Other bartenders flex technique through their Martini. “There’s a gherkin Martini at Bar Pompette that excites me every time I go there—it’s made with a dilly house distillate or a centrifuge? Mixology!” says Cry Baby Gallery and Le Tigre’s co-owner Robert Granicolo, who has made over 45,000 Martinis. “The Coldroom in Montreal makes the best dirty Martini [gin, Lillet, amaretto and bay leaf tincture] I’ve ever had.”

Granicolo has used the popularity of the Martini to drag quirkier (and sometimes tackier) riffs from their graves. At Cry Baby Gallery, a lychee Martini (made with tequila, Calvados and lychee-infused agave) has become one of the most popular cocktails on the menu. (Though the Appletini didn’t quite take off.)

Why is now the time for a Martini boom? After several years stuck at home during the

If your dining-out budget has been skewered, a Martini is easy to make at home. “Throw a bottle of vodka in your freezer and dump it in your glass—boom!” says Granicolo. “It’s so much easier and cost effective than the six-ingredient clarified cocktails you find at most cocktail bars.”

BEYOND TRENDS

While Martinis are popular right now, can they fall out of fashion? Could a Martini ever be uncool? “I hope not,” says Amber MacMullin of Proof in Calgary.

“There’s an enduring appeal to a Martini that extends beyond trends,” hypothesizes Rahil Hoque, COO of Ascari Hospitality Group. “The beauty of a good Martini is hidden in its straightforward composition and simplicity, which makes it truly timeless. Plus, its versatility and ability to be personalized to one’s taste make it a perennial favourite. As long as there are cocktail enthusiasts, the Martini will continue to evolve and inspire.”

At The Library Bar in Toronto, the opulent Birdbath Martini is made with bespoke gin and comes with a sturgeon caviar garnish. Rick O’Brien photo

THE BEAUTY OF A GOOD MARTINI IS HIDDEN IN ITS STRAIGHTFORWARD COMPOSITION AND SIMPLICITY, WHICH MAKES

IT TRULY TIMELESS.

He’s got a point: The Martini is endlessly malleable to your mood, making it nearly impossible to grow weary of the drink.

Darren Kaushal, beverage operations manager at Vancouver’s Glowbal Group (Black + Blue, Rileys), notes, “It’s a whole different experience if you add a twist or take it shaken, not stirred. Gins with botanicals have completely different profiles from gins with citrus notes. It’s such a personal drink and you can discover your (new) favourite as your palate changes.”

“I’ve always loved that a Martini is both iconic and incredibly malleable,” says James Grant, the beverage director of Fairmont Royal York. “It’s like a fingerprint—every bartender and guest knows how they like a Martini.”

Granicolo agrees—it’s a drink you can project your personality onto. “I enjoy reading a person based on their Martini order. There are some people who can tell you in two or three words exactly what they want. You can also tell when someone has no idea what they’re talking about, but loves the sound of their own voice.”

Sebastian Schwarz, wine and beverage director of Mott 32 Toronto, finds that the Martini is a blank canvas for flavour.

“They’re foundations for experimentation,” he says. “If you were to come by Mott 32 and ask me to make you a Martini, I’d ask you about your favourite things, places you’ve visited and types of food you like, etc.”

He’ll match vermouths, bitters, gins and vodkas to the drinker. “Clean and delicately

chilled vodka with a few drops of artisanal vermouth. A salty ‘dirty’ gin Martini. A fruity lychee refresher. If a spring walk in Japan is what you’d like to experience, then we can make that. With so many flavours and aromas accessible to us, the possibilities are endless.”

“I’m sure the Martini will settle down for a bit and let another cocktail step back into the spotlight for a while,” says Grant. “But it won’t be gone for long, I’m sure.”

Adds Curzon-Price: “Martinis are, and forever will be, cool.”

Suyo’s Max Curzon-Price notes that the modern Martini is “transcending its specific recipe.” Chelsea Brown photo

A Japanese whisky pilgrimage

TASTE THE 90-YEAR LEGACY OF NIKKA WHISKY AT THESE ESSENTIAL STOPS

by Charlene Rooke

Yoichi, Japan, is in many ways similar to Scotland, which is why Masataka Taketsuru chose it as the site for the Nikka Whisky distillery. Photo courtesy of Nikka Whisky

In most parts of the world, the whisky made there (or the brandy, vodka, rum…) is the result of what grows and thrives in a particular place. The century-old Japanese whisky industry is entirely unique: It’s based on one person’s DNA, and his global quest for whisky excellence.

The grandfather of Japanese whisky founded two of its most famous labels more than 100 years ago: Suntory, in 1923; and Nikka, in 1934. In Nikka’s 90th anniversary year, the brand invited a select group of whisky-philes to trace its founder’s path across Japan. Here’s a taste of Nikka whisk-tory.

HOME BASE: OSAKA

In 1918, 22-year-old Masataka Taketsuru was sent to Scotland by his employer, an Osaka industrial-alcohol-producing company called Settsu Shuzo. Taketsuru, who came from a sake-brewing family in the Hiroshima region and studied fermentation in Osaka, was hand-picked to learn the whisky-making trade and bring authentic Scottish customs back to start the Japanese whisky industry.

Visit: Bar K in Osaka, a tiny basement space (typical of many elite but pocketsized Japanese bars) with a massive whisky selection and a focus on Japanese whisky.

Bonus visit: The hardcore Nikka fan tour would stop in San Francisco en route from Japan to Scotland, since Taketsuru hopped off his ship to briefly study winemaking.

HOME ROOM: SCOTLAND

Until 1920, Taketsuru studied at the University of Glasgow and the city’s Royal Technical College and apprenticed at three Scotch distilleries (Longmorn in Speyside, Bo’ness in Falkirk and Hazelburn in Campbeltown). He brought more than indepth Scotch production knowledge back to Japan: He married a Scottish woman, Rita, before he returned to Japan.

Visit: The Pot Still, an 800-bottle-strong whisky bar in Glasgow founded in the 1860s.

HOME OF THE NAME: HIROSAKI

Returning to Japan, Taketsuru discovered that his former employer couldn’t fund his whisky dreams in the austere, post-First World War environment. In 1923, he joined the company that would eventually become Suntory and was instrumental in founding the Yamazaki Distillery between Kyoto and Osaka.

But like every craft distiller with a dream, Taketsuru eventually figured out a way to finance his whisky program. In 1934, he founded the Dai Nippon Kaju (“great Japanese fruit juice”) company to make

Masataka Taketsuru founded Nikka Whisky in 1934. Photo courtesy of Nikka Whisky

LEFT: While waiting to fulfill his whisky dream, Taketsuru created a cidery that is still operational today. RIGHT: A tour guide in a distinctly U.K.-inspired uniform leads visitors around the Yoichi distillery. Charlene Rooke photos

apple juice and cider, and it’s from this era that Nikka (“NIppon KAju”) gets its name.

Today, Nikka Hirosaki Cidery is located in the Aomori region and still produces delicious apple cider plus Nikka Apple Wine, a 22 per cent ABV tipple that’s the love child of apple brandy and aperitivo fortified wine.

Visit: Pub Grandpa, a dark and cozy Hirosaki haunt with a deep back bar of whisky.

HOME OF MALT: YOICHI DISTILLERY

On Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido, a peninsula west of Sapporo hemmed in by mountains and jutting into the Sea of Japan was the spot that most resembled Scotland, according to Taketsuru. In Yoichi, he founded the first Nikka distillery and lived on the distillery site overseeing production, with the first whiskies released around 1940.

Ninety years later, advance reservations for free visits are essential, busloads aren’t welcome and tours are mostly in Japanese, but a pilgrimage to Yoichi Distillery is still a must-see.

The now-defunct floor malting Kiln House and the copper pot stillhouse are both still

Whisky slumbers in the barrel cellar. Photos courtesy of Nikka Whisky

direct-fired by coal, meticulously shoveled by some of the army of blue-tracksuited Nikka workers who bustle around the very Scottish-looking distillery compound of red cupola-topped stone buildings. Tour guides wearing red coats and black bowler hats look like they’re straight out of the U.K. Two dozen dunnage-style stone warehouses smell

Nikka’s Yoichi distillery, the copper pot stills are still fired by coal, just as they were 90 years ago. Photos

of the finest angel’s share on earth, and a cooperage is busy re-charring, repairing and readying barrels, everything from new casks made of Japanese mizunara oak to massive sherry butts, American oak barrels and recoopered Scottish-style hogshead casks.

The house where Masataka and Rita Taketsuru lived (she died in 1961, and he lived until 1979) has been lovingly preserved, including the chair where he sat and smoked a pipe every night, their tatami-mat bedroom and the closet with her fur coat and his monogrammed tweed jackets, even the Nikka-emblazoned mugs in their kitchen. (In a one-time corporate

At

courtesy of Nikka Whisky

At Yoichi, visitors can check out artifacts from Nikka Whisky’s 90-year history, then enjoy a rare, distilleryonly dram in the tasting room.Charlene Rooke photos

boardroom concealed above the entryway arch, more quirky artifacts are preserved, including a taxidermied Japanese marten named Ten that wandered into the barrel house decades ago and froze to death: It gave its life to whisky!)

Visit: Most Yoichi visitors stay in nearby Sapporo (about an hour’s drive), where the famous 1950s-vintage temple of Japanese bartending, Bar Yamazaki (named for its late founder, not the whisky), is virtually hidden in an anonymous tower. Have a more modern, but equally divine, cocktail evening at Bar Owl and Rooster (Vancouverites may recognize proprietor Hisatsugu Saito, who previously bartended in Canada and poped up recently at cocktail week), an amari- and absinthefocused bar with immaculate cocktails and intriguing vintage and craft spirits.

MODERN HOME: YOICHI RESTAURANT, MUSEUM AND TASTING ROOM

A modern building at Yoichi houses a restaurant where you can taste not only regional Japanese food, but Scottish specialties (from fish and chips to the shepherd’s pie the founder’s wife made), or a smoked snack plate that comes in a tajinetype dish shaped like a Nikka pot still. Taste

several signature highballs made from Nikka whiskies and its traditional apple wine.

The on-site museum, with fascinating exhibits (in Japanese and English) on the distillery’s history and flagship whiskies, culminates in a legendary tasting room. Choose your tasting-room samples wisely— distillery-only drams recently included Tsuru, a limited-edition 17-year-old blended whisky, as well as a single-cask 10-year-old Yoichi malt.

It’s also a cool opportunity to individually taste the three component bottlings (vanillaoaked, sherried and peaty malts) that make up Yoichi Single Malt, or not-availablein-Canada bottlings like Nikka Session, blended from two Japanese malts plus Scottish Ben Nevis (also owned, like Nikka, by the Asahi group) whisky.

Visit: Rita’s Kitchen and the tasting-room in the Nikka Museum are the places to imbibe.

BAR BASICS

What you need to know for making the recipes in The Alchemist.

ESSENTIALS

Measurements: For the most part, our recipes are in imperial volume (fluid ounces, teaspoons and cups). We might occasionally use weight (for instance, an ounce of tea leaves for an infusion); in those cases, it will be noted.

Tools: The essentials are a cocktail shaker (cobbler or Boston), mixing glass, jigger, citrus juicer, Hawthorne and fine-mesh strainers, muddler, bar spoon, sharp knife and vegetable peeler. Any special tools will be noted.

Glassware: You could fill your cupboards with different types of glassware, but you only really need three (aside from wine and beer): a stemmed “cocktail” glass, either the V-shaped martini or curved coupe; the short, stubby rocks or Old Fashioned; and the tall, narrow Collins.

SWEETENERS

Simple syrup: This is the basic sweetener in many cocktails; because the sugar is already dissolved, you won’t get a gritty, sandy sludge in the bottom of your glass. To make it: Bring equal amounts of sugar and water just to a boil in small pot over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat, cool, and place in a clean jar or bottle. Will keep in the fridge for about two weeks.

Not-so-simple syrup: There are a couple of ways to add flavour to the basic simple syrup process. 1. Replace the water with another liquid, such as tea or juice. 2. Simmer the syrup with spices or hardy herbs such as cloves, cinnamon, ginger or rosemary and let them steep as the syrup cools. 3. Add soft herbs, such as mint or basil, to steep for a few minutes in the hot syrup after it is removed from the heat.

TERMINOLOGY

Double or fine strain: This means straining your cocktail through both a Hawthorne and fine-mesh strainer to remove ice, pulp, seeds and other small fragments that can muddy the texture of shaken drinks.

Dry shake: Shake without ice; this is often used to increase the froth in egg-based drinks like flips and sours.

Long, tall, lengthened: A drink with soda water and ice added to it, typically served in a Collins glass.

Rim: To rim a glass with salt, sugar or spice mixtures, run a lemon or lime wedge around the lip of the glass, then dip it into the seasoning.

Rocks: Served on ice.

Straight, neat: Served without ice.

Twist: A slice of citrus peel, with no pith or flesh attached, used as garnish.

Up: A cocktail served without ice in a stemmed cocktail glass or coupe.

Spirits in da house

HOW THE ROTOVAP IS CREATING A FLAVOUR REVOLUTION

by Christine Sismondo

The first cocktail I had the pleasure of trying in the recently revamped Library Bar at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York was the Sacred Beast, a spiritforward lowball made with bourbon, mezcal, verjus, lapsang souchong tea and habanero.

Before you get to sip, though, the drink puts on a little show. Atop the glass is a slate coaster that entirely covers the cocktail and supports a small nest of steel wool that the bartender ignites to create a “cinnamon explosion”—sparks sprinting through the threads to create a mini-pyrotechnic display and a puff of baking spice smoke.

It’s a neat trick. The real magic, however, is the flavour profile. Given the ingredient list, you might expect a jacked-up spicy smoke bomb, but instead the Sacred Beast drinks like a mellow and perfectly balanced midcentury classic that delivers plenty of sweet, sour and delightfully fruity notes to tamp down the char. One of the key elements bringing it all together is the habanero distillate, which is made in the basement of the hotel with a fancy piece of equipment called a “rotary evaporator”—a device better known as a rotovap that separates out compounds to create flavour-packed extracts from raw ingredients.

ABOVE: At Toronto’s Library Bar, the Sacred Beast cocktail is topped with a fiery cloud, but the real drama comes from the habanero distillate made using a rotary evaporator (see image to left). Instagram.com/LibraryBarToronto

“Because the rotovap can separate certain compounds such as tannins, colours or spice, you can make an extract that’s focused on one element of a raw ingredient’s flavour,” explains James Grant, beverage director at the Fairmont Royal York. “In this case, the habanero distillate showcases the pepper’s fruity essence instead of the heat.”

Since the habanero is famous for how high it scores on the Scoville scale, few of us are aware that the pepper even has another dimension, but there’s

BECAUSE THE ROTOVAP CAN SEPARATE CERTAIN COMPOUNDS SUCH AS TANNINS, COLOURS OR SPICE, YOU CAN MAKE AN EXTRACT THAT’S FOCUSED ON ONE ELEMENT OF A RAW INGREDIENT’S FLAVOUR.

a seriously tasty tropical fruit side to its personality. Even though few have consciously noted this, the moment you smell its floral aroma and taste the sweet and crunchy fruit, you realize it’s been there all along. It’s magic, thanks to the rotovap.

CULINARY POTENTIAL

Invented in 1950 by Lyman C. Craig, a chemist at the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, rotovaps remove solvents with different boiling points, much like traditional distillation. However, unlike a still, rotary evaporation is a very gentle process, which is why it was widely adopted in chemistry labs within a couple of decades.

About 15 years ago, modernist chefs and bartenders realized the rotovap’s gentle process had massive culinary potential, since it can be used to preserve and distill the flavour profile even with extremely delicate ingredients. Thanks to a couple of obstacles though (mostly cost), it’s only now starting to pop up at some bars in Canada.

“The rotovap is on my wish list for next year, for sure,” says Shawn Soole, bar

At Toronto’s Bar Pompette, the rotovap is used to create distillates from ingredients such as the Mexican guava seen here, used in the Smack’A Guava cocktail. Facebook.com/Bar Pompette photo

OTHER

THAN PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY WHO ASK QUESTIONS, ALMOST NO ONE KNOWS WHERE THE FLAVOURS COME FROM

Mother, Civil Liberties, After Seven and Bar Pompette.

Plus, because it takes hours to make even relatively small quantities, there’s a labour cost involved. At the Royal York, Nick Incretolli, former head bartender at the hotel’s Clockwork Champagne and Cocktail Lounge, took a break from working behind the wood and is now in charge of the lab full-time. Rotovap operators may well be the new unsung heroes of the cocktail program.

FLAVOUR PACK

manager at Clive’s Classic Lounge in Victoria. “The only one I’m aware of on the West Coast is at Botanist Bar [at the Fairmont Pacific Rim]. Between cost and our tyrannical liquor inspectors, I think a lot of people aren’t even considering it.”

Although rotovap distillates are closer to refined versions of infusions than new-make spirits, British Columbia, after years of hassles, only allowed aged cocktails and infused spirits in bars in late 2016. In Ontario, bar owners seem to be less concerned about problems, but there’s still a hefty price tag (five figures) attached to a rotovap, which is partly why there are only a few in Toronto—at

“Other than people in the industry who ask questions, almost no one knows where the flavours come from,” says Hugo Togni of Bar Pompette, whose first big rotovap feature contained a Thai curry extract. Cornichon and birria have since been added to the program.

Togni says he thinks of these extracts as “flavour packs” and uses them the same way a chef would use spices in the base of a sauce.

“I mean, if someone wants to know, we can tell them,” Togni continues. “But more people don’t really think about the guy downstairs distilling for five hours and stuff like that. At the end of the day, all they want is a great cocktail.”

And, at Pompette, they’re certainly going to get exactly that.

Sip clearly now

WITH CLARIFIED COCKTAILS, BOTH THE PROCESS AND THE RESULT ARE A LITTLE BIT MAGICAL

Story, photos and recipes by

Clarifying cocktails may seem like a modern technique, but it actually dates to 1700s England, when milk punches were batched in large quantities in advance of parties.

Long before refrigeration, milk washing was a way to preserve the essence of fresh ingredients and stabilize deeper flavours from fresh juices, herbs and spices, all while making them shelf stable. (It was also believed to reduce the effects of acids in the stomach.)

The fresh citrus juice in the punch (or other beverage) instantly causes curds to form when it’s combined with high-fat milk. Solid particles attach to the fats, creating a goopy and unpleasant mixture that is strained through cheesecloth, leaving behind a clear liquid with rich texture and smooth flavour. You may as well have a drink while you wait, though,

From this unlikely looking mixture, a magical transformation occurs when the fats and acids interact with each other.

Matthew Benevoli

The process of clarifying this Piña Colada Punch creates both smooth texture and visual intrigue.

because filtering is a slow process as the liquid passes through the dense curds. Patience is key.

Once straining is complete, the liquid is transferred to a clean, sealable container, where it can last indefinitely. When served, it looks to be a simple stirred drink, but it has become greater than the sum of its parts, a silky-textured cocktail with all the unpleasant bitter notes removed.

Serve it to an unknowing guest, and you’re sure to see both confusion and delight as they taste what is truly a magical transformation.

For any questions or additional tips, please reach out to @m.benevoli on Instagram.

HOW TO CLARIFY A COCKTAIL

2 5 3 6 4 7

1. Build your cocktail or punch recipe (such as the Piña Colada Punch here) in a large vessel.

2. In a second large and sealable vessel, add whole milk. For the process to work, the milk must have a high fat content and should be equal to 25 per cent of the volume of your cocktail, in other words, a 4:1 ratio of cocktail to milk.

3. Slowly pour the cocktail over the whole milk. It will begin to curdle almost immediately. (Note that it’s essential to pour the cocktail over the milk and not the other way around—it won’t mix properly.)

4. Seal container and place in a refrigerator for at least one hour and up to 24 hours—the longer you leave it, the deeper the flavour development.

5. Place a strainer lined with multiple layers of cheesecloth or a coffee filter over a large vessel.

6. Gradually pour the curdled mixture into the strainer and allow the liquid to filter into the vessel. This will take some time. Top the strainer up as needed and change to a new filter when the current one is filled with curd mixture. (You may also need to refilter the entire batch one or more times to achieve the desired clarity.)

7. Transfer the cocktail to a clean sealable container and store in the refrigerator, and serve as desired.

PI Ñ A COLADA PUNCH (WITH A BARREL-AGED VARIATION)

In the clarified milk punch below, the lime juice and bitters create deeper layers of flavour, complementing the pineapple and rum. Note that you can adjust the recipe to your own taste; just make sure to preserve the ratio of 4:1 punch to whole milk.

425 mL rum (white, spiced and/or dark rums—all three styles were used for this punch)

350 mL coconut milk

700 mL pineapple juice

25 mL lime juice

7 dashes aromatic bitters

7 dashes cocoa bitters

375 mL whole milk (3.25% butterfat)

Optional garnish: fresh or dehydrated lime wheel

Place all cocktail ingredients (except milk and garnish) in a large sealable container and shake well to combine.

Place milk in a second large, sealable container and pour the cocktail over it.

Seal this container and place it in a refrigerator for at least one and up to 24 hours; two is ideal.

Line a strainer with multiple layers of cheesecloth (or use a coffee filter) and place it over a large vessel. Slowly strain the mixture through it, replacing the cheesecloth if it gets too clogged. You may need to repeat this a few times to achieve perfect clarity.

To serve: Stir the cocktail with ice and serve “up” in a cocktail glass or coupe, or pour it over ice in a rocks glass. If you like, garnish with a fresh or dehydrated lime wheel.

Makes 1.5 L or 10 drinks at 5 oz per drink.

Note: If you want to take this cocktail to the next level, barrel-age some or all of it for a few days or weeks to develop even more complexity of flavour and aroma. Find detailed instructions on barrel-aging at thealchemistmagazine. ca/category/home-bar/.

Matthew Benevoli’s recipe for Piña Colada Punch (above left) includes a barrel-aged option (above right).

’Tini talks

THE BEST GIN FOR MARTINIS, ACCORDING TO THE EXPERTS

Compiled by Reece Sims

DIRTY GIN MARTINI

Recipe by Chanelle Gabino (@chantigabino). Why three olives for garnish? “Because I want an olive at the beginning, middle and end of the drink.”

2.25 oz Roku Gin

0.75 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino

Extra Dry Vermouth

0.5 to 0.75 oz Cerignola olive brine

Garnish: lemon zest, 3 olives

Place gin, vermouth and olive brine in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake or stir depending on preference and occasion. Strain into a chilled coupe. Spritz with lemon oil and discard the zest. Skewer 3 olives and use them to garnish the drink. Serves 1.

Was it bartender Jerry Thomas, at San Francisco’s Occidental Hotel in the 1860s or was it Tartini di Taggia at New York’s Knickerbocker Hotel in 1911 who invented the Martini? And is it a 5:1 ratio of gin to dry vermouth or equal parts that is the correct recipe these days?

While it seems that the Martini’s origins and recipe are, well, mixed, few cocktails rival the

iStock/Getty Images Plus/5PH photo

Martini in its ability to showcase the intricate nuances of a spirit, with each ingredient playing a crucial role in crafting the perfect sip. From the classic dry Martini, with its clean, bracing profile, to innovative twists incorporating a spectrum of botanicals and garnishes, gin Martinis provide a platform for both convention and creativity.

We recently chatted with our panel of industry experts to see what gin they’re currently drinking

and their preferred Martini specs. The tasting panel for this edition features Evelyn Chick, Chantelle Gabino and Dash Tune from Toronto, Ontario, and Soren Schepkowski, Zoe Bates and Robyn Gray, from Vancouver, B.C.

EVELYN CHICK

PLYMOUTH ENGLISH GIN

41.2% ABV, $45.99 IN BC / $47.80 IN ONTARIO, 750 ML

“Plymouth is always my go to [for Martinis],” remarks Evelyn Chick, owner of Simpl Things, Ahma and Love of Cocktails. “It has a slightly higher ABV, is perfectly juniperforward and has some cardamom and coriander notes. Texturally, too, it’s got some nice body fit for any Martini preference whether it be 50:50, 2:1, with orange bitters, or even with a bit of olive brine for those who like a dirty Martini.”

When asked about her preferred recipe for a Martini, Chick notes, “For me, as I’m getting older, I prefer a 50:50 Martini with a twist. Depending on the gin I will select a different style of vermouth.”

Why Plymouth English Gin for a Martini:

“Right now I’m into the Plymouth English Gin and Guerra Dry Vermouth combination with a lemon twist and an olive. The subtle olive break in between sips is just a hit of salinity that ties the drink all together. But to me, Martinis are such a personal experience. At our cocktail bar we have a ‘Make Your Martini’ sheet that allows guests to choose their own adventure. They can really dive into preferences and pick their own specs and garnishes.”

CHANTELLE GABINO ROKU GIN

43% ABV, $50.99 IN BC / $55.20 IN ONTARIO, 750 ML

“Lately, I’ve been loving experimenting with Roku Gin because it offers a unique botanical structure to complement the occasion or

GIN MARTINI

1.5 oz Plymouth Gin

1.5 oz Guerra Dry Vermouth Garnish: lemon twist and olive Recipe by Evelyn Chick (@evelynchick).

Stir with ice in a mixing glass and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist and an olive. Serves 1.

style of cocktail I’m making or drinking,” says Chantelle Gabino, beverage manager for Recipe Unlimited Corporation. “I like to vary the ratios and method based on if I’m drinking this with food or alone, indoors or outdoors and if it’s hot or cold outside.”

Why Roku Gin for a Martini:

“Six of the botanicals found in Roku are distinctively unique to Japan, in addition to the eight traditional gin botanicals,” says Gabino. “The ones that stand out to me are sansho¯ pepper, cherry blossom [sakura flower], sakura leaf, yuzu peel and sencha tea.”

50/50

iStock/Getty

ImagesPlus/ HausOnThePrairie photo

iStock/Getty Images Plus/bhofack2 photo

DASH TUME

SIPSMITH LONDON DRY GIN

41.6% ABV, AROUND $49.50 IN BC (SPEC PRODUCT) / $45.25 IN ONTARIO, 750 ML

“For my classic gin Martini, I like to use a juniper- and citrus-forward gin with a gentle body to highlight the flavours and which will stand up well alongside the vermouth,” says Dash Tume, head bartender at Toronto’s Bar Pompette. “I like my Martini pretty wet with a 2:1 ratio of freezercold Sipsmith gin to extra-dry Italian vermouth with a dash of orange bitters.”

In terms of crafting the optimal gin Martini, Tume suggests that imbibers should “stir longer than you think, until it’s super cold and smooth on the palate, and serve it up in your most elegant stemware and garnish with a twist of lemon peel. I prefer to leave the twist on the side.”

WET MARTINI

Recipe by Dash Tume (@dasht______).

2 oz freezer-cold Sipsmith London Dry Gin

1 oz extra-dry Italian vermouth

1 dash orange bitters

Garnish: lemon twist

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Express the oils of a lemon twist over the cocktail, and garnish with the twist on the side. Serves 1.

Why Sipsmith London Dry Gin for a Martini: “I like Sipsmith London Dry Gin because its warm juniper notes shine in a Martini with a citrusy middle tone and a subtle hint of green herbs in the background support the velvety texture that I look for in a Martini,” notes Tume.

SOREN SCHEPKOWSKI THE BOTANIST ISLAY DRY GIN

46% ABV, $54.99 IN BC / $58.99 IN ONTARIO, 750 ML

“To me, a Martini should be bracingly cold with a good kick,” notes Soren Schepkowski, bar manager at Mount Pleasant Provisions in Vancouver. “To get it that cold you need to stir it for a long time, which adds a ton of water and can kill some of the flavour.

The Botanist Islay Dry Gin being a higher proof spirit helps it keep its character and delivers that bite. This makes

Kate Chernoff photo

it a great gin for any cocktail, but works especially well in a Martini.”

Why The Botanist Islay Dry Gin for a Martini: “Made from one of my favourite scotch producers, Bruichladdich, on the isle of Islay in Scotland, The Botanist Islay Dry Gin uses 22 locally foraged botanicals

Recipe by Soren Schepkowski (@big.cocktail.guy)

2 oz The Botanist Islay Dry Gin

0.75 oz dry vermouth

2 dashes orange bitters

Garnish: lemon twist

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist. Serves 1.

making it a true expression of where it comes from,” Schepkowski says. “The gin has great layered complexity and concentration, easily enjoyable on its own, but benefits from a touch of vermouth.”

ZOE BATES

SAIGON BAIGUR GIN

43% ABV, $64.99 IN BC / $74.95 IN ONTARIO, 700ML

Zoe Bates, bartender and marketing manager at Vancouver’s Laowai Cocktail Bar, prefers, in her words “a good wet gin Martini.” For those who aren’t up on their martini

MARTINI

Recipe by Zoe Bates (@zoeabates)

2 oz Saigon Baigur Gin

1 oz dry vermouth

Garnish: lemon twist

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Express the oils of a lemon twist over the cocktail, then garnish with the twist. Serves 1.

GIN MARTINI

iStock/Getty Images Plus/bhofack2 photo

WET

iStock/Getty Images Plus/ Mustafa Bugra Celik photo

GIN MARTINEZ

Recipe by Robyn Gray (@robynagray)

2 oz freezer-cold Sipsmith London Dry Gin

1 oz extra-dry Italian vermouth

1 dash orange bitters

Garnish: lemon twist

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Express the oils of a lemon twist over the cocktail, and garnish with the twist on the side. Serves 1.

iStock/Getty Images Plus/5PH photo

lingo, “wet” is a term that describes the use of a high proportion of dry vermouth. While there’s no exact agreed-upon proportion that makes a Martini wet, Bates’s version would be a 2:1 ratio of gin to vermouth.

“I’m excited and love to use Saigon Baigur Gin in my Martinis,” notes Bates. “It’s the first gin to be distilled in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and features 12 locally sourced botanicals that give it an exceptionally unique flavour that comes through in cocktails.”

Why Saigon Baigur Gin for a Martini: “Some of the more unexpected botanicals it uses are dragon fruit and bird’s eye chilis, giving it a little bit of fruity sweetness and subtle spice,” Bates says.

ROBYN GRAY

COPPERPENNY 005 SOCIAL PROJECT GIN

43.0% ABV, $57.00, 750 ML (ORDER DIRECT FROM THE DISTILLERY)

“I am an enormous fan of the Martinez, which is the precursor to the modern-day dry Martini,” says Robyn Gray, lead bartender at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Lobby Lounge. “The

reference of ‘dry’ in a Martini originally referred to the drink being prepared with dry vermouth instead of the sweet vermouth as we see with the Martinez. Then nomenclature changed and ‘dry’ became a descriptor for the amount of dry vermouth to be used rather than the type.”

Why Copperpenny 005 Social Project Gin for a Martinez: “Copperpenny 005 Social Project Gin is made by Copperpenny Distilling Co. in North Vancouver,” says Gray. “This local gin features gentle citrus flavours and exotic Mediterranean spices including Bulgarian juniper, Egyptian coriander and Moroccan grains of paradise. Well rounded, this gin is specifically designed for use in cocktails.”

If you’re based in Vancouver, learn more about All Things Martini at Copperpenny Distilling Co’s seminar series on Sunday, June 9, from 3 to 5 p.m. Details and tickets at copperpennydistilling.com.

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.

LAST CALL

GREAT WORLD BARS WE LOVE: THE ALICE AT THE RANDOLPH HOTEL

Touches of Wonderland can be found throughout Oxford. The centuries-old city has long been home to some of the world’s top minds, yet it also fully embraces the playful madness of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The book’s author, Lewis Carroll (born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), was a mathematician at Oxford University and touches of the city and its people made their way into his work. Now, nearly 130 years after Alice was first published, the city pays back that love in kind by incorporating Carroll’s work into its culture.

A good cocktail bar should feel like stepping through the looking glass and that’s exactly you will experience at The Alice, located inside the historic Randolph Hotel, a building as old as the story itself.

The Randolph’s primary dining room and bar, The Alice incorporates its namesake theme through illustrations created by John Broadley and inspired by the work of British cartoonist Osbert Lancaster, a former resident of The Randolph who paid for his keep in paintings. The artwork is hung against the backdrop of an updated Art Deco brasserie with mosaic tile floors and millennial-pink tufted leather couches. But true to Wonderland standards, The Alice also contains a White Rabbit warren collection of secret rooms and surprises to be found, each with its own distinct esthetic and slight touch of whimsy.

The Snug lounge, for instance, is opulent, eclectic, cozy and intimate, tucked between the brasserie and a private dining room

At The Alice, there are delightful surprises around every corner. Photo courtesy Graduate Hotels

that features a stained-glass rendition of the book’s croquet scene. (There’s also a bar called The Morse, in honour of Colin Dexter’s fictional, Oxford-based inspector.)

The Alice-inspired cocktails are simple but precisely and perfectly balanced. For instance, in The Queen of Hearts, rhubarb, lemon, grenadine, Chambord and gin combine for a light, yet spirit-forward pink dream. But be warned: Too many, and you may find yourself down the rabbit hole. graduatehotels.com/ oxford-uk —Allie Turner

Presented by

Vancouver Cocktail Week is back March 2-9, 2025.

Follow along at thealchemistmagazine.ca/vcw for festival news and the latest updates on events and ticket sales.

WANT TO BE PART OF VANCOUVER COCKTAIL WEEK 2025?

To enquire about sponsoring Vancouver’s largest spirit festival, the Cinq à Sept bar series, the main tasting gala or to hold a VCW seminar or event contact event producer Gail Nugent at gnugent@glaciermedia.ca.