Sip and celebrate your way through these seasonal and pop-up drinks events in Vancouver, Victoria, Whistler and Toronto.
12 Drinks of Christmas
Whisky from the West
It’s great to see those interprovincial trade barriers being chipped away, especially when that means we get to enjoy delicious things from across the country. Case in point: two exceptional whiskies from Western Canada that are entering the Ontario market.
Tickets are on sale now for Vancouver Cocktail Week 2026!
The city’s best party returns March 1 to 8 with all your favourite events and brand-new ones, including the unmissable Gala of Cocktails.
The most spirited week of the year is back! Get ready to raise a glass because Vancouver Cocktail Week presented by The Alchemist is returning March 1-8, 2026 with a spectacular line-up of events, and tickets for the highly-anticipated Signature Events are officially on sale now!
How to pair tequila with food, according to a tequila sommelier
While tequila’s most iconic sidekicks might be a lick of salt and a slurp of lime, those are far from the only flavour pairings that work for the iconic Mexican agave spirit. Tequila makes a surprisingly great sipper and pairing alongside a variety of foods—not just Mexican cuisine.
13 gift ideas for the spirit lovers on your list
These spirited gifts will warm hearts and glasses all season long
Vancouver Cocktail Week returns March 1 to 8, 2026
Tickets go on sale December 1 for the March event
Start planning now for Vancouver Cocktail Week presented by The Alchemist magazine, a celebration of the city’s immense and internationally award-winning cocktail talent. In March 2026, VCW celebrates its fifth anniversary with all the fabulous, cocktail-focused events Vancouver has grown to love—and some exciting brand-new ones, too.
A really likeable read
We can’t wait to read 2017 World Class champion Kaitlyn Stewart’s new book, Three Cheers: Cocktails Three Ways: Classics, Riffs, and Zero-Proof Sips (Penguin). Stewart, the Vancouver bartender also known as Likeable Cocktails, takes 55 classics and offers a modern version and a non-alcoholic one for each, for an impressive total of 165 recipes for every mood—and everybody.
We are who we meet
At No Vacancy, Troy Gilchrist distills a lifetime of experience into flawless hospitality
Behind the wood at No Vacancy, veteran bartender Troy Gilchrist and his small crew of fellow bartenders Kat Yu and Nick Hurd embody the ethos that personal connection is the business they are in and everything else is simply implementation. The result is one of those places where entertainment, showmanship and finely crafted cocktails are born together, and live together, within its walls.
The spirit of the coast, redefined: Sanctuary Single Malt’s new Whisky
A new release of Phillips Brewing’s signature whisky hits the shelves this November
Phillips Brewing is raising a glass to a bold new chapter with the rebrand and 2026 release of its Sanctuary Signature Whisky.
Drawing inspiration from the wild beauty of the Pacific Northwest’s coastal forests, the Victoria-based brewery and distillery has unveiled a refreshed new whisky and refined story for its Sanctuary Single Malt — a spirit that embodies the rugged charm of Vancouver Island.
Prophecy pinned at the Pinnacle
For the first time, some of Canada’s greatest watering holes have been recognized by The Pinnacle Guide, a new recognition system for cocktail bars. Think of it as Michelin, but for the stirred-and-shaken set, offering one, two or three “pins” rather than stars; one pin means “excellent,” two “outstanding” and three “exceptional.”