Canada's only magazine dedicated to distillers, spirits and cocktail culture.
This summer’s hot hospitality concept in Vancouver is the all-day cocktail-café: the kind of place where you can have a breakfast meeting, cram in some laptop time, then transition to cocktails with friends—and maybe pick up a gift on your way home.
The Toronto Cocktail Festival is back for its second annual edition from October 18-25, inviting cocktail enthusiasts to celebrate the creativity, craftsmanship, and hospitality of Toronto’s vibrant bar scene. Presented by The Alchemist magazine, the eight-day festival features a diverse lineup of guest bartender takeovers, cocktail-paired dinners, tastings, seminars, and neighbourhood crawls hosted by top local, national, and international talent.
There’s no shortage of canned and bottled ready-to-drink cocktails from big international brands—but why not drink local this summer? Award-winning bar owner Nick Kennedy (Civil Liberties) is one of the founders of Civil Pours, a Toronto company that crafts bartender-quality bottled cocktails, made with sustainability in mind. New for this summer: a Daiquiri and a Gimlet, which will be available along with the ever-popular Cosmopolitan, at civilpours.com. The crowd-pleasing Jalapeño Margarita, made spicy with an herbaceous chili-pepper distillate, is also available at LCBO stores.
When you think of Canada’s most exclusive cocktail experiences, Vancouver and Toronto probably come to mind first. Yet Reddin’s Speakeasy in Charlottetown is putting Prince Edward Island on that list.
Vancouver bar owner and entrepreneur Lewis Hart is a co-founder of the world’s first ready-to-drink bottled cocktail based on Chinese baijiu, the best-selling spirit in the world. Called Maopao (meaning to bubble or fizz in Mandarin), it makes its world debut in the UK this summer, through a global collaboration with Shinano World, a Japanese premium drinks brand.
Two years ago, Suite 115, a semi-hidden bar with precision cocktails in Toronto’s Little Italy neighbourhood, burst onto the city’s lively and dynamic scene—seemingly out of nowhere.
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 oz tequila
1/2 oz mezcal
3/4 oz grapefruit liqueur
1 oz citric acid solution (20:1 water to acid, by weight; optional)
1/2 oz agave syrup, or less to taste
1/2 oz fresh cantaloupe juice
2 oz soda water
meringue shard, garnish
Wallflower Gin (44%ABV, $47, 750 ml) is a 100% B.C. spirit blending West Coast botanicals into an aromatic, floral masterpiece. For summer, try award-winning Strawberry Wallflower Gin (40% ABV, $54, 750 ml). Infused with local Fraser Valley strawberries, it perfectly balances bright fruit with delicate floral and citrus notes.
Stop by the East Vancouver distillery to taste new world-inspired additions to the Wallflower series launching this summer. OddSocietySpirits.com
43% ABV, $68 (750ml)
Smoky spirit fans rejoice-—Ember Smoked Gin brought home the Gold at the 2026 World Gin Awards! Born from the pristine forests, valleys and waters of British Columbia, this charismatic grain-to-glass gin is crafted by our distillers using premium B.C. wheat and a wild blend of 11 botanicals including foraged B.C. juniper. Each batch is emboldened with smoke from coastal pine embers, capturing not just B.C.’s earthy terroir, but the very soul of the Canadian West Coast. Go to copperpenny.co to purchase or find local stockists.
Sweetwater Distilling Co. 30% ABV, $42 (375 ml)
Crafted from 100% B.C. apples at our family farm distillery on Salt Spring Island, this premium gin is blended with our own fresh mountain spring water and infused with haskap berries, citrus, and distinctive botanicals, including hand-foraged grand fir and spruce tips. Notes of forest berry, rosemary, fir, and bright citrus create a refreshing woodsy profile inspired by the coastal forest. Enjoy over ice or with premium tonic for a crisp West Coast cocktail experience.
Available at the distillery, select private liquor stores and online at SweetwaterDistilling.ca.
Arbutus Distillery45% ABV, $59 (750 ml)
Rooted in the character of the land, this liqueur begins with distilled grapes and is infused with a blend of aromatic herbs and local wildflower honey. Reminiscent of Yellow Chartreuse, it offers soft floral notes, gentle spice, and natural sweetness that reflect its terroir in a balanced, expressive profile.
Available at the distillery and at ArbutusDistillery.com.
$75
Experience Macaloney’s signature Pete’s Tour! This intimate, hands-on distillery experience features three guided whisky tastings, a “Weird & Wonderful” mystery cask game, and a craft pint at the bar. Plus, take home a branded Glencairn glass and 50ml sample. Book your ultimate whisky adventure at Macaloneys.com today!
40% ABV, $60 (750 ml)
Sophie’s Gin is made from B.C. apples that are fermented into cider at the distillery. That cider is distilled, lightly charcoal-filtered, then distilled a second time with selected botanicals placed in the vapour line. The result is a smooth gin that goes well with summer evenings.
Available at the distillery (101-39279 Queens Way, Squamish), online at SixCatsDistillery.ca, and coming soon to private liquor stores.
22% ABV, $48.50 (750 ml)
A vibrant, West Coast take on the classic Italian aperitivo. Crafted from organic blood oranges, it opens with bright citrus aromatics layered with subtle raspberry notes and a soft, juicy sweetness. Think Aperol—but with fresh blood orange and a smoother, less bitter finish.
Perfect for spritzes, Arancello shines when paired with prosecco and a splash of soda, or enjoyed simply over ice. It also adds a lively citrus lift to cocktails.
Available at the distillery and at TheWoodsSpiritCo.com
40% ABV, $55 (750 ml)
Our unaged rye spirit is an aromatic and flavourful expression made with 100% organic B.C. rye grain. A perfect gift for the curious spirits collector.
World’s Best Grain Spirit (2024)
“Cleanly distilled with a fine grain character that is both complex and enticing. Berries with a touch of stone fruit join on the palate, along with a little amaretto nuttiness. A lovely, balanced digestif.”
Available at our distillery, select private liquor stores, and at CopperSpirit.ca
This summer, we invite you to raise a glass to the finer things in life. At The Alchemist, we celebrate great spirits, truly exceptional cocktails and the people who make them.