Bye-bye bourbon. It’s Canadian whisky’s time to shine in these modern cocktails
For decades, Canadian whisky has played the quiet backbone in everything from Manhattans to whisky sours. But now, a new wave of bartenders is reclaiming it—not just as a versatile base spirit, but as a way to express local terroir, seasonality and storytelling in the glass. Whether it’s smoky and coastal, floral and bright, or tropical and spiced, Canadian whisky is proving that it can do more than blend in: It can take the lead.
We sat down with seven bartenders from across Canada to find out which whiskies they’re reaching for and the signature cocktails they’re crafting to showcase them.
The tasting panel for this edition features Lacey Roberts, Ryan Buchanan and Griffin Cox from British Columbia, Bradley Horseman from Alberta, and Kat Saulnier and Tristin Vissers from Ontario.
Lacey Roberts
Bearface Triple Oak Canadian Whisky
42.5% ABV, BC: $39.99 / Ontario: $39.95, 750 mL
At Vancouver’s Michelin-starred Published on Main, head bartender Lacey Roberts (@ZommiZelda) has long been championing Canadian whisky—particularly Bearface. “I’ve been a massive fan since 2018,” she says. “It’s 100 per cent corn, aged in multiple casks and made right here in B.C., which makes it not just versatile behind the bar, but also something I’m proud to introduce guests to.”
Bearface has carved out a unique space in Canada’s whisky landscape, thanks in large part to the creative vision of master blender Andres Faustinelli. “His scientific approach, combined with a love for foraging and the wildness of our landscape, really speaks to me,” Roberts says. The brand’s Wilderness Series is a prime example—each release captures a different element of B.C. terroir, from matsutake mushrooms foraged in the Kootenays to distilled salt water from the Pacific Coast and now a third bottling inspired by the air of the forest.
Suggested cocktail: Pollination. Bearface’s distinct character served as the perfect foundation for a cocktail that connects flavour, place and story in Roberts’s Bianco Manhattan, which is poured tableside from a beeswax-coated vessel, the wax sourced directly from the Queen Elizabeth Park apiary.
“At its heart, Pollination is about showcasing elderflower and honey—two ingredients that naturally pair with the light vanilla, spice and warmth of Bearface,” she explains. “It’s spirit-forward, but soft enough to sip any time of day. And I love the playfulness of tying the theme together: flowers, honey and, of course, bears.”
Ryan Buchanan
Shelter Point Smoke Point
53% ABV, $83.75, 750 mL
For Ryan Buchanan (@rjbuch31), bar manager and “spirits adviser” at Arcana Spirits Lounge, great whiskies tell a story of place. And few do that better, he says, than Shelter Point Smoke Point—a limited expression from Vancouver Island’s coastal distillery. “Shelter Point is doing something really special,” Buchanan says. “They’re using Canadian barley, local water and their seaside environment to create whisky with a true sense of terroir. You can taste the West Coast in it.”
Smoke Point is finished in barrels that have been smoked with driftwood and seaweed, giving the whisky a coastal smokiness that evokes Islay scotch, but with a distinctly Pacific personality. “It’s rich, saline, and subtly wild like ocean air and earth meeting fire,” he says.
Suggested cocktail: Devil. This bold, smoky and slightly spicy serve showcases the Smoke Point whisky without overwhelming it. “We use chipotle liqueur and spiced honey to amplify the smoke, then balance it with lemon juice and our vegan super foamer to give it lift and texture,” Buchanan says. “It’s got depth, but it’s also incredibly drinkable.”
The result is a drink that’s smoky, but nuanced, with enough sweetness and acid to keep the palate coming back. “It’s a little ritualistic,” Buchanan says. “Rich, spicy, elemental—just like Shelter Point itself.”
Lucas Van Es
J.P. Wiser’s 10 Year Old
40% ABV, BC: $30.99 / Ontario: $35.95, 750 mL
Bagheera’s bartender Lucas Van Es (@whatslukedrinking) set out to create a cocktail that felt like spring in Canada—bright, herbal and quietly complex. He started with J.P. Wiser’s 10 Year Old, a whisky he describes as “versatile, character-driven and grounded in Canadian heritage.” Aged for a decade, it offers notes of buttery shortbread, toasted oak and just enough rye spice to keep it lively.
“It’s not trying to be something it’s not,” Van Es explains. “It’s confident and clean—a dream to mix with.”
Suggested cocktail: How the Whale Got His Throat. It takes its name from a Rudyard Kipling short story in which an Irish boy is swallowed by a whale and spat out in Labrador. That journey inspired the drink’s split base of Irish and Canadian whisky, and its wild, botanical character.
A homemade sea buckthorn cordial brings vibrant acidity and fruit, layered with Labrador tea, rosemary and lemon verbena for an earthy, aromatic backbone. A touch of Strega adds forest spice, and it’s topped with force-carbonated elderflower soda for an elegant sparkle.
“It’s smooth, herbaceous and effervescent,” Van Es says. “Fruity on the front, green in the middle, with a clean, mellow finish. A little whimsical, a little wild—just like the story.”
Griffin Cox
Dillon’s Three Oaks Rye Whisky
43% ABV, BC: $49.99 / Ontario: $49.95, 750 mL
Griffin Cox, bar manager at Bernie’s Supper Club & Cinema in Kelowna, has been finding endless inspiration in Dillon’s Three Oaks Rye Whisky—a bottle that “perfectly balances familiarity and complexity,” he says.
“I’ve been using it across a range of cocktails,” Cox explains. “Canadian ryes tend to be incredibly cocktail-friendly, but this one in particular hits a sweet spot. It’s versatile without being neutral. It wants to be built on.”
What sets Dillon’s apart, he says, is its layered oak profile. Aged in a blend of first-fill bourbon casks, new American oak and Ontario oak, the whisky shows comforting notes of vanilla, sweet spice and something distinctly herbal that comes from the local wood. “That Ontario oak brings out a subtle, earthy greenness that plays beautifully with rye grain—it opens up a lot of doors when you’re building flavours.”
Suggested cocktail: Lost Highway. This thoughtful spin on a whisky smash uses flavour mapping to showcase the whisky’s range. “It started by pulling out the key notes I was getting from the Three Oaks—spice, mint, herbal oak—and then layering in things that either complement or contrast them,” Cox explains. “Stone fruit deepens the body, tonka bean doubles down on the baking spice, and our house-made Super Orange brings acidity and brightness without fighting the whisky.”
This bright, layered and grounded cocktail is refreshing as it is complex. “It’s the kind of drink that plays well with whisky lovers and cocktail newcomers alike. And it all starts with choosing a base that gives you something to build on.”
Bradley Horseman
Forty Creek Copper Bold
43% ABV, BC: $31.49 / Ontario: $35.70, 750 mL
Bradley Horseman (@iamtherealponyboy), bar manager at Calgary’s Salt & Brick, describes the Forty Creek Copper Bold as “elegant, strong, and quietly sophisticated,” adding that at 43% ABV, it brings structure to the glass—but doesn’t overpower the supporting cast. “There’s a soft vanilla note and winter spice that makes it incredibly fun to mix with,” he says. “It’s the kind of whisky that holds its own in tropical drinks without clashing.”
Suggested cocktail: High Fives All Around. With no patio at Salt & Brick, Horseman had a simple goal for his latest cocktail menu: Bring the beach to the bar. The result is a tropical-leaning, whisky-based tiki drink that’s all sunshine, spice and a shot of nostalgia. In it, Forty Creek Copper Bold is paired with Punt e Mes, maraschino liqueur, lemon, pineapple and a house-made Chinese five spice agave syrup that brings an unexpected savoury depth. It’s tiki, yes—but with a Canadian twist.
The cocktail’s name is a nod to his snowboarding crew from Saskatchewan. “Every year on our trip, no matter what happens, we say it: High fives all around. It’s a vibe,” Horseman says. “I wanted the drink to feel like that moment—celebratory, laid-back and a little sun-soaked.”
Kat Saulnier
Lot 40 Rye Whisky
43% ABV, BC: $44.99 / Ontario: $42.45, 750 mL
Bar Mordecai’s Kat Saulnier (@danger.kat) has found her new favourite whisky for cocktail-building in Lot 40. “With American bourbons getting harder to source, I’ve been diving into Canadian options—and Lot 40 is easily one of the most dynamic,” she says. “It’s bold and dry with a spicy punch, which makes it strong enough for something like an Old Fashioned, but subtle enough to blend into more layered drinks.”
Suggested cocktail: Rat Boy. Lot 40’s balance of power and restraint is exactly why she built her latest cocktail around it. “It’s a tiki-inspired drink, but definitely not your usual rum-and-fruit combo,” Saulnier explains. “Lot 40 brings the depth, but it doesn’t take over—it works with the other flavours to build something complex and silky.”
The drink blends salted oat orgeat, fino sherry, Strega, lemon and a dash of Angostura bitters, resulting in a rich, textural serve with an unexpected savoury note. “The oat orgeat and sherry give it umami, while the whisky cuts through with spice and structure. It’s bright, herbal, and layered—but totally crushable over ice.”
Tristin Vissers
Bearface Triple Oak Canadian Whisky
42.5% ABV, BC: $39.99 / Ontario: $39.95, 750 mL
For Tristin Vissers (@tristin_vissers), bartender at Library Bar in Toronto, Bearface, a 100-per-cent corn Canadian whisky aged in American and Hungarian oak “fills the gap bourbon used to occupy.” He adds: “Creamy, dessert-like notes of crème brûlée, honey and vanilla make it a dream for tropical-style builds—even though it’s not traditional tiki.”
Suggested cocktail: The Belly of the Beast. For Vissers, cocktail creation is about more than flavour—it’s about storytelling. His drink takes its inspiration from Michael Ondaatje’s novel In the Skin of a Lion, and channels the experience of immigrants arriving in early 20th-century Canada: cold, hard and full of the unexpected.
The Belly of the Beast is his imagined version of a “transatlantic tiki” cocktail, combining Canadian and European ingredients into something vibrant, spiced and a little nutty. “It’s like a sea buckthorn butter tart in drink form,” Vissers says. “Bright and tangy up front, with a rich, almost pastry-like finish.”
It’s a cocktail that doesn’t just taste good, it carries narrative weight. “They came expecting gold and found ice and work,” he says, quoting the novel. “This drink is for them—and for anyone finding warmth in unexpected places.”
—Compiled by Reece Sims
