There’s a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on across Canada this fall, and stirring, building, infusing and maybe even a little throwing, too. The global finals of World Class just wrapped up in Toronto, and the city is just hosted the inaugural Toronto Cocktail Festival, from October 22 to 26. It was brought to you by The Alchemist magazine team behind Vancouver Cocktail Week, which celebrates its fifth anniversary in March. But big events aside, every night is cocktail night in Canada, with bars from coast to coast celebrating cocktail culture and, more importantly, connection.

Here at The Alchemist, we love the craft of cocktail culture, but mostly we love its conviviality. In an era of loneliness and division, when we spend more time on our screens than talking to each other, cocktails give us a reason to slow down and connect.

Cocktails are also a great vehicle for storytelling. That’s what Christine Sismondo found in her story on narrative-driven cocktail menus, whether they follow the exploits of a 19th-century explorer/geographer/naturalist/general polymath, dive into the history of Chinatown or capture a community’s unique vibe. And no one says cocktails even have to contain alcohol—in our story on the “10-year overnight success story” of a Kelowna-based syrup maker, we also look at the massive popularity of “dirty sodas” and offer tips for making your own.

In this issue we also take a deep dive into the smoky deliciousness of mezcal, learn how to make hot buttered rum, celebrate some big wins and check out new spirits and cool bars both near and far. Mostly, though, we’ll be raising a glass to spending good times with good friends, preferably over a glass of something delicious and thoughtfully crafted.

Find The Alchemist in select distilleries, cocktail bars and independent liquor stores across B.C. and Ontario. Or make sure you never miss an issue, and subscribe right here.

—Joanne Sasvari, Editor