How restaurants and bars collaborate with craft distillers to create custom sips
The Banda Volpi amaro was created in partnership with Arbutus Distillery. Ian Lanterman photo
Vancouver hotspots like Osteria Elio Volpe and Caffè La Tana are authentically Italian, down to the tomatoes in the sugo. Yet your after-dinner limoncello might come from Esquimalt and your dark, bitter amaro from Nanaimo. The Banda Volpi restaurant group collaborates with B.C. distillers to create bespoke bottlings for its restaurants, and its “passion for creating and growing with our community is reflected in every bottle,” says group co-founder Paul Grundberg.
Just like L.A. itself, the top drinks are widely spread out across the city. Here are a few hotspots in diverse ’hoods, for epic coastal bar-crawling.
Bar Next Door’s Olive Drive is a must-drink martini: Sweet Gwendoline French gin, infused lime leaves and Thai chili, Wheatley vodka, olive brine, Dolin Dry, lemon essence, Castelvetrano olives. Instagram.com/barnextdoor photo
Hollywood and West Hollywood
A retro, neon-signed cocktail hideaway on the Sunset Strip that used to be a talent agency office representing Marilyn Monroe and other legends is now Bar Next Door. Vintage décor (including a reel-to-reel projector) and carefully crafted classic cocktails create laid-back sipping vibes that are a welcome respite from the Hollywood hustle. Order a thick, gooey slice of cup-and-burn pepperoni from Prince Street Pizza next door and a majestic Olive Drive cocktail, which Esquire called one of the best Martinis in America.
The Aubrey, named number 10 in Asia’s Best Bars 2024, has expansive 25th-floor views of the harbour. Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Tourist Board
Asia is one of the world’s hottest bar scenes, and Hong Kong is one of its hotspots — and home to the recently named number 1 in Asia’s Best Bars 2024. If you’re lucky enough to be staying at a hotel in the waterside Central ’hood, here’s what an epic cocktail crawl up the city’s escalators, stairs and levels might look like.
At TOCC, industry insiders get a taste of top trends
Toronto Cocktail Conference took place at The Drake Hotel August 12 and 13, 2024. Ashley Senja photo
Toronto Cocktail Conference (TOCC) powered through its fifth edition in August, drawing bartenders to Toronto’s The Drake Hotel from far-flung places to exchange ideas, build community and to drink in plenty of education and tasting (including the world’s best Martini!).
Old school glam reigns supreme at Collins at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Photo courtesy of Collins at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas
The bar scene is smoking hot (especially in the summer months!) in Las Vegas. These days on the Strip, it seems that every casino resort has not just opulent lobby and restaurant bars but also hidden cocktail dens (from high-class, vintage-spirits focused The Vault behind the Bellagio cashier’s cage to no less than four speaks at the Cosmopolitan!). In a city where you can drink 24-7, here are some stellar spots, focusing on the current hot zone to the north of the Strip to the local-favourite neighbourhoods beyond. With all the concerts and entertainment coming up in the desert, there are plenty of reasons to beat the heat inside a cool bar this summer.
Canada’s first out-and-proud 2SLGBTQIA+ owned and operated brand is becoming Squirrel Friendz with cocktail fans in B.C. and beyond
Squirrel Friendz isn’t just a spirit brand; it also promotes inclusivity and community, often by hosting drag events. Photo courtesy of Squirrel Friendz
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.
Taste the 90-year legacy of Nikka Whisky at these essential stops
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.
To celebrate National Bourbon Day in the U.S. (June 14, 2024), we take a deep dive into American whiskey, through three Kentucky distillery tours.
To kick off Jimmy Russell’s 70th anniversary year with Wild Turkey, the renaming of the visitor center commemorates Jimmy’s unwavering dedication to crafting bourbon his way. Photo courtesy of Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey: Shooting for Third-Generation Greatness
To dive into the world of Wild Turkey whisky, first consider going shooting. Picking off clay pigeons at the Anderson County Sportsman’s Club is a unique way to experience the lore behind the whiskey made nearby in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. It started with a spirit the Ripy brothers made starting in the 1800s that was sold by grocer Austin Nicholls (a name that still graced Wild Turkey labels until recent years). On 1940s hunting trips, a Ripy executive shared some of that whiskey, which became popularly known among straight shooters around the world as Wild Turkey.
At Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, guests can tour the commercial distillery, taste signature whiskies and stop at the On3 cocktail bar. Photo courtesy of Heaven Hill Brands
On historic blocks in downtown Louisville, Whiskey Row along West Main Street is a modern drinkers’ paradise. Today, not just bourbon distilling but bourbon education is the thing: many distilleries now refer to themselves as “campuses” and tasting-room experiences often approach the level of masterclasses. Bourbon nerds abound.
The crop of downtown distillery tasting rooms means you don’t even have to leave Louisville to experience the range of Kentucky bourbon. Another bonus: these tasting rooms have great gift shops with brand swag, bourbon accessories and, of course, rare bottlings (more secret-stash stores are below, too). You can walk all of Whiskey Row in about 30 minutes, or hop on a Bird or Lime rental scooter to speed between stops — no impaired scooting, please!
Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto represent Canada’s hot bar scene at North America’s 50 Best Bars 2024 in Mexico.
Vancouver’s Botanist Bar was number 24 at north America’s 50 Best bars 2024. Supplied photo
On a balmy night in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, a new North America’s Best Bar 2024 was crowned: Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City. At the same time, 2024 represented a strong showing for Canadian bars, with seven places landing on the list from the Great White North. Dozens of Canadians representing several bars made the trip to San Miguel de Allende for the ceremony, busily making plans for collabs, guest shifts and pop-ups with their North American and global colleagues in attendance.
Check back often for new events and updates or subscribe to the Vancouver Cocktail Week mailing list to receive event and ticket information as it is released.
