Tasting Panel

Bold and balanced

March 28, 2025 No Comments

Our expert panel chooses their favourite bourbons — and the cocktails they make with them

Bourbon barrels aging in a rickhouse. iStock.Getty Images Plus/Try Media photo

Its name might be shrouded in mystery, but bourbon’s unmistakable flavour is anything but uncertain. Some believe it was named after Bourbon County in Kentucky, where early settlers first distilled whiskey using local corn, while others trace it to Bourbon Street in New Orleans, a key market for the spirit. Regardless of its name, what’s undeniable is bourbon’s distinctive taste thanks to the strict regulations that define it. By law, bourbon must be made from at least 51 per cent corn, distilled to no more than 160 proof, aged in new charred oak barrels, and bottled at no less than 80 proof. These standards, combined with time-honoured traditions, give bourbon its rich, complex flavour that continues to captivate whisk(e)y lovers worldwide.

We caught up with a panel of industry experts from B.C. and Ontario to uncover their go-to bourbons and the cocktails they love crafting with them. From tried-and-true classics like the Old Fashioned to inventive new creations, these cocktails reflect the versatility and character of bourbon, proving there’s a perfect tipple for every palate. So, grab your glass, and get ready to explore the bourbon picks and cocktails these pros can’t stop sipping.

Tasting Panel

’Tini talks

August 22, 2024 No Comments

The best gin for Martinis, according to the experts

iStock/Getty Images Plus/ Mustafa Bugra Celik photo

Was it bartender Jerry Thomas, at San Francisco’s Occidental Hotel in the 1860s or was it Tartini di Taggia at New York’s Knickerbocker Hotel in 1911 who invented the Martini? And is it a 5:1 ratio of gin to dry vermouth or equal parts that is the correct recipe these days?

While it seems that the Martini’s origins and recipe are, well, mixed, few cocktails rival the Martini in its ability to showcase the intricate nuances of a spirit, with each ingredient playing a crucial role in crafting the perfect sip. From the classic dry Martini, with its clean, bracing profile, to innovative twists incorporating a spectrum of botanicals and garnishes, gin Martinis provide a platform for both convention and creativity.

We recently chatted with our panel of industry experts to see what gin they’re currently drinking and their preferred Martini specs. The tasting panel for this edition features Evelyn Chick, Chantelle Gabino and Dash Tume from Toronto, Ontario, and Soren Schepkowski, Zoe Bates and Robyn Gray, from Vancouver, B.C.

Tasting Panel

Scotch Sippers

February 2, 2024 No Comments

Our bartenders explain how to master single-malt mixology

Sweet, spicy, smoky: Scotch whisky has something for everyone. Getty Images photo

In the world of spirits, few elixirs carry the weight of tradition and reverence as does single malt whisky. This liquid gold, celebrated for its complexity and rich character, has long been the epitome of sipping perfection. It is often imbibed neat, treasured in crystal glasses and savoured slowly, as if each drop encapsulates generations of craftsmanship.

Historically the thought of mixing such a revered spirit into a cocktail was nothing short of sacrilegious. However, with the variety of flavour profiles offered by the category, as well as an interest from distilleries to produce their own interpretations around the globe, a transformation is underway. Bartenders are now revitalizing classics and reimagining new possibilities.

Our tasting panel team comprises Jenna Gillespie, Lory Nixon and Kate Chernoff from British Columbia and Erika Mauro, Ashley Flynn and Jenn Abergel from Ontario. This all-female perspective weighs in on their favourite single malts and how to cocktail with them.

Tasting Panel

What’s the best tequila for making Margaritas?

July 7, 2023 No Comments

Citrusy and fresh, the Margarita is the quintessential tequila drink. Getty Images photo

Sunny days demand thirst-quenching cocktails like Margaritas, Palomas and Ranch Water, which all just happen to be a showcase for tequila. And that might just make tequila our favourite summer spirit.

Tasting Panel

Luxe Libations

November 28, 2022 No Comments

The Alchemist tasting panel reviews high-end spirits

The tasting panel discusses the ultra-premium spirits we rarely get to taste. Getty Images photo

Sometimes nothing will do but the highest of high-end spirits. Perhaps there is an important anniversary to commemorate, a business deal to cement, a mentor to thank. Or maybe you are just lucky enough to stumble upon a tasting where you can sip something rare that’s been aging in a barrel for decades. Whatever the event, there comes a time when you may be able to enjoy an ultra-premium spirit—or a cocktail that’s been made with it. We asked our tasting panel to share some of their favourites and the cocktails they’d make with them (if they could afford to). This issue, our tasting panel team comprises bartenders Sabrine Dhaliwal, Robyn Gray, Grant Sceney and David Wolowidnyk. Here’s what they had to say.

Tasting Panel

Summer spirits

July 22, 2022 No Comments

The Alchemist tasting panel reviews sips for the sunny season

Hot weather demands lighter spirits and less complicated cocktails. Getty Images photo

Once summer’s warmer, sunnier weather finally arrives, we crave drinks that are lighter and easier, more refreshing and less complicated. No one knows that better than the bartenders who craft all your Margaritas, G&Ts, spritzes and other summertime thirst quenchers. So we asked them to share their favourite warm weather spirits, and the cocktails they would make with them. This issue, our tasting panel team comprises bartenders J-S Dupuis, Robyn Gray, Jeff Savage, Grant Sceney and David Wolowidnyk. Here’s what they had to say.

Tasting Panel

Spirited gift ideas

December 1, 2021 No Comments

The Alchemist tasting panel reviews bottles to share

A bottle of something distilled can make a great gift, even if it’s just for yourself. Getty Images photo

Now that we’re socializing again and heading into holiday season, it’s time to upgrade our gifting game. Whether you’re looking for a host gift or something to tuck under the tree, a bottle of spirits is a present with presence. And we figured no one would have a better idea of what to give than our tasting panel, so we asked them for their suggestions for gift bottles under $100, and the cocktails they’d make with them. This issue, our team comprises bartenders Sabrine Dhaliwal, J-S Dupuis, Robyn Gray, Trevor Kallies, Kaitlyn Stewart and David Wolowidnyk. Here’s what they had to say. Shop and sip accordingly.

Tasting Panel

Citrus and smoke

July 30, 2021 No Comments

The Alchemist tasting panel discusses their favourite tequila and mezcal

Blue Weber agave plants grow in Jalisco, Mexico. Also known as agave azul, the plant takes up to a decade to reach maturity, and contributes citrus and pepper notes to the tequila.Getty Images photo

For years, we’ve been reading that tequila is about to become the “it” spirit. This year, it seems, it’s finally happened. Mind you, some of us have been enjoying this Mexican agave-based spirit, along with its smoky cousin mezcal, all along. Agave spirits have increasingly become luxury products savoured by connoisseurs, which may surprise those who’ve only had a disastrous brush with cheap mixto and are still feeling the hangover. A good tequila is made from 100 per cent farmed blue agave, while mezcal can be made from any number of wild agaves. Mezcal is also typically enjoyed unaged, while tequila can be unaged (also known as plata or silver), “rested” in oak for up to a year (reposado) or aged (añejo or extra añejo). Agave spirits are complex, fascinating and delicious, so we asked our tasting panel to share their favourite and what cocktail they’d make with it. This issue, our team comprises bartenders Sabrine Dhaliwal, Adam Domet, Robyn Gray, Jay Jones, Trevor Kallies, Jeff Savage and Kaitlyn Stewart. ¡Salud!

Tasting Panel

Build your home bar

December 29, 2020 No Comments

The Alchemist tasting panel reviews their at-home essential spirits

Wonder what your favourite barkeep drinks at home? We did, too. Here’s what they had to say. Getty Images photo

For most issues of The Alchemist, we gather our tasting panel and sit in a room somewhere sampling our way through a dozen or so bottles of, say, rye whisky or vermouth. But with a pandemic upending everything, we couldn’t do that this time around. At the same time, since we’ve all been spending so much time chez nous, we wondered what our panelists were drinking at their own homes. So we asked them to recommend a bottle they consider essential for a home bartender, and what cocktail they’d make with it. This issue, our team comprises bartenders Sabrine Dhaliwal, Adam Domet, J-S Dupuis, Robyn Gray, Jay Jones, Trevor Kallies, Jeff Savage and Kaitlyn Stewart. Here’s what they had to say. Sip and shop accordingly.

Recipes, Tasting Panel