• 2 oz jalapeño-infused reposado tequila (see note)
• 1 oz lime juice
• 0.5 oz agave water (2 parts agave syrup to 3 parts water)
• Garnish: Tajín Clásico Seasoning rim
Jalapeño Margarita
Spicy Tamarind Mezcal Margarita
• 1 oz tamarind syrup (see note)
• 1.5 oz mezcal
• 0.5 oz lime juice
• 0.5 oz Cointreau
• 0.5 oz agave syrup
• Dash habanero bitters
• Garnish: Tajín Clásico Seasoning for rim, dehydrated lime wheel
Coconut & Mint Margarita
• 2 oz tequila reposado
• 0.75 oz pineapple syrup
• 1 oz coconut syrup
• 0.25 oz triple sec
• 1.5 oz fresh lime juice
• 3 mint leaves
• Garnish: Salt or Tajín Clasico seasoning for rim; slice of dried pineapple and pineapple leaf
The cocktail matchmakers
Nikka brings Coffey, chemistry, and collaboration to Vancouver Cocktail Week
When B.C.-based importers Enoteca Bacco first approached the Nikka Whisky Distilling Co. to participate in Vancouver Cocktail Week, it was an immediate and enthusiastic “yes.”
“We wanted to create a unique experience … and add excitement for the people of Vancouver,” says Naomi Kamiyama, the global marketing and sales department representative for Nikka Whisky. “The first thing that came to mind was to bring one of our favourite bars, Bar Trench, to Vancouver. We also knew that The Keefer Bar is one of the most amazing bars in the world, and if these two fantastic bars could collaborate, their chemistry would deliver something memorable.”
Broke and Famous
Crafted by Bar Trench and featured during their guest shift at The Keefer Bar, this is a unique cocktail with a slight bitterness and fruity paprika note, featuring Nikka’s savoury Coffey Grain whisky. “We loved this cocktail from Bar Trench so much, we’ve added it to our reserve list!” —The Keefer Bar
High on rye
Sons of Vancouver pins the future on whisky
In January, a B.C. craft whisky was named the country’s best for the first time in the 13-year history of the Canadian Whisky Awards. The rye-based Palm Trees & A Tropical Breeze was only the third whisky released by Sons of Vancouver. But it offers an aromatic taste of the future for this North Van distillery better known (until now) for its amaretto and other liqueurs.
Raincity’s mountain spirits
After only a year, the Squamish distillery is already earning international recognition
At Raincity Distillery, founders Alex Mumm and Johnny Xu are bringing new, award-winning spirits to the mountain community of Squamish. Spirits flavoured with the delicate notes of tea and spring flowers, emboldened by the aromas of smoke and oak, and underpinned by the crystal clear taste of glacial water.
Mumm is the distiller, with Iron Buddha Gin his baby—a first-of-its-kind Chinese oolong-tea-infused gin. Xu is head of sales, with eyes on producing his beloved baijiu.
At Raincity, they make quality craft spirits, mostly gin, from scratch. They also have whisky aging in barrels; the first batch is expected to be ready in two to three years. Unlike many small producers who buy their neutral grain spirit from larger corporations, Raincity makes their own base in house from B.C. winter wheat following a triple distillation and two-week long proofing process. “We choose quality over speed, every step of the way,” Mumm says. “This is noticeable in the flavours that come through that often get lost in a more hurried process.”
This slow and steady approach has paid off. This year, they picked up a barrel of awards at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2023: a trio of silvers for the delicately floral Last Garden Gin, caramelly Barrel Aged Gin and smooth, subtle Iron Buddha Gin (which won bronze in 2022) as well as a bronze for the smouldering Black Tusk Smoked Vodka (which won silver in 2022).
Added to the lineup this June is their first bottled ready-to-drink cocktail in a bottle: the Ginseng Rye Old Fashioned. It’s a twist on the classic cocktail, featuring spicy rye whisky infused with the earthy bitterness of ginseng, an Asian root with healing properties. The drink is sweetened with maple syrup, made complex with their own housemade aromatic bitters and best served on ice with an orange twist.
Come taste all they are producing at their world-class cocktail lounge and tasting room, nestled in the heart of the Coastal Mountains. Or purchase your favourites through the online shop on the Raincity website.
THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY:
Raincity Distillery
RaincityDistillery.ca
Meet your new Bartender of the Year
Toronto’s Jacob Martin wins World Class Canada with a breathtaking final at Vancouver Cocktail Week
World Class Canada celebrated its 10th anniversary in the best possible way—with a blowout final at Vancouver Cocktail Week that saw Jacob Martin of Toronto’s Bar Banane take home the title of World Class Canada Bartender of the Year 2023.
Serious Storytelling
Suyo’s bartenders sidestep pretension by perfecting the art of not taking yourself too seriously
Inside the recently opened Suyo Modern Peruvian on Main Street, just above the chorus of stylish 20-somethings and couples on date night, the bartenders can be heard telling the story of Peru—from undergrowth to clouds, ancient Incan civilization to contemporary culture.
Cacti
Each of Suyo’s cocktails is based around a geographical location and is tied to a story.
Cacti tells the tale of the flowering succulents of Ica, a coastal desert in Peru. The flowers are pollinated by a specific type of bee that hibernates for an extended period as the flowers only bloom for a brief period of the season. The cocktail is an ode to the poetic nature of the flora and fauna waiting for one another. Subsequently, the bartenders age the entire cocktail in beeswax so it, too, “hibernates,” taking influence from the bees.