Unique, delicious and very West Coast.
• 1 oz milk liqueur (see recipe below)
• 0.5 oz East Van vodka
• 0.25 oz arancino
• 0.5 oz B.C. mead
• 0.5 oz fresh-pressed orange juice
• 0.5 oz whey
The milky-whey
Terms of endearment (a Cocktail Glossary)
You can order a rum and coke like a pro or a Boulevardier like a schmuck—the key to showing your cocktail props is all in the lingo
Amaro: A generic term for Italian herbal liqueurs, favoured by bartenders for complex cocktails. Famous examples include Averna, Cynar, and Fernet-Branca.
Here comes a regular
“‘Upstairs’ at Campagnolo is somewhere I’ve been going since it opened, and I feel comfortable there on my own. Peter Van de Reep, the bar manager, has such a passion for learning about spirits and cocktails, I just love geeking out with him.”
Loup-Garou
French for ‘werewolf’ or ‘moondog’
INGREDIENTS:
• 1.5 oz Johnnie Walker Platinum Label Blended Scotch Whisky
• 0.5 oz Lagavulin 16-Year-Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• 0.75 oz Punt E Mes
• 0.25 oz Jagermeister Herbal Liqueur
• 2 dashes Bittered Sling Cascade Celery Bitters
• 2 dashes Bittered Sling Moondog Bitters
• 2 dashes Vancouver Island Smoked Sea Salt Water
Smoke on the water
Experience the magic of Islay, one Scotch at a time
The romantic Isle of Islay in Scotland’s southern Hebrides is best known for its moors, treacherous weather, high seas, early Viking settlements—and, yes, its whisky. For, buried within that dramatic landscape, exists rich soil redolent with peat, and a water supply heavy with briny minerals. No wonder, then, that Islay is home to some of the finest and most distinctive single malts in the world, among them, Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Lagavulin.
Balancing Act
Simon Ogden encourages his customers to put their drinks in his hands
Balance. Whether it’s blending the elements of the perfect cocktail or juggling work and play, balance is key.
It’s a philosophy bartender Simon Ogden takes to heart, both behind the bar and in life.
Tell Me What You Will
Showcasing local ingredients in a classic style.
INGREDIENTS:
• 50ml Merridale Whisky Jack
• 20ml Odd Society Bitter Sweet Vermouth
• 10ml Merridale Apple Cider Brandy
• Dash of Bittered Sling Suius Cherry Bitters
METHOD:
Stir all ingredients and strain into a small coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Whisky Galore!
B.C.’s fledgling industry prepares for a bright future
After just five years in business, British Columbia’s distillers have already confronted some mighty challenges. For one, it takes years of practice to make a quality product. Plus, craft liquor is expensive—not only for consumers at the till but for makers at the still.
Urban Legend
How one Okanagan man’s hobby became a serious business
Mike Urban had a booze habit. Making it, that is. After tinkering with homemade beer and wine, he felt that the next logical step could be distilling.
The Cocktail Concierge
Justin Taylor has created a series of drinks designed to celebrate Vancouver
For bar manager Justin Taylor, a cocktail list should be, “fun, approachable, and unpretentious.”
After seven years at Yew Restaurant in the Four Seasons, Taylor took a short hop across town to take charge of the bar at Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar in the Sutton Place Hotel—jumping at the chance to build a drinks program from the ground up.
Putting together his signature list, Taylor decided to tell the story of Vancouver through cocktails: from the Lost Lagoon to the Van Dusen Sour, his creations are designed to take his customers on a journey.
“I’m like another concierge in the hotel,” he smiles. “And the conversation around the bar becomes organic. It’s a great way to introduce guests to what the city has to offer, and hopefully entice them to try something new. ”
For him, a new cocktail begins with a good name: “It’s always the name first—does it make sense? Then I hit on the spirit, and from there I build the rest of the components.”
He’s most proud of the Gerard—named after the Sutton Place’s iconic bar—called one of the 101 best new cocktails by world-renowned authority, Gary Regan. With an Islay Scotch base, the Gerard also boasts maraschino liqueur, Fernet-Branca and cherry bitters.
“It was challenging to build,” Taylor admits. “It’s hard to mix Islay whisky because the smokiness is so deep and strong.”
They may offer a way in to the city’s streets, but these are hardly pedestrian drinks: the Chief Skugaid—named for an infamous rum ship that ran out of Vancouver—utilizes forest tea tincture and chai and lavender-infused maple syrup; the savoury Chinook features dill, celery bitters and a toasted caper garnish.
Taylor’s dream is to take his list on the road.
“Imagine if we rented a trolley bus and mixed and served the cocktails as we hit each destination,” he grins. “Now, that would be cool.”
THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY:
Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar
845 Burrard Street, Vancouver • 604-642.2900
BoulevardVancouver.ca