Canada's only magazine dedicated to distillers, spirits and cocktail culture.
Behind the wood at No Vacancy, veteran bartender Troy Gilchrist and his small crew of fellow bartenders Kat Yu and Nick Hurd embody the ethos that personal connection is the business they are in and everything else is simply implementation. The result is one of those places where entertainment, showmanship and finely crafted cocktails are born together, and live together, within its walls.
Phillips Brewing is raising a glass to a bold new chapter with the rebrand and 2026 release of its Sanctuary Signature Whisky.
Drawing inspiration from the wild beauty of the Pacific Northwest’s coastal forests, the Victoria-based brewery and distillery has unveiled a refreshed new whisky and refined story for its Sanctuary Single Malt — a spirit that embodies the rugged charm of Vancouver Island.
For the first time, some of Canada’s greatest watering holes have been recognized by The Pinnacle Guide, a new recognition system for cocktail bars. Think of it as Michelin, but for the stirred-and-shaken set, offering one, two or three “pins” rather than stars; one pin means “excellent,” two “outstanding” and three “exceptional.”
The taste of a 15-year-old spirit from a historic distillery in Guyana woke Karl Mudzamba’s tastebuds up to rum. The Zimbabwe native was playing pro rugby in New Zealand when a friend brought him the bottle. One sip and he thought, “Wow, I wonder what else is out there,” he recalls. “So I got curious, and started trying as many rums from around the world as possible.” Among them were some unusual regional, small-batch artisanal bottlings.
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.
Just in time for the cooler weather and all your après ski special coffee needs, The Woods Spirit Co. is releasing its all-local, award-winning Crema Nocciola. This hazelnut cream liqueur, a gold medal winner at Sip Magazine’s Best of the Northwest Awards 2024, is crafted in small batches from sustainably grown Abbotsford hazelnuts, freshly roasted Moja Coffee distillate and Canadian non-GMO oat milk.
Canada’s bartenders have long been stars at the prestigious World Class cocktail competition. But this year, Canada itself was the star, hosting 51 finalists from around the world and wrapping the event up with a thrilling final at Toronto’s historic Casa Loma.
The winner, who proudly claims the career-defining title of World Class Global Bartender of the Year 2025, is Felice Capasso of Nedre Løkka Cocktailbar in Oslo, Norway, and also the founder of Sesto Senso Academy, a centre for wine and spirits education. Throughout the week, Capasso wowed the judges across every challenge he faced.
When most people think of Niagara, they picture cascading waterfalls, winding vineyards, and endless glasses of Chardonnay. But if you know where to look, you’ll find another story pouring quietly in the background: whisky. Niagara is home to five whisky-producing distilleries, each offering a glimpse into how the region is reshaping Canadian whisky culture. And the best part? They’re all within about an hour of each other, making for the perfect sipping trail.
