Makers Mark has committed to making its entire supply chain follow regenerative practices. Photo courtesy of Maker’s Mark
Much has been written about the challenges facing farmers in North America; less has been done to solve them. Now a new initiative in the United States, with big names and big money behind it, aims to change that. And who knows? It might inspire action on this side of the 49th parallel, too.
The season of entertaining is upon us and that means it’s a good time to stock up on cocktail gear and glassware. Here’s what’s on our list right now.
Bucket list
Yeti is known for making coolers that keep ice cold for days. But their Rambler beverage buckets are just as handy. They’re big enough to hold three bottles of wine, with a handle that makes them easy to carry and double-wall vacuum insulation that keeps ice frozen and drinks well chilled. Available in an array of designer-friendly colours. Now that’s, well, cool. Yeti.ca
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 city’s best party returns March 2 to 9 with all your favourite events and brand-new ones, including the unmissable Black & White Gala.
Living Room Creative photo
Tickets are now on sale for the fourth annual Vancouver Cocktail Week presented by The Alchemist magazine. Save your seat for the best seminars, most delicious cocktail-paired dinners and unmissable signature events like the closing Black & White Gala.
“We are proud to promote and support our incredible cocktail community and culture here in Vancouver. VCW’s success is due to the collaboration between all of us in this industry—the bartenders, the venues, the brands and the consumers,” says The Alchemist publisher, VCW event producer and co-founder Gail Nugent.
Fraser Crawford captures Kissa Tanto’s Tokyo jazz lounge vibe in a glass. Hakan Burcuoglu photo
Congratulations to Fraser Crawford! The bar manager at Kissa Tanto has just been named the winner of the 2024 Michelin Guide Vancouver Exceptional Cocktails Award, adding even more lustre to the Chinatown restaurant’s glittering star.
Good Thief is a cocktail odyssey across Southeast Asia
The spicy, fruity, complex Six-Inch Yellow is an excellent way to start your cocktail journey at Good Thief. Juno Kim photos courtesy of Good Thief
The rain on the pavement reflects the red, green and orange of the Main Street traffic lights through the floor-to-ceiling windows and into the dim of Good Thief. In the summertime, the windows open completely to blend the divide between inside and out, but on a wet autumn evening, Good Thief beckons the curious and adventurous into its modern yet cozy space, promising not just drinks but a journey through the flavours of Southeast Asia and cutting-edge mixology techniques.
Shayne Herbert behind the bar at Azura. Michelin.com photo
Congratulations to Shayne Herbert of Azura, who was recently named the 2024 Michelin Guide Toronto Exceptional Cocktails Award winner. He leads the bar program at Azura, an ambitious, Mediterranean-Canadian restaurant on the Danforth.
Now a four-time global winner, Canada prepares to host the big event
World Class Global bartender of the Year 2024, Keegan McGregor of Halifax (second from left), is flanked by Canada’s other global winners: Kaitlyn Stewart, James Grant and Jacob Martin. Photos courtesy of World Class Canada
As Canadians, we don’t like to boast, but even so, Michael Armistead can’t help but be a little bit pleased.
A Canadian bartender, Keegan McGregor of Halifax’s Highwaymen Restaurant & Bar, has just won the World Class Global Bartender of the Year 2024 competition in Shanghai. That’s the fourth time Canada has won the planet’s biggest and most prestigious cocktail competition since this country started competing in 2013.
The Fettercairn Tropical Highball from the VCW 2024 Green Garden Gala. Living Room Creative photo
As we were putting this issue of The Alchemist together, an atmospheric river came roaring through town. It was dark, cold and gloomy, with raging torrents of water pouring outside. It was, in other words, whisky weather.
It’s no secret that we love whisky over here at The Alchemist, whether it’s a refined single malt with plenty of age and a touch of peaty smoke in its lineage or a spicy rye, corn-sweet bourbon or the latest elegant expression from Japan. We love whisky neat, on ice and in cocktails; most of all, we love that it’s a thoughtful spirit, one we can linger over while enjoying a good conversation.
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.