Gin | The Alchemist

Rose Grapefruit Spritz

August 1, 2022 No Comments

Garden party in a glass

This is the season of celebrations, of graduations, weddings, reunions, garden parties and festive brunches. It’s also the season of light, fresh drinks best enjoyed outdoors.

Bringing all that together is a new rose-flavoured gin from Ireland’s Glendalough Distillery. Head distiller Rowdy Rooney created it to honour his late mother, Rose—and used rose petals she planted herself, along with wild roses, mountain herbs and other botanicals. It’s beautifully floral and complex, perfect with tonic or citrus in a spritz. Find Glendalough Rose Gin at private retailers for a suggested price of $58.

Recipes

Check In

July 20, 2022 No Comments

Recipe by Grant Sceney, Fairmont Pacific Rim.

• 1 oz Tanqueray gin

• 0.67 oz Blueberry Lavender Oleo (see note)

• 0.67 oz lemon juice

• 0.25 oz Luxardo Bitter Bianco

• 3 oz Blue Mountain Brut (or other sparkling wine)

• Garnish: Thyme flower

Recipes

Mint Cucumber French 75

July 7, 2022 No Comments

Cucumber Mint French 75. Photo courtesy of The Gull

Recipe courtesy of Phil Tapping, general manager, The Gull.

Pair with: Fresh spring greens.

• 1 oz mint-infused gin (see note)

• 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice

• 0.25 oz simple syrup (see note)

• 2 dashes cucumber bitters (such as Bitter Truth)

• Sparkling wine to top

• Garnish: Cucumber slice

Recipes

Citadelle Gibson

July 6, 2022 No Comments

Partnered with lightly cured seafood during VCW, Tableau Bar Bistro‘s briny Gibson proved that cocktails are as perfect for pairing as wine.

• 2 oz Citadelle Gin

• 1 oz Dolin dry vermouth

• 0.5 tsp salty cocktail onion brine

• Garnish: 3 cocktail onions

Recipes

Gin Paloma

June 16, 2022 No Comments

This easy, patio-ready cocktail comes from the tasting lounge at North Vancouver’s Copperpenny Distilling. The fresh citrus and rosemary accentuate the notes of Egyptian coriander and Moroccan grains of paradise in their Social Project Gin 005.

• 2 oz Copperpenny Social Project Gin 005

• 2 oz freshly squeezed grapefruit juice (strained)

• 0.5 oz freshly squeezed lime juice

• 0.5 oz rosemary-infused simple syrup (see note)

• Garnish: Himalayan pink salt rim, dehydrated grapefruit and/or sprig of rosemary

Recipes

Negroni Secco

June 15, 2022 No Comments

Recipe courtesy of Carlino Restaurant & Lounge

• 1 oz Esquimalt Wine Company dry vermouth

• 0.75 oz Tanqueray gin

• 0.25 oz Dubh Glass Noteworthy Navy Strength gin

• 0.5 oz Suze

• 2 dashes Sichuan peppercorn tincture (see recipe)

• Garnish: lemon zest

Recipes

Don’t Let Them See You Bleed

June 7, 2022 No Comments

This large-batch cocktail was created by Alex Black, co-owner of Laowai, for the Vancouver Cocktail Week gala; keep it in the freezer to serve as desired. Note that you will need a digital scale to measure some of the ingredients, as well as a vacuum sealer.

The Alchemist

Choose A Woman-Made, Woman-Led Spirit Day

March 8, 2022 No Comments

Celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8 by buying or drinking a woman-made spirit, such as these global brands that have women master blenders, distillers and more.

At Ron Zapaca in Guatemala, master blender Lorena Vasquez is credited for pioneering the a “solera” aging method in rum. Photo courtesy of Ron Zacapa

Though countless women contribute to the vibrant local, national and international distilling industry, for International Women’s Day each year we give a nod to some of the trailblazers in top production, management and ownership positions at distilleries.

For a fresh perspective on the hidden history of women in spirits and cocktail, we highly recommend the recently released book Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol by Mallory O’Meara.

Classics, Recipes