Canada's only magazine dedicated to distillers, spirits and cocktail culture.
15 oz Reifel Rye
6.75 oz Punt E Mes
2.5 oz Galliano liqueur
2.5 oz Krupnik Spiced Honey Liqueur (or any honey liqueur)
10 dashes orange bitters
2 dashes orange bitters
Garnish: Honey, freshly ground black peppercorn
John Keats’ “season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” is upon us, bringing with it dark, cold, rainy weather—and a craving for sophisticated cocktails that are both warming and comforting. Just like this one.
Our bartender tasting panel is never short of opinions, but no other spirit has ignited passion the way rye whisky did. Maybe because it’s our national spirit (sort of). Or maybe it’s just because bold flavours inspire bold statements.
Seven of Vancouver’s top bartenders gathered on a rainy afternoon at Homer Street Café for the tasting panel: Alex Black, bartender and mental health advocate; J-S Dupuis, beverage director of Wentworth Hospitality; Robyn Gray of the Rosewood Hotel Georgia; Katie Ingram, bar manager at Elisa Steakhouse; Grant Sceney, Fairmont Pacific Rim; and, from Homer Street Café, Rob Scope and David Wolowidnyk.
They loved the sweet spice and rich, bold flavour of the rye. But they differed on whether Canadian or American is better, and whether it has to be 100 per cent rye or can be a blend of grains. And they admitted that as much as they love rye, it’s a hard sell to consumers, many of whom are unfamiliar with it and prefer the simple sweetness of bourbon.
The panel tasted 12 rye-based spirits. Here’s what they had to say.
Adapted from Hugo Ensslin’s Recipes for Mixed Drinks, 1916 edition. Ensslin was the head bartender at the Hotel Wallick in New York City’s Times Square, and gained fame from publishing the first version of the Aviation cocktail.
As the days get colder and shorter, we turn to dark spirits, deep flavours and slow-sipping cocktails, the kinds of drinks best enjoyed over thoughtful conversation.
• 1.5 oz chai-spiced rye (see note)
• 0.5 oz apricot brandy
• 1 oz egg white
• 2 oz lemon juice
• Generous bar spoon of apricot preserve
• 0.5 oz simple syrup (see note)
• 2 dashes orange bitters (available at Gourmet Warehouse, Welks or Modern Bartender)
What is it with absinthe? Every time the herbal spirit gets involved, confusion and controversy seem to follow.
Take the Sazerac, one of the world’s oldest and greatest cocktails and since 2008 the official state cocktail of Louisiana. For decades experts as revered as Dale de Groff, King Cocktail himself, traced the origins of the first cocktail to this anise-scented variation on the Old Fashioned. Sadly, it can’t be true, since the word “cocktail” first appeared in print in 1806 and the apothecary who allegedly invented the Sazerac was only three years old at the time.
Still. It’s a good tale.
Created by bartenders for bartenders. At this stylish East Van distillery, a team led by bartender-turned-distiller Brian Grant crafts rye-based spirits and other cocktail-friendly products.
1672 Franklin St., Vancouver
604-253-0059
ResurrectionSpirits.ca
Read more about Resurrection Spirits:
• Say hi to rye: The Alchemist tasting panel samples Canadian and American rye spirits
• Rock & rye: Resurrecting a distinctly Canadian spirit in Vancouver
• White Rye
• Pale Rye
• BC Dry Gin
• Rosé Gin
This Delta-based distillery uses only local agricultural products in its spirits, which include a wheat-based whisky.
105B-8257 9nd St., Delta
604-349-3316
LucidSpirits.ca
• Northern Vodka
• Northern Gin
• Oaked Gin
• Apple Spirit
• B.C. Rye
• Blueberry Liqueur
• Raspberry Liqueur
• Lemon Liqueur
• Coffee Liqueur
