Recipe courtesy of Robyn Gray.
1.5 oz Clase Azul Ultra Aged tequila
1.5 oz Carpano Antica Formula vermouth
2 tsp maraschino liqueur
Garnish: orange zest
Tequila Martinez
Ungava Margarita
The wild Arctic botanicals in Ungava Gin add unique colour and flavour to this spooky big-batch cocktail.
• 5 oz Ungava Gin
• 3.75 tequila or mezcal
• 2.5 oz orange liqueur
• 4 oz lime juice
• 1 oz agave syrup
• Garnish: Fresh mint, lime slices (fresh or dried)
Behind the palms
This cocktail, created by Matthew Benevoli, features homemade Strawberry Elderflower cordial.
1.5 oz reposado tequila
0.5 oz bianco vermouth
0.5 oz Strawberry Elderflower Cordial
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Garnish: candied pineapple
Golden Ratio
This cocktail by Marta Ess of Halifax, NS, won the national Patron Perfectionist cocktail. She represented Canada on the global stage in Mexico in June.
• 1.5 oz Patron Silver
• 0.75 oz Martini Rosso vermouth
• 0.75 tsp amaro (preferably Amaro Lucano)
• 1 oz pineapple juice
• 0.5 oz lime juice,
• 0.5 oz rich simple syrup (2:1)
• Garnish: freshly grated nutmeg
El Diablo
Recipe courtesy of Jeff Savage, Botanist Bar.
• 1.5 oz blanco tequila
• 0.5 oz crème de cassis
• 0.75 oz lime juice
• Ginger beer
• Garnish: lime wheel
Smuggler’s Sour
Recipe courtesy of Tim Cole, beverage director, Ophelia Kitchen and Monarca Cocina Mexicana.
Pair with: Prawn or fish tacos.
• 1.5 oz Don Papa Rum
• 0.5 oz 1800 Coconut Tequila
• 1 oz lime juice
• 0.5 oz guava syrup
• 0.5 oz guava juice
• 0.5 oz egg white
• 3 drops lime leaf bitters (such as Ms. Better’s)
• Garnish: Angostura bitters
Beyond Mezcal: Distilled and Fermented in Mexico
Dip into the back bar, behind-the-counter and unlabelled jugs of fermented and distilled goodies on your next visit to Mexico or the southern U.S.
Like many Western Canadians, I’ve been to Mexico too many times to count—but typically on holidays, not at work as a drinks writer and educator. On my latest trip, I was determined to go beyond margaritas, and way beyond even some of the excellent agave spirits we’re now able to purchase in Canada. Here’s what I found.
Choose A Woman-Made, Woman-Led Spirit Day
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.
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.
Top 10 cocktail trends for 2022
Our experts weigh in on what—and how—you will be drinking this winter
Getty Images photos
What’s new? What’s next? In some ways, the pandemic has changed everything about how we drink. In others, it’s only accelerated trends that were already in the works. We checked in with experts both local and global, and here’s what they had to say about the way we’re drinking now and in the months to come.
Citrus and smoke
The Alchemist tasting panel discusses their favourite tequila and mezcal
For years, we’ve been reading that tequila is about to become the “it” spirit. This year, it seems, it’s finally happened. Mind you, some of us have been enjoying this Mexican agave-based spirit, along with its smoky cousin mezcal, all along. Agave spirits have increasingly become luxury products savoured by connoisseurs, which may surprise those who’ve only had a disastrous brush with cheap mixto and are still feeling the hangover. A good tequila is made from 100 per cent farmed blue agave, while mezcal can be made from any number of wild agaves. Mezcal is also typically enjoyed unaged, while tequila can be unaged (also known as plata or silver), “rested” in oak for up to a year (reposado) or aged (añejo or extra añejo). Agave spirits are complex, fascinating and delicious, so we asked our tasting panel to share their favourite and what cocktail they’d make with it. This issue, our team comprises bartenders Sabrine Dhaliwal, Adam Domet, Robyn Gray, Jay Jones, Trevor Kallies, Jeff Savage and Kaitlyn Stewart. ¡Salud!