Canada's only magazine dedicated to distillers, spirits and cocktail culture.
At “Upstairs” at Campagnolo, the intimate restaurant and bar above Campagnolo’s Main Street location, you don’t have to reach for the top shelf to find a choice selection of spirits.
Cocktails have always been serious business at Chambar. The trend-setting French/North African restaurant burst onto the Vancouver scene just over a decade ago, and has been leading the pack ever since.
Charles Tremewen loves gin. So much so, he hocked his house to start making it himself. He launched Vancouver’s first micro distillery, Long Table, in February 2013, and hasn’t looked back.
Leading the beverage program at the Donnelly Group keeps Trevor Kallies on his toes.
With responsibility for lists across the group’s pubs, cocktail taverns and nightclubs, his 15 years of experience behind the bar—10 as a serious cocktail contender—are invaluable.
In the mood for a Sazerac? How about a Negroni punch bowl mixed with local gin and vermouth, or a playful spin on Arctic Ungava with a dash of citric acid and spritz of Laphroaig perfume? Whatever your poison, it can be found in Vancouver, home to one of the most vibrant cocktail scenes in North America.
Gin, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine and orange bitters. It sounds simple, but so do many of the world’s legendary cocktails. And the Vancouver Cocktail deserves to be recognized among the classics.
What’s that, you say? Never heard of YVR’s hometown cocktail? You’re not alone. The Vancouver Cocktail joins a legion of forgotten drinks that have recently been rediscovered by dogged cocktail historians. In this case, that historian was bartender-turned-consultant Steve Da Cruz.
This East Vancouver distillery’s three founding self-described “odd” owners are busy producing different expressions of gin, vodka and both white (unaged), and single malt whiskies.
1725 Powell St., Vancouver
604-559-6745
OddSocietySpirits.com
• Demystifying vermouth: The Alchemist tasting panel samples the fortified, aromatized elixir
• Bitter & sweet: Why you should be drinking vermouth made in B.C.
• Odd Society releases Elderflower Liqueur
• Recipe: Sea to Sky Rad-ler Beer Cocktail
• It’s G&T time: The Alchemist’s tasting panel searches for the best B.C. gin to enjoy with your tonic
• Recipe: Odd Society Gin & Tonic Sour
• Recipe: The Paper Plane, Updated
• Recipe: Main Street “Wide Eye”
• Come together: At Odd Society Spirits, innovation is all about collaboration
• Recipe: Tell Me What You Will
• Recipe: Chili Chocolate Manhattan
• East Van Vodka
• Wallflower Gin
• Mongrel Unaged Spirit
• Oaken Wallflower Gin
• Elderflower Liqueur
• Crème de Cassis
• Bittersweet Vermouth
• Mia Amato Amaro
• Salal Gin
• Maple Canadian Whisky
• Commodore Canadian Single Malt Whisky
• Prospector Canadian Rye Whisky
• Canadian Single Malt Casks
Bittersweet VermouthFRAGRANCE: Gingerbread spice, bitter orange, vanilla.
FLAVOUR: Upfront viscous sweetness, making its way to the back of your palate with a lovely bitterness.
FEEL: Full and coating mouthfeel.
FINISH: Sweet orange and chocolate lift for an enjoyable bitter finish that goes on and on.
BEST ENJOYED: Serve at room temperature as a digestif; could shine in many different cocktails.
THE BOTTOM LINE: A must have! —Wendy McGuinness, April 2016
Wallflower GinFRAGRANCE: Lavender.
FLAVOUR: Surprisingly balanced.
FEEL: Lovely and fragrant.
FINISH: Sweet, long boozy finish.
BEST ENJOYED: As a boozy cocktail. Martinez or Pink Gin. Maybe even an Old Fashioned.
THE BOTTOM LINE: A really fun spirit. If you like floral notes then jump in — you won’t be disappointed. —Josh Pape, July 2016
Crème de CassisFRAGRANCE: Prunes, dried red fruit, berries.
FLAVOUR: Dried figs, raisins and currants.
FEEL: Rich. A bit cloying, but not overwhelmingly so.
FINISH: More balanced than expected.
BEST ENJOYED: In an El Diablo with Dickie’s ginger beer. Kir Royale (go easy, it’s quite concentrated).
THE BOTTOM LINE: The best cassis you’ll likely ever try. —Josh Pape, October 2016
Mia Amato AmaroFRAGRANCE: Sweet, chocolate, with a musky background.
FLAVOUR: Semi-sweet bitterness, herbal.
FEEL: Viscous.
FINISH: Long with a great balance of bitter and sweet.
BEST ENJOYED: Cold neat, or try in a Paper Plane.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Packaging knocks it out of the park. Fun and engaging, with a fantastic auburn colour. —Trevor Kallies, February 2017
Mongrel Unaged SpiritFRAGRANCE: Buttered bread and light malty notes.
FLAVOUR: Complex and refined, very nice for an unaged rye-based spirit. Very well balanced.
FEEL: Pleasant sweetness.
FINISH: Slightly hot, loads of spice, in a good way.
BEST ENJOYED: Makes a great White Whisky Sour. Begging to be shaken with citrus.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Makes a great White Whisky Sour. Begging to be shaken with citrus. —Shaun Layton, October 2017
Gin is at the heart of Long Table, with London dry-style, cucumber and barrel-aged varieties fuelling its many awards. This downtown Vancouver distillery also produces vodka, as well as seasonal liqueurs.
1451 Hornby St., Vancouver
604-266-0177
LongTableDistillery.com
Read more about Long Table Distillery:
• Gin Tonic: Long Table, Vancouver’s original micro distillery, is fuelled by passion.
• Star anise: How a Scandinavian classic is warming hearts in B.C.
• Gin tonic: Long Table, Vancouver’s original micro distillery, is fuelled by passion
• London Dry Gin
• Cucumber Gin
• Barrel Aged Gin
• Texada Vodka
• Långbord Akvavit
• Barrel-aged Akvavit
• Amaro No. 1 – Linnaeus
• Tradizionale Limoncello
• Curacao Orange Liqueur
• Absinthe
Cucumber GinFRAGRANCE: Neutral, slight cucumber notes.
FLAVOUR: Cucumber, coriander, citrus.
FEEL: Nice mouthfeel, fruity.
FINISH: Dry and savoury.
BEST ENJOYED: In a G&T.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Local gin for those Hendrick’s lovers. —Shaun Layton, April 2016
London Dry GinFRAGRANCE: Juniper, lemon peel, lavender.
FLAVOUR: Alpine notes, juniper heavy, bitter lemon.
FEEL: Thin mouthfeel.
FINISH: Great coriander, and black pepper finish.
BEST ENJOYED: Classic cocktails (Martini, Martinez, Hanky Panky).
THE BOTTOM LINE: The best B.C. London Dry on the market. —Shaun Layton, July 2016
Långbord AkvavitFRAGRANCE: Caraway! Anise, citrus.
FLAVOUR: More spices, fennel.
FEEL: Light up front, lots of back palate.
FINISH: Clean with lingering spices.
BEST ENJOYED: From the freezer, neat. Sub for gin – especially in a Corpse Reviver No. 2!
THE BOTTOM LINE: A cool alternative to gin. Very well made spirit. —Josh Pape, October 2016
Small Batch LimoncelloFRAGRANCE: Sweet lemon citrus.
FLAVOUR: Full and rounded lemon flavor.
FEEL: Viscous and coating.
FINISH: Warm lasting ripe lemon.
BEST ENJOYED: In a Lemon Drop (vodka, limoncello, lemon juice).
THE BOTTOM LINE: Very clean, not too sweet, genuine natural lemon flavors. —Robyn Gray, February 2017
Amaro No. 1 — LinnaeusFRAGRANCE: Pretty. Candied orange and potpourri.
FLAVOUR: Gentian, grapefruit zest, violet.
FEEL: Lean, dry, tannic.
FINISH: Bitter, perfumed. Expands.
BEST ENJOYED: As a replacement for Suze in a white Negroni, or maybe in an Aviation/French 75 hybrid.
THE BOTTOM LINE: A great first crack. They’ll have something special here before long. —Josh Pape, July 2017
With prime real estate on Granville Island, Liberty is open for tours, tastings and daily cocktails showcasing their vodka, different expressions of gin, and various white whiskies.
1494 Old Bridge St., Vancouver
604-558-1998
TheLibertyDistillery.com
Read more about The Liberty Distillery:
• It’s G&T time: The Alchemist’s tasting panel searches for the best B.C. gin to enjoy with your tonic
• Truth Vodka
• Truth Oat Vodka (Distiller’s Reserve)
• Endeavour Gin
• Endeavour Old Tom Gin
• Endeavour Gin Origins
• Endeavour Pink
• Railspur No. 1 – White
• Railspur No. 2 – Wildflower Honey
• Railspur No. 3 – Spike
• Trust Whiskey – Single Grain
• Trust Whiskey – Canadian Rye
• Trust Whiskey – Southern
• Trust Whiskey – Ancient Grains
Truth VodkaFRAGRANCE: Fresh, bright.
FLAVOUR: Sweet, fruity.
FEEL: Velvety, even, pleasant.
FINISH: Soft. Front palate.
BEST ENJOYED: With less rather than more. Try it as a Martini with an olive or just neat.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Well made vodka. Worth the price of admission. —Josh Pape, July 2016
Endeavour Old Tom GinFRAGRANCE: The barrel is quite evident — hints of coriander, slight juniper, and violets.
FLAVOUR: Woodsy botanicals — cinnamon, cinchona, with small juniper presence.
FEEL: Silky from the barrel, with some tannin.
FINISH: Muted, with lingering sweetness and spice.
BEST ENJOYED: Screams for stirred classics such as a Martinez.
THE BOTTOM LINE: For whiskey lovers you want to convert to gin. —Shaun Layton, October 2016
Railspur No. 3 – SpikeFRAGRANCE: Spicy and nutty.
FLAVOUR: Vanilla and dried fruit.
FEEL: Smooth and mouth coating.
FINISH: Long-lasting.
BEST ENJOYED: In a Whisky Sour.
THE BOTTOM LINE: A young B.C. barley spirit with a rich spice complexity. —Robyn Gray, February 2017
Endeavour Pink GinFRAGRANCE: Slightly sweet and floral. A hint of pepper and citrus.
FLAVOUR: Bright rose petals with medium juniper.
FEEL: Fresh, mild with a little creaminess to the mouthfeel.
FINISH: Long, floral.
BEST ENJOYED: This gin is destined for endless twists on the French 75.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Fun to see a pink take on a navy-strength gin. Very charming bottle design and colour. —Trevor Kallies, July 2017
Endeavour Gin OriginsFRAGRANCE: Very light for a gin with 25 botanicals. Violet candies, lemon zest, potpourri.
FLAVOUR: Faint white pepper, nutmeg, mace, other baking spices.
FEEL: Very rich, pleasant, syrupy viscosity.
FINISH: Clean finish, high alcohol sticks around.
BEST ENJOYED: Would make a great dry Gibson Martini.
THE BOTTOM LINE: For entry-level gin drinkers. Similar to Bombay Sapphire. —Shaun Layton, October 2017
A successful brewery in the heart of the city, Yaletown moved into spirits in 2013, distilling gin and vodka from B.C. barley. Tours and tastings are available onsite.
1132 Hamilton St., Vancouver
604-669-2266
YTDistilling.com
• Yaletown Small Batch Craft Vodka
• Cranberry Vodka
• Mandarin Vodka
• Tequila Barrel Aged Vodka
• Espresso Vodka
• Artisan Honey Spirit
• Yaletown Small Batch BC Gin
• Cucumber Gin
• Hopped Gin
• Tequila Barrel Aged Hopped Gin
• Yaletown Single Malt Canadian Whisky
Small Batch BC GinFRAGRANCE: Lemon and juniper.
FLAVOUR: Sweet and fruity.
FEEL: Viscous, coats the mouth.
FINISH: Lightly bitter.
BEST ENJOYED: Sweet and fruity, with a lemon backbone—a perfect match for a Corpse Reviver #2.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Produced from locally grown barley this gin has a richness and mouth feel reminiscent of a Genever-style gin. —Robyn Gray, April 2016
Mandarin VodkaFRAGRANCE: Intense stewed mandarin.
FLAVOUR: All about the orange essence; think opening a bag of Tang.
FEEL: Light on the palate.
FINISH: Long, mandarin orange.
BEST ENJOYED: With soda. The mandarin is going to come through with anything you mix with this.
THE BOTTOM LINE: An intense flavoured vodka. Tread lightly. —Wendy McGuinness, July 2016
Small Batch Craft VodkaFRAGRANCE: Tropical! Banana, pineapple, bubble gum, vanilla.
FLAVOUR: Savoury, slightly briny, white pepper, yeasty.
FEEL: Nice mouthfeel, slightly sweet.
FINISH: Loads of spice, white pepper, marzipan, coriander.
BEST ENJOYED: Savoury notes would make for a great Dirty Martini.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Great value local product. —Shaun Layton, October 2016