A savoury variation on the classic
2.5 oz gin or vodka
0.5 oz dry vermouth
0.25 to 0.5 oz olive brine
Garnish: 1 or 3 olives on a skewer
Dirty Martini
Corpse Reviver No. 1
The lesser-known sibling of the Corpse Reviver No. 2, this spirit-forward classic cocktail is renewed with an all-local lineup of ingredients.
1 oz Alchemist Distiller Duke Apple Brandy
1 oz Merridale XXO Brandy
1 oz Esquimalt Wine Rosso Vermouth
1 barspoon simple syrup (optional; see note)
Garnish: orange zest, cherry
Tequila Martinez
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
Bobby Burns
The origins of this classic are lost to time, but it emerged in the early 20th century, its name an homage to the famed Scottish poet Robert Burns.
1 oz blended scotch whisky
1 oz sweet vermouth
0.5 oz Bénédictine liqueur
Garnish: lemon peel
Vieux Carré
The classic, invented at the Monteleone Hotel in 1930s New Orleans.
0.75 oz rye whisky
0.75 oz Cognac
0.75 oz sweet vermouth
0.5 oz Bénédictine liqueur
2 dashes Angostura bitters
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
Garnish: lemon twist
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 Presidente
Make this cocktail with some home made West Coast Spiced Rum
1.5 oz West Coast Spiced Rum
0.75 oz dry vermouth
0.33 oz orange Curaçao
1 barspoon grenadine
Garnish: Orange twist and brandied cherry
De La Louisiane
The original La Louisiane cocktail dates back to the late 19th century in New Orleans, where it featured equal amounts of rye, vermouth and Bénédictine. This contemporary version, which is far less sweet, is adapted from The PDT Cocktail Book by Jim Meehan (2011).
2 oz rye whisky
0.75 oz Bénédictine
0.75 oz sweet vermouth
3 dashes absinthe
3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
Garnish: 3 brandied cherries
Negroni Gelée Shot
These look like those after-dinner gelées you get in fancy restaurants, but come with a boozy and bittersweet kick.
• 1 cup London Dry gin
• 1 cup Campari
• 1 cup sweet vermouth
• 1 cup water
• 4 packets (0.25-ounce each) powdered gelatin
• Garnish: sanding sugar, candied orange zest (optional; recipe below)
Powell Street Punch
Matthew Benevoli’s Powell Street Punch uses his recipe for homemade Red Hibiscus Vermouth.
• 1 oz brandy
• 1 oz Red Hibiscus Vermouth
• 0.5 oz Sons of Vancouver amaretto
• 1 oz apple cider
• 0.25 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Garnish: Cinnamon stick