Vodka

The Martini

June 5, 2020 No Comments

The murky past of a clear favourite

Plenty a tall tale has crossed the polished oak; after all, bartenders like to dish out lively anecdotes along with the gin and spiced nuts. But when it comes to boozy myths, legends, outright lies and wholesale whoppers, “more cling to the Martini than any other cocktail.”

So writes Robert Simonson in his IACP-nominated book The Martini Cocktail (Ten Speed Press). He is fascinated by the outsize role the Martini has played in popular culture ever since its invention in 1849, or maybe it was the 1880s, or possibly 1906, who knows?

Home Bar, Recipes

Cosmosis

May 21, 2020 No Comments

A bright and fruity cocktail that uses JT’s Orange and Chamomile Bitters

• 1.5 oz vodka
• 0.5 oz Cointreau
• 0.25 oz JT’s Orange & Chamomile Bitters
• 0.5 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
• 0.25 oz simple syrup
• 5 frozen cranberries, thawed
• Garnish: fresh orange peel

Recipes

The Allure

March 20, 2020 No Comments

Cocktail created by Beaufort Bar senior bartender Jo Last, who says: “Few fruits are featured more in magic than the apple. From Greek mythology with Aphrodite through the Garden of Eden with Eve and all the way to folklore with Snow White, the humble apple unites stories of power, envy and temptation.”

• 1 oz Grey Goose vodka
• 0.5 oz apple blossom-infused Martini Ambrato
• 0.25 oz 30&40 aperitif (a blend of calvados, pommeau and rum)
• 0.75 oz apple cordial
• 1 oz malic solution

B.C. Distilleries

Bespoke Spirits House

March 10, 2020 No Comments

Shelly Heppner, founder and distiller of Bespoke Spirit House in Parksville. Photo by Dayman-Langen Photography

Bespoke Spirits House is a natural progression in the career of owner and distiller Shelly Heppner. Inherently creative, Shelly has always gravitated toward a medium of expression, whether it has been designing functional home décor, making her best-selling martini picks, or taking up the art of distilling.

425 Stanford Ave., Parksville
BespokeSpiritsHouse.com

Copper Spirit Distillery

March 1, 2020 No Comments

A family-run boutique craft distillery on Bowen Island, they handcraft vodka, gin and whisky from local organic ingredients.

441 Bowen Island Trunk Rd., Bowen Island
778-895-9622
CopperSpirit.ca

A Bit Curious

January 29, 2020 No Comments

Recipe created for the Punch Brunch 2020 by Sabrine Dhaliwal, bar manager of Juke Fried Chicken in Vancouver.

The Punch Brunch, held at Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim on January 26, was the official launch for the inaugural Vancouver Cocktail Week presented by The Alchemist magazine, which will be held March 7 to 10, 2021. For more cocktail recipes from the brunch, see: The Rye of the Tiger, Featherweight Punch Royale, Flapjack Punch and Morning Ritual.

The Alchemist

Last minute gift guide: Spirited presents

December 7, 2019 No Comments

Need something to tuck under the tree? From vodka to bitters, we’ve got you covered with these holiday bottles

Need something special for your dinner party host, your boss or your impossible-to-buy-for brother-in-law. Here are the spirits we’d like to find under our own Christmas trees. (For whiskies, see Last minute gift guide part 1: Warming whiskeys.)