IN FLIGHT
Could
COCKTAIL MIXERS
SIMPLY ADD A SPIRIT
NO ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS SERVINGS PER BOTTLE 5+
NON CARBONATED
NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVOURS
NO ARTIFICIAL COLOURS
10 – AT THE BAR
Bar Gobo rebrands as a hi-fi wine bar with a vibrant vinyl vibe by Joanne Sasari
22 – IS THIS THE PERFECT COCKTAIL?
This modern classic soars above the others by Kate Dingwall
– ELBOWS UP!
A rallying cry for Canadian creativity by Christine Sismondo 30 – GOOD NIGHT OUT
How a B.C. non-profit is helping bar and nightlife patrons stay safe by Charlene Rooke
Lillet Spritz
Flying Home
Niigata Paper Plane
The Turbulent Plane
A Riff on the Classic
Our bartenders select their favourite Canadian whiskies
Café Bastille Martinez
Kyoto Collins
How the Whale Got His Throat
Lost Highway
High Fives All Around
Rat Boy
45– The Belly of the Beast
Hakan Burcuoglu photo
Nathan Murray photo
Contributors
Joanne Sasvari is the editor of The Alchemist, Vitis and YAM magazines. She is a WSET-certified writer-editor who covers food, drink and travel for a variety of publications, and is the author of several cookbooks, including 2023’s Okanagan Eats.
Matthew Benevoli is an awardwinning mixologist, industry veteran and mentor. He has a passion for creating custom and unique cocktails and loves storytelling through them.
Kate Dingwall is a WSET-trained wine professional and a writer, editor and photographer covering spirits, food, culture and travel for publications such as Food & Wine and Serious Eats.
Reece Sims is a retired awardwinning bartender, avid destination distillery-goer and the owner of SIP Spirits, an agency that works with beverage brands. Follow her on Instagram @reecesims.
Viranlly Liemena is a Vancouverbased creator with deep love for travels, cocktails and travelling for cocktails. He is a big fan of Martinis and Champagne, preferably on the plane.
Charlene Rooke is a WSET Spirits instructor, Certified Specialist of Spirits and the Academy Chair, Canada West, for World’s 50 Best Bars. A trained craft distiller, she also writes for Food & Drink, Taste and other drinks publications.
Christine Sismondo is a National Magazine Award-winning writer who covers spirits, wine, bars and cultural history for numerous publications, and is the author of America Walks into a Bar.
ON THE COVER: Think Martini with a tropical vibe. See Her Through the Pines, created by Driftwood Spirits, features Driftwood’s Contact Gin, acid-adjusted pineapple juice, simple syrup, habanero tincture and saline solution. Living Room Creative photo
Editor’s letter
In late April, Vancouver firmly shook off its “no fun city” rep and welcomed the best barkeeps on the continent for North America’s 50 Best Bars. Restaurants and bars across the city hosted epic parties and exciting pop-ups, and it’s fair to say that the day after the awards Vancouver was the single most hungover place on the planet. But nobody seemed to mind because everyone was having so much fun.
It was a good reminder that “fun” is what cocktail culture is supposed to be.
The best reason to enjoy a cocktail is not just because it’s delicious, but because it is convivial. Sharing a cocktail with someone breaks down barriers, makes conversation easier and inspires us to kick up our heels and hit the dance floor. It’s a little bit glamorous, a little bit daring. It’s a good time in a glass.
Yes, there can be too much of a good thing, and it’s important to recognize that. (Charlene Rooke’s story on Good Night Out, an organization promoting safety for everyone, does just that.) And for sure these last few years have been serious ones, where the hospitality community has tackled serious issues including mental health, precarious economics and geopolitics. (For more on that, check out Christine Sismondo’s piece on how Canadian bartenders and distillers are handling the current U.S.-Canada trade war.)
But, every once in a while, it’s just enough to sip something wellcrafted and a little bit boozy, to lighten up and forget the scary headlines for an hour or two, to find the courage to talk to a cute stranger or try that kooky dance move.
This fall, the cocktail world descends on Toronto for two huge events: the World Class Global Final in September and, from October 23 to 26, the inaugural Toronto Cocktail Festival, brought to you by The Alchemist magazine, the same team that’s behind Vancouver Cocktail Week.
We know that in between the seminars and competitions, Toronto is going to be serving up what Vancouver just did. It’s what we are craving most these days: a whole lot of fun.
—Joanne
Sasvari, Editor
Find The Alchemist in select distilleries, cocktail bars and independent liquor stores across B.C. and Ontario.
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BAR BITES
NEWS AND NOTES FROM BEHIND THE BAR AND AROUND THE WORLD OF COCKTAILS AND SPIRITS
TORONTO COCKTAIL FESTIVAL SET TO SHAKE UP THE SIX
TFC promises to be a destination event for cocktail lovers. Living Room Creative photo
The Alchemist magazine team has had so much fun hosting Vancouver Cocktail Week, we’re bringing the good times to Toronto. This fall, we’re launching the first annual Toronto Cocktail Festival, to be held October 23 to 26, 2025.
This inaugural year we will start with a four-day preview weekend festival and then expand to a full eight-day festival week for 2026.
Toronto is already a hub of cocktail creativity, with its multi-award-winning bartenders and brand ambassadors; now
the Toronto Cocktail Festival offers those bartenders the showcase they deserve with a destination event that brings the cocktail-loving world to town. For more information, sign up for notifications at thealchemistmagazine.ca/tcf.
Meanwhile, VCW25 was held in March at venues across Vancouver, with the glamourous closing gala at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia. Planning is already underway for next year; mark your calendars for VCW26, to be held March 1 to 8, 2026. For more info on that event, visit thealchemistmagazine.ca/vcw.
B.C. BARS MAKE THE LIST(S)
Spring, it seems, is list season, at least in the bar community, and some of B.C.s best bars have been recognized by two of the most significant rankings on the continent.
On April 29, North America’s 50 Best Bars released their list at a swish ceremony held at the JW Marriott Parq. Although Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy took the top spot for the second year in a row, and Toronto’s Bar Pompette was Canada’s highest ranked bar at No. 7, two Vancouver bars made the top 50: Botanist Bar at No. 26 and The Keefer Bar at No. 28.
More Vancouver bars made the extended 50100 list: Prophecy (No. 53), Laowai (No. 67) and Meo (92). Victoria’s hot cocktail scene also made the list, with Humboldt Bar at No. 69. For the full list, visit theworlds50best. com/bars/northamerica/list/1-50.
LEFT: Botanist’s Raincouver cocktail. Instagram.com/ botanistdining photo TOP RIGHT: Prophecy’s Jeff Savage. Instagram.com/prophecybar photo BOTTOM RIGHT: The Keefer Bar team. Instagram.com/thekeeferbar photo
Then on May 15, at a glam ceremony in Toronto, Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants revealed Canada’s Best Bars, with The Keefer Bar (No. 4) and Prophecy (No. 7) among the top 10. For that list, visit canadas100best. com/best-bars
Congratulations to all the bars recognized!
SPRITZ UP YOUR SUMMER
Lillet.com photo
Summertime and the living is lazy, or at least it should be. So when it comes to our favourite cocktails of the season, we not only crave something light and thirst-quenching, we also want it to take as little effort as possible, but maybe just a bit more effort than cracking open an RTD.
Enter the spritz. The Aperol spritz has been ubiquitous for more years than we like to count; last year, summer was all about the Hugo spritz, which is made with elderflower liqueur rather than Aperol.
This year, the spritz of the moment is the Lillet spritz, perhaps the easiest of them all.
Lillet Blanc is an aperitif, an aromatized wine similar to vermouth, but lighter and more refreshing. It’s a blend of wines and fruit infusions that’s been made according to a top-secret recipe for nearly 150 years in Bordeaux. It is delicious enjoyed simply over ice, in cocktails like the classic 20th Century or, of course, in a spritz.
To make the spritz: Simply combine equal amounts of Lillet and club soda in a wine glass filled with ice; garnish with an orange wheel, or to make it a “spa spritz,” slices of cucumber and/or lemon, lime and sprigs of mint. Repeat as needed.
For more Lillet recipes, visit lillet.com.
COCKTAILS TO GO, GO, GO
Summertime means camping and picnics and lounging in the back yard—or the back country. Now you can bring your favourite cocktails with you, thanks to the folks at Yeti.
Yeti is already famous for its rugged, nearly indestructible coolers that can keep ice frozen for days as well as its insulated go-cups that keep coffee hot and cold drinks chilled for hours upon hours.
They have recently introduced a range of
Now that’s the summer spirit! yeti.ca/ drinkware back country. Now you can bring your go-cups that keep coffee hot and cold
They have recently introduced a range of tough, sturdy, insulated cocktail shakers, wine tumblers, flasks, pitchers, wine chillers and other containers for all your adult beverages that are ready to go wherever you do. They also come in a range of stylish colours,
from poppy pastels to Canada Day red and sophisticated neutrals.
AW, SHUCKS FOR THIS UMAMI MOMENT
Umami, the savoury so-called fifth taste after sweet, sour, salty and bitter, is having a moment in the world of drink. Think Dirty Martinis, whisky made with mushrooms, gin with savoury herbs and olives, or cocktails shaken with miso, saline or soy sauce.
Now distillers are turning to the sea for what might be our favourite umami-rich ingredient yet: the oyster.
A couple of years back, Copperpenny Distilling in North Vancouver released a gin made with Fanny Bay oyster shells, which added hints of umami and brine that led the gin to be named the 2023 BC Food & Beverage “Product of the Year” and win two silvers at the 2023 UK Gin Masters blind tasting competition.
In Australia, meanwhile, the distillers at Manly Spirits in New South Wales had a similar idea, crafting their Oyster Pearl
Vodka with “oceanic elements sourced from the Sydney Rock oyster shell, harmoniously interwoven with a medley of foraged marine botanicals.”
On Rhode Island, ISCO Spirits (a.k.a The Industrious Spirit Company) has gone a step further, with their Ostreida Oyster Vodka, which is made with actual fresh-farmed oysters for a vodka that is savoury and briny with a “bivalve bouquet.”
But our favourite might just be the recent collab between Driftwood Spirits and Shuck Taylor’s terrific little oyster bar, both located in Victoria. The Shuck Taylors x Driftwood Oyster Spirit is distilled with the freshest Vancouver Island oysters for the full essence of minerality and brine of the sea. To try it, you’ll need to pop over to the Island and enjoy a shot at Shuck Taylor’s or an Oyster Spirit Caesar at Driftwood Bar & Patio. wanderingmollusk.com, driftwoodspirits.ca
Bar Gobo’s vinyl vibe
THE CHINATOWN WINE BAR REBRANDS AS A HI-FI JOINT, AND WE ARE SO THERE FOR IT
by Joanne Sasvari
For Paul McCloskey, running what might be Vancouver’s first dedicated vinyl-only hi-fi wine bar is something of a full-circle moment.
“It’s the combination of all the things I really love,” says the bar/general/music manager at the Michelin-recommended Bar Gobo.
This tiny space on Union Street recently debuted a custom-built analog sound system hand built by co-owner Kevin Bismanis with equipment supply and consulting by Space Lab in a room tuned for acoustic clarity by ArchiveElectronic. The combo of vintage and modern components has transformed Bar Gobo into an intimate listening bar with a killer drinks program.
It’s new for Vancouver, but for McCloskey it’s not all that new, and not just because he’d been a DJ before he fell into restaurants and wine.
“I was actually trying to start a hi-fi bar in Vancouver in 2019,” McCloskey says. Back then, he was still running The Arbour, the popular vegan restaurant that closed last year after an eight-year run, and Burdock & Co., Bar Gobo’s older sibling, was hosting
At Bar Gobo, chef Ralph Cavallo’s menu features Filipino-inspired bites like these butsi with chicken liver and guava jam. Hakan Burcuoglu photo
“Disco Dumplings” on Monday nights. When the disco DJ eventually moved on, the music changed and the pop-up was renamed for the Japanese name for burdock: Bar Gobo.
“It was really cool and it was really well attended by industry people,” he says. When
Burdock & Co.’s owners Andrea Carlson and Bismanis decided to open a natural wine bar in the old Parker location, the idea was to recreate the Bar Gobo vibe complete with cool sounds. “But the pandemic really kneecapped it,” McCloskey says.
Fast forward a few years and McCloskey found himself picking up a few shifts at what he calls “the best place in the city to get a glass of wine that nobody was going to.” When Carlson and Bismanis asked if he had any ideas for getting more people into Bar Gobo, he remembered the old Disco Dumpling days and says, “Thankfully the idea fell on the right ear.”
Bar Gobo’s rebranding as a hi-fi wine bar in late April coincided with North America’s 50 Best Bars’ arrival in Vancouver, so they hosted a trio of buzzy pop-ups featuring bar stars and tasty eats from Montreal to Mexico. The plan is to host more DJs and other guests, but always in keeping with the intimate vibe of what is, after all, a tiny and low-key space.
“One of the things we talk about quite a bit is the limitations of the space in every respect,” McCloskey says. “Even the type of music we play is affected by the size of the room. We’re going to make a bunch of choices we really like, but we’re not going to nerd out about them.”
He adds: “We’re choosing music like we’re choosing the wine that we serve.”
Whether it’s chef Ralph Cavallo’s Filipinoinspired menu (chicken liver mousse with guava jam, tuna crudo with spicy lime and daikon, confit ling cod with Meyer lemon pil pil sauce) or the tightly curated cocktail program (simple cocktails like Negronis and Martinis, pre-batched, made with B.C. spirits), the idea is that everything is executed with precision, but without pretension.
That goes for the wine, too, because, as McCloskey says, “Gobo will remain a wine bar forever. That’s the first focus, the draw of the space.”
The tightly edited wine list features interesting styles and varieties from near and far, including Averill Creek’s Joue “field blend” rosé from the Cowichan Valley, Ori Marani’s Rikatsiteli from Georgia and the Glow Glow Muller Thurgau from Germany.
“We want it to feel intentional,” McCloskey says. “There’s no space for extra.”
Bar Gobo is located at 237 Union Street, Vancouver. bargobo.com
The DJ booth features a custom sound system designed for vinyl. Hakan Burcuoglu photo
SUMMER DISTILLERY GUIDE
ENJOY SUMMER WITH THESE LOCAL OFFERINGS
MACALONEY�S ISLAND DISTILLERY
CATH-NAH-AVEN
46% ABV, $104.99 (700 ml)
Cath-nah-aven pays homage to the great sherried whiskies from the banks of the river Spey. Our award-winning Vancouver Island distilled classic single malt is carefully crafted in premium Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez casks from Andalucía in Spain. Married by our Whiskymaker, this whisky reveals a complex red-berry, plum, and oak nose, enhancing the fruit, floral, and sea-breeze notes.
Available at our distillery, select private liquor stores, and at macaloneydistillers.com
COPPER SPIRIT DISTILLERY
VERITY RYE SPIRIT
40% ABV, $55 (750 ml)
Our unaged rye spirit is an aromatic and flavourful expression made with 100% organic B.C. rye grain. A perfect gift for the curious spirits collector.
World’s Best Grain Spirit (2024)
“Cleanly distilled with a fine grain character that is both complex and enticing. Berries with a touch of stone fruit join on the palate, along with a little amaretto nuttiness. A lovely, balanced digestif.”
Available at our distillery, select private liquor stores, and at copperspirit.ca
MERRIDALE CRAFT DISTILLERY COWICHAN GIN
40% ABV, $38 (750 ml)
Crafted from B.C. apples and aged in stainless steel for a smooth finish, our gin is vapour-infused with wild botanicals foraged from the Cowichan Valley—aromatics from native trees, herbs, roots, and berries. A true expression of place in every sip. Proud recipient of the Silver award for Merit in Terroir at the 2020 Canadian Artisan Spirit Competition.
Available at our distillery, select private liquor stores, and online at Merridale.ca
THE WOODS SPIRIT CO. AMARO CHIARO
VICTORIA DISTILLERS EMPRESS 1908 GIN
42.5% ABV, $52 (750 ml)
25% ABV, $48 (750 ml)
The beautifully delicate sister of classic amaro. Our Amaro Chiaro is less bitter and sweeter on the palate compared to traditional amaro. We have delicately balanced 14 botanicals including gentian root to create a wonderful bouquet of floral and aromatic herbs with soft green notes of mint, prominent citrus and velvety sweetness. Try Amaro Chiaro in a White Negroni or in a summery spritz.
Available at the distillery and at thewoodsspiritco.com
ROOTS AND WINGS DISTILLERY LAVENDER GIN
40% ABV, $31 (750ml)
This floral gin will suprise you with the refreshing notes of lavender along with hints of lemon and cucumber. It’s a perfect addition to your home bar.
Available at the distillery, select private liquor stores in B.C., and at RootsAndWingsDistillery.ca.
Experience the extraordinary at Victoria Distillers, makers of Empress 1908 Gin. Our stunning oceanside distillery, located in Sidney by the Sea, offers complimentary tastings and a selection of premium, handcrafted spirits. Try our iconic Empress Indigo Gin, or, discover the latest Empress Elderflower Rose and Cucumber Lemon Gin expressions, and more! Visit victoriadistillers.com for more info.
COPPERPENNY DISTILLING CO. NO. 005 SOCIAL GIN
43% ABV, $57 (750 ml), $36 (375 ml)
Copperpenny’s No. 005 Social Gin has been crowned Canada’s Best Contemporary Gin and awarded Gold at the 2025 World Gin Awards in London.
Copperpenny proves that world-class quality is born at home—crafted with local B.C. grain, mountainfresh water and distilled proudly in Canada. A flawless gin for any cocktail, especially in a crisp gin & tonic or a bold, luxurious Negroni.
Available a select private retailers, online at copperpenny.co, or visit our distillery cocktail bar in person.
WILD MADE WHISKY™
WE LOVE WHAT WE DO
Founded in 2019 by Martin and Zuzka Kovalcik, Thinking About Drinking Ltd. brings a fresh, creative spark to Vancouver’s event scene. With over 17 years of mixology experience in Europe’s top 5-star hotels and fine dining restaurants in Vancouver, Martin now crafts unforgettable cocktail experiences for private events across the city.
From large-scale corporate functions to intimate family gatherings, Thinking About Drinking delivers worldclass cocktails and hospitality straight to your venue, office, or home. And this isn’t your average bar service— think edible bubbles, smoke, and even personalized portraits on drinks. Nothing is too out-there for this innovative team.
Beyond bar service, TAD offers a range of event rentals including champagne towers, premium glassware, portable bars and professional bar equipment. If you’re in the market for quality barware at competitive prices, be sure to check out their online shop.
thinkingaboutdrinking.ca | thinkingaboutdrinking.shop
Mental Health Support for Hospitality
We are committed to breaking the stigma of talking about mental health & supporting positive actions in achieving mental wellness.
mindthebar.com
the summer standard for premium non-alcoholic spirits
SCAN FOR COCKTAIL INSPIRATION
Kate Chernoff (centre) accepts the trophy for World Class Canada 2025 Bartender of the Year, surrounded by previous winners. Photos courtesy of World Class Canada
It’s Toronto’s time
WORLD CLASS COCKTAIL FESTIVAL SET TO SHAKE UP THE CITY—AND THE COUNTRY—THIS SEPTEMBER
The World Class Cocktail Festival, to be held August 16 to October 3 across Canada, promises to be one of the biggest and best parties this country has ever seen.
“Our ambition is to give the World Class Global Final a Canadian feel even though it will be centred in Toronto,” says Michael Armistead, who oversees the World Class Canada Bartending Competition as National Onpremise, Reserve and Sponsorship Manager at Diageo Canada.
To make it not just Toronto’s festival, but Canada’s, he’s also planning activations from Vancouver to Halifax in the lead-up to the competition itself. “We want to bring to life the feeling of community,” he says. “We’re excited about it, and we feel the industry is excited about it, nationally and globally.”
World Class, sponsored by Diageo and its reserve brands (including Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky, Don Julio tequila, Tanqueray No. Ten Gin, Singleton single malt and
Ketel One Vodka), is the biggest and most prestigious cocktail competition on the planet. Each year, some 10,000 bartenders from 55 countries compete and the winner is justly considered the globe’s Bartender of the Year.
Since Canada started competing in 2013, this country has won the global title four times, more than any other country: Kaitlyn Stewart in 2017, James Grant in 2021, Jacob Martin in 2023 and Keegan McGregor in 2024. So it only seems fitting that it’s Canada’s turn to host the big event. Certainly, Armistead has been trying to bring it home for the past few years, and he has a thrilling lineup planned. (See the schedule to the right.)
The Fairmont Royal York is the host hotel and festival hub, but, Armistead points out: “All through the week we will be doing brand activations, seminars and guest shifts featuring global industry legends all around Toronto.”
Many of those events will be ticketed and open to consumers, including the closing events and winner’s announcement. Plus World Class is planning to run contests all summer to bring cocktail-loving visitors and industry pros to the festival.
The only question remaining is: Will hosting the Global Final in Toronto mean home team advantage for this year’s World Class Canada winner, Kate Chernoff of Vancouver’s Keefer Bar? “She feels the support of the country behind her,” Armistead says. “This year’s other Canadian National Finalists will all be at the final as part of the global team.”
WORLD CLASS SCHEDULE
A snapshot of events planned for the global party
Saturday, August 16
The kickoff of World Class Cocktail Festival. World Class will be sponsoring the King’s Plate horse race at Woodbine Racetrack. “We’ll be there to support it, top hat and tails in hand,” Armistead says.
Sunday, August 17
Month-long World Class promotion begins at LCBO outlets across Ontario.
Thursday, September 4
Opening night of the 50th anniversary of the Toronto International Film Festival. Don Julio is TIFF’s official tequila partner, and there will be World Class Cocktail Festival activations at some film events.
Monday, September 22, to Friday, September 26
Events, seminars and guest shifts in key cities across the country, as well as visits by previous global winners en route to Toronto, “to ensure there is a full community feel to the cocktail festival,” Armistead says.
Saturday, September 27
Competitors arrive in Toronto.
Monday, September 29
An industry forum with a series of seminars during the day, with an opening party in the evening.
Tuesday, September 30, and Wednesday, October 1 The competition.
Thursday, October 2
The final challenge and announcement of the winner, held in a venue to be announced.
Taking flight
COULD THE PAPER PLANE BE THE PERFECT COCKTAIL?
by Kate Dingwall
Ilove a Martini. I’m happy to whisper sweet words to a well-made Old Fashioned. I’ve fallen head over heels for a Negroni on a good patio. But hear me out: While all of the above are well and good, the Paper Plane is the perfect drink.
Made from equal portions of bourbon, Amaro Nonino, Aperol and lemon juice, the new-school classic cocktail has a kiss of booze, a bright hit of citrus and an herbal allure from the addition of amaro. The recipe is foolproof: just one ounce of everything, shake and pour.
The resulting drink is bold and bitter, but refreshingly citrus-driven and highly drinkable. It’s easy to execute—there are no odd or esoteric ingredients—and endlessly riffable (soup up the recipe with seasonal ingredients or swap in your favourite whisky).
“The great thing about a Paper Plane is that its vibe is super adaptable,” says Avi Kunen, the bar manager of Kissa Tanto in Vancouver. “It can start off a night, play and pair well with food, and wind down a dinner. You can be chic and sophisticated with it on a first
FLYING HOME
Recipe by Avi Kunen, bar manager at Kissa Tanto, Vancouver: “Sam Ross [the Paper Plane’s inventor] initially tried the drink with Campari. This is a nod to that. Rhubarb and ginger are a natural pairing, and we love combining Japanese whisky and Italian amaro.”
1 oz Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky
1 oz ginger-infused Amaro Nonino
1 oz lemon juice
1 oz rhubarb-sweetened Campari
Optional garnish: Ginger-pickled rhubarb
Place all ingredients (except garnish) into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake hard and double-strain into a chilled coupe glass. If you like, garnish with ginger-pickled rhubarb. Serves 1.
Photo courtesy of Kissa Tanto
IT’S A POPULAR DRINK BUT NOT OVERLY SO; COOL, BUT NOT EXCEEDINGLY EVERYWHERE LIKE THE APEROL SPRITZ OR THE DIRTY MARTINI.
date, or drink five of them on a rowdy boys’ night. Hell, it even works as a brunch drink.”
“I think one of the biggest draws of a Paper Plane is that anyone can drink it and be happy,” says Mat Locke, the bar manager at the newly opened Bar Asra in Vancouver’s South Granville neighbourhood. “From diehard Old Fashioned fans to vodka-cranberry drinkers.”
“I love the Paper Plane because of its balance and simplicity,” Kunen continues. “Just four ingredients that you’d find behind any bar that takes cocktails even a little bit seriously, an equal-parts recipe, and no garnish!”
A MODERN CLASSIC
The Paper Plane was invented in the late aughts by Sam Ross, who was a bartender at New York’s infamous and industry-defining Milk & Honey. He was riffing and reworking the Last Word—another equal-parts classic cocktail. But instead of punchy, herbal Chartreuse, he brought in Campari for sweetness and Amaro for herbaceousness.
Playing on the bar’s radio? M.I.A.’s Paper Planes.
His final recipe landed on 0.75 ounces each of bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino and lemon juice, shaken till it’s icy.
“For those who have yet to try it, this cocktail has a beautiful balance and equal parts of bold whiskey, vibrant Aperol, bittersweet amaro, and refreshing citrus,” says Nathan Murray, the bar manager at aKin, chef Eric
NIIGATA PAPER PLANE
Recipe by Mat Locke, bar manager at Bar Asra, Vancouver: “My riff uses neither bourbon nor Aperol—half of the key ingredients. Instead, I use Japanese whisky in place of bourbon, and a non-alcoholic aperitivo to replace the Aperol. I balance the cocktail by playing around with the traditional proportions.”
1.5 oz Shinobu Bourbon-Based Whiskey
1 oz Babylon Spritz (non-alcoholic bitter orange)
0.75 oz Amaro Nonino
0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
2 drops salt solution
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake, the fine-strain into a coupe glass. Serves 1.
Chong’s new tasting-menu destination in downtown Toronto. “Perfect for both seasoned cocktail lovers and rookies to the bar scene, this modern classic is sure to be a certified crowd pleaser.”
And while it’s been less than 20 years since the Paper Plane’s first flight, it’s now become a staple at great bars. “It’s one of the first modern classic cocktails,” says
Photo courtesy of Bar Asra
IT’S THE HANDSHAKE BETWEEN DAZZLING AND COMFORTING; THE COCKTAIL I CHOOSE WHEN I’VE HAD ENOUGH OF REFRESHING BUBBLY DRINKS AND I WANT TO EASE INTO THE PART OF THE NIGHT WHERE I POUR MYSELF A STRAIGHT DRAM.
THE TURBULENT PLANE
Recipe by Anita Dorion, the Toronto-based Vine Translator.
0.5 oz bourbon
0.5 oz Aperol
0.5 oz Amaro Nonino Quintessentia
Juice of ½ lemon, freshly squeezed Sparkling wine of choice
Add all ingredients except the sparkling wine into a shaker filled with ice. Shake, shake, shake until it’s too cold to hold any more.
Strain into a coupe glass. Top with sparkling wine. Serves 1.
Kunen. It’s a popular drink but not overly so; cool, but not exceedingly everywhere like the Aperol Spritz or the Dirty Martini.
“People who order them feel like they’re part of an exclusive club that already knows about Daiquiris, Last Words and Old Fashioneds, and has moved onto newer, fresher drinks,” Kunen adds.
The Paper Plane’s easy approachability is proven to win over even the staunchest bourbon drinkers. “My preferred method of drinking bourbon is neat,” says Leanne Roy, the Jill-of-all-trades at John Sleeman & Sons, a newly revived historic Canadian distillery. “I don’t often consider it one of the more refreshing spirits, but the Paper Plane proves me wrong every time.”
“It’s a tightrope walker between herbal sour and mellow sweet,” Roy continues. “It’s the handshake between dazzling and comforting; the cocktail I choose when I’ve had enough of refreshing bubbly drinks and I want to ease into the part of the night where I pour myself a straight dram.”
And bartenders—home ones included— can tweak the recipe to the weather or vibe. Saffron in New Orleans uses bourbon, ghee-smoked peach Aperol, lemon and star anise. New York’s famed PDT ditches the lemon juice and adds muddled mint instead. These aren’t the first riffs: Joaquin Simo, former owner of Pouring Ribbons, turned the Paper Plane into the Naked and Famous, a smoky, citrusy, herbal drink made with equal parts mezcal, yellow Chartreuse, Aperol and lime juice.
Anita Dorion photo
A BARTENDER’S BLUEPRINT
For Murray, the Paper Plane is a blueprint—a blank canvas for building new flavours. His bar program leans into tea, so he swaps out citrus for an acidulated green tea blended with toasted brown rice. He also highlights Canadian whisky instead of the classic bourbon. It’s for patriotism’s sake, but also gives the cocktail a lighter profile. “The result: a flavour profile that is sure to surprise even the most seasoned Paper Plane drinker.”
Locke’s more into Japanese whisky. His Niigata Paper Plane gets a heftier pour of that, then balances out the alcohol by skipping Aperol in favour of a zero-proof bitter orange aperitivo.
Or, try tequila, swap in your favourite brown spirit or add effervescence.
“A spritzed paper plane is a wonderful morning option,” Kunen says. He’ll play around with seasonal infusions (try rhubarb infused into Campari) or, swap in Japanese whisky for a more suave, elegant take.
A RIFF ON THE CLASSIC
Recipe by Nathan Murray, bar manager at aKin in Toronto: “I prefer Canadian whisky over bourbon. Then I add an acidulated green tea blended with toasted brown rice in place of classic citrus. The result: a flavour profile that is sure to surprise even the most seasoned Paper Plane drinker.”
0.75 ounces Bearface Wilderness No. 3 Whisky
0.75 oz Aperol
0.75 oz Amaro Nonino
0.76 oz acidulated green tea (see note)
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake, strain into coupe glass. Serves 1.
Note: To make acidulated green tea, brew a cup of tea, let it cool, then add a few drops of lemon juice or 1 tsp of vinegar, or to your taste.
Kayla Thompson, a bartender at Waterworks Bar in Toronto’s Waterworks Food Hall, likes to swap out bourbon for cinnamon whisky in the colder months. “It gives it a warm feel and an intriguing taste,” she says. “In the warmer months, I like to add pineapple juice for a tropical twist.”
Elise Hanson, the bar manager of Civil Works, one of Toronto’s best bars, tags in mezcal instead of bourbon. She’ll also dial back the sweeter components in the recipe (Aperol and Amaro Nonino) to give it a slightly drier profile. Or, she’ll punch up the bitterness by swapping Aperol for Campari and Amaro Nonino for Cynar.
“The Paper Plane is a beautifully balanced cocktail that has a universal appeal,” she says. “Its simplicity makes it both approachable and endlessly customizable, allowing it to be tailored to suit any guest’s preferences.”
Essentially? The Paper Plane is everything and anything you want it to be.
Nathan Murray photo
Elbows up!
HOW CANADIAN BARKEEPS AND DISTILLERS ARE HANDLING THE TRADE WAR TROUBLES
by Christine Sismondo
“Joe Canadian” responds to Trump’s threats: 25 years after recording the original “I Am Canadian” ad for Molson beer, actor Jeff Douglas recorded a new patriotic rant that has garnered over 1.2 million views on YouTube. YouTube.com/@AverageJoes1867 screenshot.
Last month at the “knowhere public house,” a locavore bar and community hub in Sudbury, Daniel Cronin hosted a five-course storytelling dinner billed as “The Night the White House Burned.”
The event had been inspired by the (possibly apocryphal) story of a lavish supper planned by then First Lady Dolley Madison, which was meant to be a victory feast for United States
forces during the War of 1812. Instead, it was enjoyed by invading Brits—right before they burned down the White House.
“Yes, this was obviously a response to everything going on with the U.S. tariffs,” says Cronin, who acts as knowhere pub’s bar consultant. “I’m an American citizen, an expat living here in Sudbury, and it’s disappointing to see my country making far more aggressive
choices than are necessary or smart for the greater peace of the world.”
Chef Gaetanne Larocque Canadianized the meal with local fare and each course was paired with punches made with ingredients such as sumac syrup, Ontario cider, Niagara vermouth and, of course, plenty of Canadian whisky—the only whisky from this continent they sell.
“It was easy for us to say, ‘We’re not buying American liquor right now,’” Cronin says, noting that they already had a strong Canadian whisky program. “There’s no point, there’s no need. I feel fairly confident in my ability to recommend a rye that has a similar profile to a specific bourbon if I’ve got a consumer who wants that.”
CHANGING HABITS
Although the spirits business isn’t as economically important as Canada’s auto, steel or lumber industries, which have all been affected by high tariffs unexpectedly levied by the U.S. government, the bourbon boycott has been a serious talker. Some provinces immediately pulled American wine, beer and spirits from shelves, whereas, in jurisdictions with private retailers, some U.S. products are still available.
“It’s definitely been challenging for certain people,” says Eric Scouten of Kakuteru Lounge in Saint John, New Brunswick. “Your general Old Fashioned drinkers are in the habit of ordering what they see as a simple order, but that’s no longer the case. It requires a longer conversation.”
And, of course, it’s not only bourbon. Wine lists at steak joints are traditionally heavy on the Cali Cab. Some people have reported problems sourcing tequila in provinces where Mexican spirits come through the States. And coffee liqueur is a surprising tough item to keep in stock.
A selection of cocktails, beers and spirits using the slogan “Elbows Up”:
In March, Junction 56 in Stratford, Ontario, launched a ready-to-pour cranberry vodka cocktail under the name “Elbows Up.”
G&P on Main in Whitehorse added a new “Maply” cocktail to its menu in April using the rallying term.
At Compass Distillers in Halifax, the name refers to the latest spirit in its portfolio—a corn whisky.
This spring, Yellowbelly Brewery launched a lagered ale under the name “Elbows Up” that’s available in can format at Newfoundland Liquor.
The Irish Heather in Vancouver has been serving an “Elbows Up!” Old Fashioned made with Lot 40 Canadian Rye, describing it as an “American classic made with Canadian spirit.”
ELBOWS UP ACROSS CANADA
Compass Distillers photo
I THINK BARTENDERS SHOULD SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE CREATIVE AND I THINK THAT THE FOLKS WITH THE POCKETBOOKS SHOULD BE FLEXIBLE WITH THE FACT THAT PRICING IS GOING TO BE DYNAMIC.
“What’s been interesting is how many funny little things are produced in the United States that you don’t even think about, like Fireball or Butter Ripple Schnapps,” says Skye Plowman of the Trapline Lounge in Yellowknife’s Explorer Hotel. “Or Sour Puss. I’m not going to miss it personally, but that group that comes in on Friday nights to do Porn Star shots is missing Raspberry Sour Puss quite a bit right now.”
Perhaps not so much that they’d indulge in cross-border shopping, however.
CLOSE TO HOME
Polls show that Canadians are easing off travel to the U.S.A. for a range of reasons: to show support for our own economy stressed by the trade war; to protest a government callously deporting and detaining racialized populations; and, finally, out of fear for personal safety. No matter how remote the possibility is, given sensational accounts of Europeans and Canadians being detained by ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), it’s hard to plan a trip to the U.S. without a flicker of a thought about what the odds are that you also wind up with a free excursion to El Salvador.
And, since the post-pandemic bar community in Canada is as international as it’s ever been (thanks to pop-ups, takeovers and enthusiasm for conferences), strained U.S.-Canada relations are starting to re-shape that, too. Even Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, a high-profile and nearly mandatory stop on the circuit, may see fewer Canadians this year.
“I do think a lot of people are quite serious about not going to Tales this year,” says
Christina Veira, part-owner of Toronto’s Bar Mordecai. “I’ve heard it from a lot of people who work at a lot of levels of the industry, which makes me take it seriously.”
Veira points out that, for many, a sense of financial instability is part of the equation. Veira says few of her colleagues feel “flush” right now and, like many, are cautious about the future, given the simmering trade war. The fact that tariff announcements are capricious and ever-changing doesn’t make it any easier.
“We had been invited to do a pop-up in the States and we’re not doing it,” says Veira. “Any travel I have booked to the States right now is on the personal side and I couldn’t ask staff to travel since I could not, in good faith, say that my feeling of ‘it should be fine’ was enough.”
Veira says that bar owners might have an easier time at the border, since it represents a clear anchor at home. Bartenders without an ownership stake, on the other hand, might be subject to tougher scrutiny, since immigration agents might suspect they’re crossing the border to work under the table.
“I’m also aware that some members of the staff might not feel safe because of immigration status, gender, sexuality, what have you,” Veira adds. “Even if my body isn’t the most privileged, I have some and that gives me an illusion of safety.”
A SILVER LINING
There’s been an uptick in conversations around exploring Asian, African and European events, as well as interest in homegrown conferences. The Bar Committee Nova Scotia group, chaired by Dylan
Brentwood are looking into reviving the defunct Drink Atlantic Cocktail Festival, which would be a lovely excuse to visit one of Canada’s most vibrant food, cocktail, wine and craft spirits destinations.
Although, we should also just go so we can hang out with Brentwood as he makes us drinks behind the wood at Bar Kismet, festival or not. The silver lining in this dark timeline is that it might move us to take stock of all the great things we have here in Canada. And that will be especially exciting if our new federal leader manages to get inter-provincial trade barriers axed this year.
“I think bartenders should see this as an opportunity to be creative and I think that the folks with the pocketbooks should be flexible with the fact that pricing is going to be dynamic,” she says. “We’ve spent so much time being told that this spirit from the States is better or this wine from California is better than ours, it’s time to really open ourselves to what might be new to you or new to the market.”
Plowman adds: “It’s going to take a lot of effort. It’s going to be super annoying. But it could also be a really fun opportunity.”
CRAFT DISTILLERS SEIZE THE MOMENT
In April, B.C.’s craft distillers launched a petition on change.org to get the province’s craft sprits into government liquor stores, with a plea to: “Join the movement to demand fairness, fuel B.C.’s economy, and give authentic local spirits the respect they deserve. Raise your voice, raise your elbows, and let’s make some noise!”
It’s not just about getting more local hooch on store shelves; at issue are two key changes distilleries have been requesting for the last decade. The first is allowing B.C. distilleries similar benefits and reimburse-
ments as the BC VQA wine program. Under that, if a $40 bottle of BC VQA wine is sold in a BC Liquor Store, the winery retains $33 of the price. Meanwhile, if a $40 bottle of 100-per-cent farm-to-bottle B.C. craft spirit is sold, the distillery keeps only $13—which is less than the cost of production.
The second is to remove the 50,000-litre production cap that keeps distilleries from growing and allows multinationals to dominate the B.C. marketplace. The petition notes that there is no cap on how much a B.C. winemaker can produce; meanwhile, if a distiller produces more than 50,000 litres, they can be charged a $280,000 penalty on the next bottle they make. That puts them at an unfair advantage compared to foreign brands that produce millions of litres.
The distillers believe the potential economic and agricultural benefits are staggering, noting that that the province’s wine industry has flourished into a $4-billion industry under the VQA program. For more info or to sign the petition, go to change.org/p/ elbows-up-bc-time-to-get-bc-craft-spirits-in-government-liquor-stores
B.C.
Make tonight a good night out
HOW A B.C. NON-PROFIT IS HELPING BAR AND NIGHTLIFE PATRONS STAY SAFE
by Charlene Rooke
This past March, The Keefer Bar customers sipping Dragon’s Eye Mules and Café Bastille Martinezes were having a good night out, while also supporting Good Night Out (GNO). The Vancouver non-profit has a champion in World Class Canada Bartender of the Year 2025, The Keefer Bar’s Kate Chernoff, who in collaboration with Ketel One’s Garnished with Good program created two fundraising
cocktails to support a group that has been making music festivals, bars and clubs safer from sexual harassment and violence for the past nine years.
GNO might be most recognizable to nightlife patrons for its pink-clad teams sharing bottles of water and safety support on Vancouver’s Granville Street and in downtown Victoria on weekends.
A pink-clad Good Night Out team hits the streets to keep vulnerable patrons safe. Nikki Fraser photo
But its impact is also felt in the back-ofhouse of venues across Canada. GNO offers training to the staff of music festivals and clubs, bars and restaurants on how to prevent, spot and respond to gendered harassment and abuse in their locations. That can include anything from comments and unwanted attention to drug-facilitated sexual abuse, from alcohol overconsumption to drink-spiking.
A Parallel 49 Brewing Company staff member wrote glowingly to GNO after completing its certification training, with a cold hard truth of the industry. “Hospitality is an industry that does have a dark side of persistent harassment, and the problem won’t be addressed by the big companies unless there is a level of compliance tied to it.” In 2025, April 23 was declared Safe Spaces Hospitality Day in the City of Vancouver, recognizing local businesses that have audited their space through a
THE PROBLEM WON � T BE ADDRESSED BY THE BIG COMPANIES UNLESS THERE IS A LEVEL OF COMPLIANCE TIED TO IT.
CoV-funded program called Last Call and obtained credentials from Good Night Out.
Those businesses are featured on a map on the non-profit’s website, helping customers make informed decisions about the businesses they support (goodnightoutvancouver.com/partners). For nightlife patrons, GNO also offers
SHOTS AND SIGNALS
THE SIGNAL FOR HELP RESPONDER’S ACTION GUIDE
Angel Shot: Ordering an “Angel Shot” is meant to be a secret code to a server or bartender that you are uncomfortable in a hospitality space or need help. However, the term is not universally known and runs the risk of further inquiries that can alert a harasser to your appeal, potentially escalating the situation. “It is important to have thorough staff training and response plans to follow to reduce the chance of further harm,” says GNO executive director Stacey Forrester.
Signal for Help:
During the COVID-19 pandemic Canadian Women’s Foundation created a silent hand gesture (thumb tucked into palm, then fingers folded down over it) that could be used in-person or over virtual and video communications as a universal signal for help in instances of gender-based violence. It has since gone viral on social media and is credited for helping save a U.S. teenager from a dangerous situation.
You can be that judgement-free friend, family member, and coworker we all need in our lives.
1. Open Palm 2. Tuck Thumb 3. Trap Thumb
The Dragon’s Eye Mule was one of two Ketel One cocktails created by Kate Chernoff at The Keefer Bar in support of GNO. Photo courtesy of Kate Chernoff
All it takes is for one bad actor to ruin what should be a fun and enjoyable experience. GNO not only patrols the streets, but educates businesses in how to keep their customers safe from harassment and violence. Nikki Fraser photo
community workshops on topics like consent, substance abuse and bystander intervention.
WELCOMING SPACES
GNO started “out of a love for night life, out of a love for live music, out of a love for those experiences in social spaces in Vancouver,” says executive director Stacey Forrester, who collaborated with co-founder Ashtyn Bevan on what was originally a student project for Bevan in 2016.
“It was really born from a common experience to reflect on all of the amazing nights out we had, and how easily that can be ruined, how one comment, one gesture, one action, can really ruin an otherwise good experience,” Forrester says. GNO in B.C. started as the Canadian chapter
of the same-named UK organization that generously shared some of its tools and resources. Around the same time, the Ontario organization the Dandelion Initiative, which folded in 2022, began doing similar work in that province.
Generations of imbibers, particularly women, have internalized the burden of ensuring their own safety at night, whether by moderating consumption or guarding their drinks to stay safe. “If that was all it took, we would have eradicated the problem by now,” Forrester says.
A former nurse who previously worked extensively on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Forrester believes that B.C.’s relatively progressive values and a higher awareness of creating safer, protective spaces has allowed GNO to flourish in the province,
WHETHER YOU’RE FEMINIST-MINDED OR NOT, TO CREATE A SPACE THAT’S WELCOMING TO MANY MORE CUSTOMERS IS JUST GOOD BUSINESS,
where it takes a 360-degree approach of educating hospitality staff, customers and bystanders.
She emphasizes, though, that even a GNO workshop isn’t a one-stop solution for any business. “The reality is, it takes culture change, and culture change is very slow.”
There’s a risk that venues that have already experienced risks and problems will treat GNO training as a shield or as a badge indicating that they’ve “fixed” a problem. “We do have guardrails around that,” Forrester says, emphasizing that prevention and training are the way forward for businesses.
A poster in the bathroom or a few lines at the bottom of a menu, reminding patrons how a bar or club wants people to feel and act in the space, can bring awareness and even create a deterrent. “Over the years, we’ve seen places be really creative, with house rules or messaging created as little works of art, so safety messaging is built into the going-out experience,” Forrester says.
A healthy bottom line might just be the common-sense driver for businesses seeking GNO certification. “Whether you’re feministminded or not, to create a space that’s welcoming to many more customers is just good business,” Forrester says.
CAFÉ BASTILLE MARTINEZ WITH KETEL ONE
This dark, savoury twist on the Martini’s precursor was one of the cocktails created in support of Good Night Out this past spring. Recipe by Kate Chernoff, The Keefer Bar.
2 oz Ketel One Vodka
1 oz Infused Sweet Vermouth (recipe follows)
1.5 tsp orange liqueur
Garnish: lemon twist
Add ingredients (except garnish) to a cocktail stirring tin. Add ice and stir until chilled and diluted, up to one minute. Strain into a chilled Martini glass and garnish with a lemon twist.
Serves 1.
INFUSED SWEET VERMOUTH:
To a sealable container add 200 mL sweet vermouth, 20 g natural coffee beans, and 40 g dried mango. Seal (ideally with no oxygen in the container) and infuse for eight hours at room temperature. Finestrain through a coffee filter and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one month. Makes enough for 6 cocktails.
Photo courtesy of Kate Chernoff
Tea time
DISCOVER A WORLD OF FLAVOUR IN A CUPPA
Story, photos and recipes by
Matthew Benevoli
Tea is one of the world’s most common beverages—second only to water in terms of the amount consumed—yet it’s often overlooked as a cocktail ingredient. And that’s too bad, because it’s far more versatile, accessible and fun to experiment with than you may think.
With a wide range of black, green, white and herbal teas available, you can find almost any flavour profile you’re looking for, from a fruity herbal tea ideal for a fizzy and refreshing highball to a bitter, dry and tannic over-steeped green tea that makes a substitute for dry vermouth in a Martini. Looking for something more exotic? Enter Lapsang Souchong. Often referred to as “the scotch of teas,” its leaves have been dried above a pinewood fire, giving it savoury and smoky characteristics akin to Islay-made whisky.
And then there are so many options of how to use your tea: Add sugar and reduce it to make a syrup; carbonate it to make a soda; or freeze it into ice cubes that add layers of flavour to your drink as they slowly melt.
Whether it’s a unique blend, something that’s eye catching or maybe a longstanding favourite, tea could be your
Tea is a classic component of mixed drinks, especially punches, and has almost infinite uses in cocktails.
secret weapon when mixing things up at your next get-together.
For any questions or additional tips, please reach out to @m.benevoli on Instagram.
HOW TO BREW TEA FOR COCKTAILS
You will need: a kettle; a vessel for brewing the tea, such as a teapot; measuring spoon; timer; tea leaves or bags; and, if using loose leaves, a strainer, mesh tea ball or fillable filter sacs.
HOT BREW:
The most common way to brew a pot or cup of tea is by steeping the leaves, whether loose, in a bag or in a tea ball, in hot water. How hot that water is and how long you steep the tea depends on what kind of tea it is—see the table below for recommended times and temperatures for the most common types of tea.
In any case, you should always start with cold, fresh water, bring it to a boil and let it cool for a minute or two before pouring it over the teabag or leaves. Once the tea reaches your desired strength, strain it or remove the teabags. Chill the tea before using it in cocktails.
IDOL MEETS IMPOSTER
White 175ºF-185ºF 1 Tbsp 1-3 mins
Green 180ºF185ºF 1 tsp 3 mins
Black 175ºF-185ºF 1 tsp 3-5 mins
Herbal 175ºF-185ºF 1 Tbsp 5-7 mins
COLD BREW:
Cold-brewed tea is milder, less astringent and more refreshing than hot-brewed teas. To make it, combine tea bags or loose-leaf tea with cold water in a pitcher or jar, using about 1 tsp of loose tea leaves or 1 teabag per cup of water. Place it in the refrigerator and let it steep for four to 12 hours, depending on how strong you like it. (A stronger brew is preferable for cocktails.) Strain and chill before serving.
This twist on a classic Old Fashioned gets an appealing smoky note from the ice cube made with Lapsang Souchong, a Chinese black tea whose leaves are dried over burning pinewood for a rich, bold and earthy flavour with subtle bonfire notes.
2 oz Canadian Club 12 Year Old Whisky
0.5 oz honey liqueur (such as Drambuie)
3 dashes aromatic bitters (such as Angostura)
1 large Lapsang Souchong ice cube (see note)
Garnish: cocktail cherry and orange zest
Combine whisky, liqueur and bitters in a mixing glass with ice, then stir to chill and slightly dilute. Add Lapsang Souchong ice cube to a rocks glass, then strain prepared cocktail over ice. Garnish with cocktail cherries and orange zest. Serves 1.
Note: To make the Lapsang Souchong ice cube, place 2 Tbsp of Lapsang Souchong tea leaves in a teapot or similar vessel and pour 2.5 cups of just-boiled water over them. Steep 3 to 5 minutes, until it reaches your desired strength, then strain into ice cube moulds. Place in freezer until frozen solid, 3 to 4 hours. Transfer cubes or whole tray into freezer Ziplock bag until ready to use.
KYOTO COLLINS
This refreshing long drink uses a soda made with fragrant white tea. White teas are harvested from the youngest, most tender buds and leaves of the tea plant, and very lightly processed, resulting in a delicate, often floral flavour.
1.5 oz dry gin (such as Suntory Roku)
0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
0.5 oz organic cane sugar syrup (see note)
4.5 oz Japanese Cherry Blossom White Tea Soda (see note)
Garnish: edible flowers or lemon zest
Stir gin, lemon juice and syrup together in a tall glass, fill with ice and top with soda. Garnish with edible flower or lemon zest. Serves 1.
Note: To make syrup, weigh equal parts water and organic cane sugar and stir until sugar has fully dissolved. Store in refrigerator up to one month.
Note: To make the cold-brewed Cherry Blossom White Tea soda, place 2 Tbsp (heaping) of tea leaves in a glass pitcher then add 4 cups of cold water. Place in the refrigerator and steep for 4 to 12 hours, until it reaches your desired strength. Stir in a pinch of fine sea salt, then transfer to a SodaStream or similar device and carbonate. Transfer into a sealable bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 4 cups.
JADE GHOST
This refreshing and fruity cocktail will make the Margarita lovers happy.
0.75 oz blanco tequila (such as Tres Generaciones Plata)
1.25 oz vodka (such as Suntory Haku rice vodka)
0.25 oz melon liqueur (such as Midori)
0.75 oz Mango-Passionfruit/Acai & Ginger Green Tea Syrup (see note)
0.25 oz fresh lime juice
Garnish: lemon twist
Add all ingredients (except garnish) to a shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled coupe or Martini glass. Garnish with lemon twist. Serves 1.
Note: To make the green tea syrup, place 2 bags each of the Mango-Passionfruit-Acai and Ginger Green Tea in a vessel such as a teapot. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, let it cool slightly, then pour it over the teabags. Steep for about 3 minutes, or until you reach your desired strength, then remove teabags and stir in 2 cups of organic cane sugar until dissolved, adding more sugar if it’s not sweet enough for your liking. Transfer syrup to a sealable bottle and store in refrigerator up to one month.
Credits: Spirits generously provided by Suntory Global Spirit (Canada). Japanese Cherry Blossom white tea and Lapsang Souchong provided by The Granville Island Tea Company.
Canada in a glass
BYE-BYE BOURBON.
IT’S CANADIAN WHISKY’S TIME TO SHINE IN THESE MODERN COCKTAILS
Compiled by Reece Sims
For decades, Canadian whisky has played the quiet backbone in everything from Manhattans to whisky sours. But now, a new wave of bartenders is reclaiming it—not just as a versatile base spirit, but as a way to express local terroir, seasonality and storytelling in the glass. Whether it’s smoky and coastal, floral and bright, or tropical and spiced, Canadian whisky is proving that it can do more than blend in: It can take the lead.
We sat down with seven bartenders from across Canada to find out which whiskies they’re reaching for and the signature cocktails they’re crafting to showcase them.
The tasting panel for this edition features Lacey Roberts, Ryan Buchanan and Griffin Cox from British Columbia, Bradley Horseman from Alberta, and Kat Saulnier and Tristin Vissers from Ontario.
DEVIL
Recipe by Ryan Buchanan, bar manager at Arcana Spirits Lounge, Vancouver. Note that he uses lime ash to create black bitters to draw the pentagram on the drink, but recommends that home bartender use Angostura instead.
1.5 oz Shelter Point Smoke Point
0.5 oz Ancho Reyes Liqueur
0.67 oz hot honey
0.5 oz lemon juice
A few drops of Ms. Better’s Miraculous Foamer Optional garnish: Angostura bitters
Place all ingredients into a shaking tin. Add ice and shake hard, focus on bringing the tin back and forth in a sharp motion. This will help give the foam on the top without having to dry shake. If you like, you can draw a pentagram on top of the foam with Angostura bitters. Serves 1.
Photo courtesy of Arcana Spirit Lounge
LACEY ROBERTS
BEARFACE TRIPLE OAK
CANADIAN WHISKY
42.5% ABV, BC: $39.99 / ONTARIO:
$39.95, 750 ML
At Vancouver’s Michelin-starred
Published on Main, head bartender Lacey Roberts (ZommiZelda) has long been championing Canadian whisky—particularly Bearface. “I’ve been a massive fan since 2018,” she says. “It’s 100 per cent corn, aged in multiple casks and made right here in B.C., which makes it not just versatile behind the bar, but also something I’m proud to introduce guests to.”
Recipe by Lacey Roberts, head bartender, Published on Main, Vancouver. POLLINATION
1.5 oz Bearface Canadian Whisky
1 oz elderflower-infused local honey (see note)
0.5 oz Elderflower Freeze Switch Vermouth (see note below)
0.5 oz Krupnik Honey Liqueur
2 drops Ms. Better’s Banana Bergamot Bitters
2 drops saline
Optional garnish: honey tuile, elderflower butter cream, edible flowers
Stir all ingredients (except garnish) with ice in a mixing glass until chilled and properly diluted. Strain into a chilled tulip glass and, if you like, serve alongside a honey tuile topped with a dollop of elderflower butter cream and fresh petals. Serves 1.
Note: To make elderflower-infused honey, combine 500 g locally sourced honey, 10 g fresh or 5 g dried elderflowers, and 250 mL (1 cup) boiling water in a sealable, heat-safe vessel. Mix well and steep until cool, about 30 minutes. Strain and store in the fridge.
To make the Elderflower Freeze Switch Vermouth, pour the contents of a 750 mL bottle of dry vermouth into a sealable bag and freezer for 2 to 3 hours until slushy. Meanwhile, make 1 cup of elderflower tea by pouring 1 cup of boiling water over 2 g fresh or 1 g dried elderflowers; steep for 10 minutes, strain, cool and set aside. Strain the slushy vermouth through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup. You should have 500 mL (2 cups) of liquid; if you don’t, let a little more of the ice melt. Discard the ice. Mix strained vermouth with the tea and store in the fridge.
Bearface has carved out a unique space in Canada’s whisky landscape, thanks in large part to the creative vision of master blender Andres Faustinelli. “His scientific approach, combined with a love for foraging and the wildness of our landscape, really speaks to me,” Roberts says. The brand’s Wilderness Series is a prime example— each release captures a different element of B.C. terroir, from matsutake mushrooms foraged in
Sarah Annand photo
HOW THE WHALE GOT HIS THROAT
Recipe by Lucas Van Es, beverage manager at Bagheera in Vancouver.
1 oz J.P. Wiser’s 10 Year Old
1 oz Green Spot Irish whiskey
1 oz Sea Buckthorn + Labrador Tea Cordial (see recipe below)
0.5 oz Strega liqueur
2 oz elderflower soda
Stir all ingredients with ice in a mixing glass until chilled and properly diluted. Strain into a highball glass over ice and top with elderflower soda. Garnish with lemon oils.
Note: The original cocktail is made in a milk punch style and force carbonated for extra effervescence, but is simplified for this article.
SEA BUCKTHORN + LABRADOR TEA CORDIAL
1 kg sea buckthorn purée
1,100 mL water
10 g Labrador tea (herbal tea made from the leaves of an evergreen shrub)
10 g dried lemon verbena
5 g dried rosemary
20 g citric acid
20 g lactic acid
400 g sugar
Process the sea buckthorn purée in a blender to ensure that it’s completely smooth, then pass it through a fine mesh strainer to remove any remaining lumps.
Bring water to a boil. Add the tea, verbena and rosemary and cut the heat. Steep for 5 minutes before straining the solids through a paper filter.
Combine the steeped and strained tea, sea buckthorn purée and all other ingredients and emulsify using a hand blender. Transfer to sealable containers and keep refrigerated for up to two weeks. Makes about 2 L.
the Kootenays to distilled salt water from the Pacific Coast and now a third bottling inspired by the air of the forest.
Suggested cocktail: Pollination. Bearface’s distinct character served as the perfect foundation for a cocktail that connects flavour, place and story in Roberts’s Bianco Manhattan, which is poured tableside from a beeswax-coated vessel, the wax sourced directly from the Queen Elizabeth Park apiary.
“At its heart, Pollination is about showcasing elderflower and honey—two ingredients that naturally pair with the light vanilla, spice and warmth of Bearface,” she explains. “It’s spiritforward, but soft enough to sip any time of day. And I love the playfulness of tying the theme together: flowers, honey and, of course, bears.”
RYAN BUCHANAN
SHELTER POINT SMOKE POINT
53% ABV, $83.75, 750 ML
For Ryan Buchanan (@rjbuch31), bar manager and “spirits adviser” at Arcana Spirits Lounge, great whiskies tell a story of place. And few do that better, he says, than Shelter Point Smoke Point—a limited expression from Vancouver Island’s coastal distillery. “Shelter Point is doing something really special,” Buchanan says. “They’re using Canadian barley, local water and their seaside environment to create whisky with a true sense of terroir. You can taste the West Coast in it.”
Photo courtesy of Bagheera
Smoke Point is finished in barrels that have been smoked with driftwood and seaweed, giving the whisky a coastal smokiness that evokes Islay scotch, but with a distinctly Pacific personality. “It’s rich, saline, and subtly wild like ocean air and earth meeting fire,” he says.
Suggested cocktail: Devil. This bold, smoky and slightly spicy serve showcases the Smoke Point whisky without overwhelming it. “We use chipotle liqueur and spiced honey to amplify the smoke, then balance it with lemon juice and our vegan super foamer to give it lift and texture,” Buchanan says. “It’s got depth, but it’s also incredibly drinkable.”
Tabytha Towe photo
The result is a drink that’s smoky, but nuanced, with enough sweetness and acid to keep the palate coming back. “It’s a little ritualistic,” Buchanan says. “Rich, spicy, elemental—just like Shelter Point itself.”
LUCAS VAN ES
J.P. WISER’S 10 YEAR OLD
40% ABV, BC: $30.99 / ONTARIO: $35.95, 750 ML
Bagheera’s bar manager Lucas Van Es (@whatslukedrinking) set out to create a cocktail that felt like spring in Canada— bright, herbal and quietly complex. He started with J.P. Wiser’s 10 Year Old, a whisky he describes as “versatile, character-driven and grounded in Canadian heritage.” Aged for a decade, it offers notes of buttery shortbread, toasted oak and just enough rye spice to keep it lively.
“It’s not trying to be something it’s not,” Van Es explains. “It’s confident and clean—a dream to mix with.”
Suggested cocktail: How the Whale Got His Throat. It takes its name from a Rudyard Kipling short story in which an Irish boy is swallowed by a whale and spat out in Labrador. That journey inspired the drink’s split base of Irish and Canadian whisky, and its wild, botanical character.
A homemade sea buckthorn cordial brings vibrant acidity and fruit, layered with Labrador tea, rosemary and lemon verbena for an earthy, aromatic backbone. A touch of Strega adds forest spice, and it’s topped with force-carbonated elderflower soda for an elegant sparkle.
“It’s smooth, herbaceous and effervescent,” Van Es says. “Fruity on the front, green in the middle, with a clean, mellow finish. A little whimsical, a little wild—just like the story.”
GRIFFIN COX
DILLON’S THREE OAKS RYE
WHISKY
43% ABV, BC: $49.99 / ONTARIO: $49.95, 750 ML
Griffin Cox (@caciopapii), bar manager at Bernie’s Supper Club & Cinema in Kelowna, has been finding endless inspiration in Dillon’s Three Oaks Rye Whisky—a bottle that “perfectly balances familiarity and complexity,” he says.
“I’ve been using it across a range of cocktails,” Cox explains. “Canadian ryes tend to be incredibly cocktail-friendly, but this one in particular hits a sweet spot. It’s versatile without being neutral. It wants to be built on.”
What sets Dillon’s apart, he says, is its layered oak profile. Aged in a blend of first-fill bourbon casks, new American oak and Ontario oak, the whisky shows comforting notes of vanilla, sweet spice and something distinctly herbal that comes from the local wood. “That Ontario oak brings out a subtle, earthy greenness that plays beautifully with rye grain—it opens up a lot of doors when you’re building flavours.”
Suggested cocktail: Lost Highway. This thoughtful spin on a whisky smash uses flavour mapping to showcase the whisky’s range. “It started by pulling out the key notes I was getting from the Three Oaks—spice, mint, herbal oak—and then layering in things that either complement or contrast them,” Cox explains.
LOST HIGHWAY
Recipe by Griffin Cox, bar manager at Bernie’s Supper Club & Cinema in Kelowna.
1.5 oz Dillon’s Three Oaks Rye Whisky
0.75 oz apricot brandy or liqueur such as Giffard Abricot du Roussillon
0.75 oz Super Orange (see recipe below) or fresh lemon juice
0.5 oz tonka syrup (see note) or vanilla syrup
5 large mint leaves
Shake all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker until chilled and properly diluted. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a chilled rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with a large mint sprig. Serves 1.
SUPER ORANGE
Note that this will take 24 hours to make.
40 g orange peel, without the bitter pith
66 g granulated sugar
600 g water
44 g citric acid
Combine orange peel and white sugar in a container and allow it to sit overnight to extract the oils from the peels.
The next day, add the mixture plus water and citric acid to a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve to remove any solids. Bottle and store in the fridge for up to two weeks. Makes about 2½ cups.
TONKA SYRUP
Bring 750 mL water to a boil and grate in 2 tonka beans. Infuse for 30 minutes, then strain through a coffee filter to remove the solids. Weigh the liquid and add an equal measure of white sugar. Stir to dissolve, bottle and store in the fridge for up to one week.
“Stone fruit deepens the body, tonka bean doubles down on the baking spice, and our house-made Super Orange brings acidity and brightness without fighting the whisky.”
This bright, layered and grounded cocktail is refreshing as it is complex. “It’s the kind of drink that plays well with whisky lovers and cocktail newcomers alike. And it all starts with choosing a base that gives you something to build on.”
BRADLEY HORSEMAN
FORTY CREEK COPPER BOLD
43% ABV, BC: $31.49 / ONTARIO: $35.70, 750 ML
Bradley Horseman (@iamtherealponyboy), bar manager at Calgary’s Salt & Brick, describes the Forty Creek Copper Bold as “elegant, strong, and quietly sophisticated,” adding that at 43% ABV, it brings structure to the glass—but doesn’t overpower the supporting cast. “There’s a soft vanilla note and winter spice that makes it incredibly fun to mix with,” he says. “It’s the kind of whisky that holds its own in tropical drinks without clashing.”
Suggested cocktail: High Fives All Around. With no patio at Salt & Brick, Horseman had a simple goal for his latest cocktail menu: Bring the beach to the bar.
The result is a tropical-leaning, whisky-based tiki drink that’s all sunshine, spice and a shot of nostalgia. In it, Forty Creek Copper Bold is paired with Punt e Mes, maraschino liqueur, lemon, pineapple and a house-made Chinese five spice agave syrup that brings an unexpected savoury depth. It’s tiki, yes—but with a Canadian twist.
The cocktail’s name is a nod to his snowboarding crew from Saskatchewan.
“Every year on our trip, no matter what happens, we say it: High fives all around. It’s a vibe,” Horseman says. “I wanted the drink to feel like that moment—celebratory, laid-back and a little sun-soaked.”
KAT SAULNIER
LOT 40 RYE WHISKY 43% ABV, BC: $44.99 / ONTARIO: $42.45, 750 ML
Bar Mordecai’s Kat Saulnier (@danger. kat) has found her new favourite whisky for cocktail-building in Lot 40. “With American bourbons getting harder to source, I’ve been diving into Canadian options—and Lot 40 is easily one of the most dynamic,” she says. “It’s bold and dry with a spicy punch, which makes it strong enough for something like an Old Fashioned, but subtle enough to blend into more layered drinks.”
HIGH FIVES ALL AROUND
Recipe by Bradley Horseman, bar manager, Salt & Brick in Calgary.
1.5 oz Forty Creek Copper Bold
0.5 oz Punt e Mes vermouth
0.25 oz maraschino liqueur
0.5 oz Chinese Five Spice Agave Syrup (see recipe)
1 oz pineapple juice
0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
Shake all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker until chilled and properly diluted. Strain into a rocks glass over ice and garnish with pineapple fronds. Serves 1.
CHINESE FIVE SPICE AGAVE SYRUP
Note that this will take about 24 hours to make.
In a medium-sized saucepan combine 1 cup water nectar with 1/2 cinnamon stick, 1 Tbsp black peppercorns, ½ Tbsp white peppercorns, 1 star anise pod, 1/2 tsp whole cloves and about 1 Tbsp diced fresh ginger.
Bring to a boil, then stir in 1 cup agave nectar. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, let cool, then steep in the fridge overnight. Strain into a glass bottle or jar and keep in the fridge for up to three weeks. Makes about 2 cups.
Photo courtesy of Salt & Brick
Suggested cocktail: Rat Boy. Lot 40’s balance of power and restraint is exactly why she built her latest cocktail around it. “It’s a tiki-inspired drink, but definitely not your usual rum-andfruit combo,” Saulnier explains. “Lot 40 brings the depth, but it doesn’t take over—it works with the other flavours to build something complex and silky.”
The drink blends salted oat orgeat, fino sherry, Strega, lemon and a dash of Angostura bitters, resulting in a rich, textural serve with an unexpected savoury note. “The oat orgeat and sherry give it umami, while the whisky cuts through with spice and structure. It’s bright, herbal, and layered—but totally crushable over ice.”
TRISTIN VISSERS
BEARFACE TRIPLE OAK CANADIAN WHISKY
42.5% ABV, BC: $39.99 / ONTARIO: $39.95, 750 ML
For Tristin Vissers (@tristin_vissers), bartender at Library Bar in Toronto, Bearface, a 100-per-cent corn Canadian whisky aged in American and Hungarian oak “fills the gap bourbon used to occupy.” He adds: “Creamy, dessert-like notes of crème brûlée, honey and vanilla make it a dream for tropical-style builds—even though it’s not traditional tiki.”
RAT BOY
Recipe by Kat Saulnier, bartender at Toronto’s Bar Mordecai.
0.75 oz Lot 40 Rye Whisky
0.75 oz Tio Pepe fino sherry
0.5 oz Strega liqueur
0.75 oz Salted Oat Orgeat (see note)
0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
1 dash Angostura bitters
Garnish: star anise pod
Shake all ingredients (except garnish) with ice in a cocktail shaker until chilled and properly diluted. Strain into a rocks glass over crushed ice and garnish with star anise. Serves 1.
Note: To make Salted Oat Orgeat, mix 1kg of sugar with 1L of oat milk on low heat. Stir until integrated, then remove from heat. Stir in 20 ml of orange blossom water and 75 ml of Amaretto. Salt to taste.
Suggested cocktail: The Belly of the Beast. For Vissers, cocktail creation is about more than flavour—it’s about storytelling. His drink takes its inspiration from Michael Ondaatje’s novel In the Skin of a Lion, and channels the experience of immigrants arriving in early 20th-century Canada: cold, hard and full of the unexpected.
The Belly of the Beast is his imagined version of a “transatlantic tiki” cocktail, combining Canadian and European ingredients into something vibrant, spiced and a little nutty. “It’s like a sea buckthorn butter tart in drink form,” Vissers says. “Bright and tangy up front, with a rich, almost pastry-like finish.”
It’s a cocktail that doesn’t just taste good, it carries narrative weight. “They came expecting gold and found ice and work,” he says, quoting the novel. “This drink is for them—and for anyone finding warmth in unexpected places.”
THE BELLY OF THE BEAST
Recipe by Tristin Vissers, bartender at Toronto’s Library Bar, Toronto.
1.5 oz Appleton Estate 12 Year old rum
0.75 oz Brown Butter Fat-Washed Bearface Triple Oak whisky (see note)
0.75 oz Metaxa 5 Star brandy
0.75 oz grapefruit juice
0.75 oz sea buckthorn juice
0.75 oz Toasted Pecan & Mace Orgeat (see recipe below)
1 dash Angostura bitters
Garnish: cedar sprig, cinnamon sticks, bitters
Build all ingredients (except garnish) directly in a Lion Tiki Mug over crushed ice. Garnish with cedar sprig, 2 cinnamon smokestacks and another dash of blood bitters on top.
Note: To make the brown butter fat-washed whisky, melt 1 cup of unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to bubble, stirring gently and consistently. The milk solids will sink and begin to brown, producing a nutty, toasty aroma. Do not let them burn and turn black. Remove from heat and cool slightly, then transfer to a 1L wide-mouth jar or similar container. Add 1 bottle of Bearface, then place in the freezer overnight, allowing the butter to harden and set. The next day, poke a hole in the fat puck and fine-strain the whisky through a coffee filter before bottling it for use. Discard the fat.
TOASTED PECAN & MACE ORGEAT
50 g chopped pecans
0.25 tsp mace
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
0.5 tsp rose water
0.5 tsp orange blossom
2.75 oz Appleton 12 rum
In a small fry pan, toast the chopped pecans with the mace until golden and fragrant. Transfer to
a small pot and add the water. Bring to boil and continue to cook for 10 minutes on medium/ high heat. Turn off heat, then stir in sugar until fully dissolved. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Add rose water, orange blossom water and rum. Place in the fridge overnight to let the flavours infuse, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve. (Line it with cheesecloth to remove even more of the bits.) Transfer to a clean bottle, label and store in the fridge for up to two weeks. Makes about 1 cup.
LAST CALL
GREAT WORLD BARS WE LOVE: HANDSHAKE SPEAKEASY
Behindan unassuming black door marked “13” in Colonia Juarez, Mexico City, lies the best bar in the world: Handshake Speakeasy. Since opening in 2019, the bar has evolved from its original Polanco roots into a world-class destination, complete with a newly expanded basement space that complements its upstairs Art Deco-inspired lounge. They also swiped the title of No. 1 on the lists of World’s 50 Best Bars and North America’s 50 Best Bars (twice now), amid numerous other prestigious global awards.
With creative direction from Eric Van Beek, the team constantly pushes boundaries of modern molecular mixology. Each cocktail coming out of their avant-garde, on-site laboratory is meticulously crafted with flavours that are mind-blowingly complex, yet familiar at the same time. The Brown Butter Mushroom Old Fashioned, for instance, is a masterclass in balance—rich, boozy, with just
enough savoury notes from the mushroom. It’s not overly complicated on the palate, yet you can’t help but crave another sip, even months later. The Mexi-Thai is another classic from the menu, a Thai-curry-meetsMexican-ingredients in a cocktail form. It’s vibrant, layered and delicious.
With that level of creativity and flawless execution, combined with the high-energy Mexican hospitality—we even played “caja de toques” with the bartenders as we were polishing off every drop of our cocktail—it’s easy to see why Handshake Speakeasy earned the top spot on the Best Bars list(s). The only challenge? How many cocktails can you try within the 90-minute seating time? handshake.bar —Viranlly Liemena
ABOVE: Vibrant flavours sing in the Mexi-Thai.
BELOW: Handshake Speakeasy’s Brown Butter Mushroom Old Fashioned.
Viranlly Liemena photos
Toronto Cocktail Festival
October 23-26, 2025
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