Dark Chocolate Chilli Armagnac Manhattan
You can’t go wrong with chocolate, especially in this spicy Manhattan-inspired drink. Using the fat-washing technique, this cocktail is sure to delight you.Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Dark Chocolate-Washed Armagnac*
1 oz (30 ml) Alvear Solera 1927 Pedro Ximénez Sherry
3 to 5 drops chocolate bitters
1 strawberry slice, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Stir ingredients in a mixing glass over ice. Strain into a coupe and garnish with strawberry slice.
- *To make Dark Chocolate-Washed Armagnac, melt ½ cup (125 ml) unsalted butter and 1 cup (250 ml) dark chocolate in a saucepan over medium heat. Mix in about ½ tsp (2.5 ml) seeded and chopped Thai (bird’s eye) chili or another red hot pepper or 1 tsp (5 ml) cayenne. Add 450 ml Saint Vivant VSOP Armagnac and stir to blend well. Remove from heat and transfer to a heat-safe container, stirring every so often to make sure the flavour and fat get well integrated. Once mixture is cool, place in freezer to allow solids to harden, then strain through a coffee filter until desired clarity is reached. Will keep in refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 weeks.
Featuring
Turning Head
The Exorcist follows the demonic possession of a young girl and her mother’s attempt to save her through an exorcism performed by a pair of Catholic priests. Inspired by the supernatural nature of the film, this cocktail pairs the earthy character of tequila with fresh citrus that gives hope, while the extreme complexity of Chartreuse Green, whose secret formula is carefully guarded by two Carthusian monks, takes on an assertive role.Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Cazadores Blanco Tequila
½ oz (15 ml) Chartreuse Green
½ oz (15 ml) lime juice
½ oz (15 ml) Simple Syrup*
2 dashes grapefruit bitters
1 lime twist, for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a Nick and Nora glass or coupe glass in the freezer for 5 minutes. In a cocktail shaker with cubed ice, combine tequila, Chartreuse, lime juice, Simple Syrup and bitters. Shake vigorously, then fine strain into chilled glass. Garnish with lime twist.
- *1:1 ratio of sugar dissolved in boiling water. Allow to cool before using.
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Redrum 237
In the classic film with chilling ambiance and the iconic line “Redrum,” Jack Torrance strives to be a good person and to overcome his spicy history, represented by the rich and complex flavours of spiced rum, but he is haunted by the bitter demons of his past, characterized by the Campari, and the eerie atmosphere of the Overlook Hotel.Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Dead Man’s Fingers Spiced Rum
1½ oz (45 ml) Campari
1 orange peel, for garnish
Instructions
- Chill an old-fashioned glass in the freezer for 5 minutes. In a mixing glass with cubed ice, combine spiced rum and Campari. Stir to chill and dilute, then strain into chilled old-fashioned glass over cubed ice. Express orange peel over the surface to garnish.
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Queen Elizabeth
Mid 1930s the Benedictine liqueur brand held a cocktail contest and the “Queen Elizabeth” was the winning entry by bartender Herbert L. Quick, naming the cocktail not after the monarch but his wife Elizabeth. This complex, herbaceous cocktail is perfectly balanced between tart and sweet, certainly worthy of flavour admiration and only 15% abv.Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Noilly Prat Extra Dry Vermouth
½ oz (15 ml) Bénédictine B&B
½ oz (15 ml) fresh lime juice
1 lime twist, for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a coupe glass in freezer for 5 minutes. In a cocktail shaker with cubed ice, combine dry vermouth, B&B and lime juice. Shake vigorously, then fine strain into chilled coupe glass. Garnish with lime twist.
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Butter-Washed Blackberry Tea
A take on the classic Blueberry Tea cocktail. Disaronno Originale Amaretto, Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge and Marquis De Villard VSOP Brandy come together. The use of the fat-washing technique gives this cocktail a richer texture and a silky mouthfeel. A must try!Ingredients
Serves 1
granulated sugar, to rim glass
1 English breakfast tea bag
2 blackberries
2 oz (60 ml) Butter-Wash Blend*
1 orange slice, to garnish
Instructions
- Heat a snifter glass with hot water and rim with sugar. Steep a cup of English breakfast tea with 2 blackberries. Add Butter-Wash Blend to snifter glass and top with steeped hot tea. Garnish with orange slice.
- *To make Butter-Wash Blend, melt ⅔ cup (160 ml) unsalted butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add peels from 2 large oranges and sauté lightly to extract oils. Slowly add 1 cup (250 ml) each Disaronno Originale Amaretto, Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge and Marquis De Villard VSOP Brandy and mix thoroughly. Remove from heat and transfer to a heat-safe container. Allow to stew at least 2 hours. Once cooled to room temperature, place in freezer to allow solids to harden, then strain through a coffee filter until desired clarity is reached. Will keep in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Makes enough for about 12 cocktails.
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Averna Collins
Averna Amaro Siciliano is an Italian bitter liqueur (29% ABV) with hints of orange and licorice and notes of myrtle, juniper, rosemary and sage, among other botanicals. Combining these rich and bittersweet flavours with soda, lemon and simple syrup results in a delightfully fresh yet savoury Collins, topping out at 7 percent ABV.Ingredients
Serves 1
2 oz (60 ml) Averna Amaro Siciliano
1 oz (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
½ oz (15 ml) Simple Syrup*
2 oz (60 ml) soda water
1 lemon wheel, for garnish
1 sprig of thyme, rosemary or sage, for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker with cubed ice, combine Averna, lemon juice and Simple Syrup. Shake, then strain into a Collins glass. Top with soda water and fill with cubed ice. Garnish with lemon wheel and thyme, rosemary or sage.
- *1:1 ratio of sugar dissolved in boiling water. Allow to cool before using.
Featuring
Five Alive
Five Alive was created by Bar Star Kelsey Ramage of Mount Pleasant Vintage. Make it at home or enjoy it at their location in Vancouver, BC! Featuring Altos Blanco Tequila, Aperol, mandarin sherbet, and lime juice. Perfect for patio season!Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Altos Blanco Tequila
½ oz (15 ml) Aperol
¾ oz (22 ml) Mandarin Sherbet*
1/4 oz (7.5 ml) passion fruit purée
½ oz (15 ml) fresh lime juice
2 dashes Saline**
1 dash Ricard Pastis de Marseille 45
1 lemon and 1 lime wheel, for garnish
Instructions
- Rim a rocks glass halfway with salt. In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients, shake hard and strain into prepared glass. Add ice and garnish with lemon and lime wheel.
- *To make Mandarin Sherbet, add 1 cup (250 ml) mandarin rinds (about 20 mandarins) to a zip-top plastic bag and cover rinds completely with 2 cups (500 ml) sugar. Set aside and allow to sit overnight. Blend flesh of mandarins to a pulp and strain through a mesh strainer. Discard pulp, add juice to prepared rind sugar and stir to dissolve. Strain out rinds. Transfer to a clean bottle, allow to cool and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
- ** To make Saline, add 2 tsp (10 ml) kosher or sea salt to 7 tbsp (100 ml) water; stir to dissolve.
Featuring
Back to Cali
Back to Cali was created by Bar Star Kelsey Ramage of Mount Pleasant Vintage. Make it at home or enjoy it at their location in Vancouver, BC! Featuring Beefeater Gin and Amaro Montenegro perfectly paired with calamansi syrup and orange bitters.Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Beefeater Gin
½ oz (15 ml) Amaro Montenegro
¼ oz (7.5 ml) Prosyro Kalamansi Syrup*
¼ oz (7.5 ml) Simple Syrup**
¾ oz (22 ml) lemon juice
2 dashes orange bitters
lemon twist, for garnish
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker, shake hard and double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
- *Can be found online or at specialty cocktail stores.
- ** 1:1 ratio of sugar dissolved in boiling water. Allow to cool before using.
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Green Gucci Suit
Green Gucci Suit was created by Bar Star Kelsey Ramage of Mount Pleasant Vintage. Make it at home or enjoy it at their location in Vancouver, BC! Featuring El Gobernador Pisco and Bols Melon, this green kiwi cocktail will cool you down in the summer heat.Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) El Gobernador Pisco
½ oz (15 ml) Kiwi Syrup*
½ oz (15 ml) Bols Melon Liqueur
½ oz (15 ml) fresh lime juice
2 dashes Saline**
2 dashes Ms. Better’s Lime Leaf Bitters
lime wheel, for garnish
mint sprig, for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients. Shake hard and strain into a rocks glass. Add ice and garnish with lime wheel and mint sprig.
- *To make Kiwi Syrup, blend 1 cup (250 ml) kiwi, ¼ oz (7.5 ml) vodka and ½ cup (125 ml) water, then strain through a large mesh strainer. In a saucepan heat mixture with 1 cup (250 ml) sugar and stir until dissolved. Transfer to a clean bottle, allow to cool and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Makes 2 cups (500 ml).
- **To make Saline, add 2 tsp (10 ml) kosher or sea salt to 7 tbsp (100 ml) water; stir to dissolve.
Featuring
Berry Good Sangria
Sangria season is upon us! Inspired by our seasonal BC berry bounty comes a twist on a classic sangria! Use your favourite frozen or fresh BC berries (perhaps from your local farmer’s market!) and sip the summer away! Easy for creating in a batch format and sharing with friends.Ingredients
Serves 8
1 cup (250 ml) each strawberries (hulled and halved), blackberries and blueberries, washed
1 x 750 ml bottle Bodegas Borsao Campo De Borja Garnacha
½ cup (125 ml) Fundador Solera Reserva Brandy
½ cup (125 ml) L’Héritier-Guyot Crème de Cassis de Dijon
½ cup (125 ml) fresh lemon juice
2 cups (500 ml) apple juice
2 cups (500 ml) soda water, to serve
Instructions
- Place fruit in a three-quart (3 L), non-reactive pitcher. Add all liquids except for soda water. Stir well, cover and refrigerate overnight, at least 6 hours so flavours infuse. To serve, fill large wine glasses about halfway with liquid and fruit. Add ice and top with soda.