Three Point Vodka
Eau Claire Distillery
Photography by Brent Myktyshyn
Using barley as a base adds character to this local vodka from Eau Claire Distillery. It’s sweet, smooth and buttery, and tastes great in a martini, cosmopolitan or Caesar.
113 Sunset Blvd. N.W., Turner Valley, 403-933-5404, eauclairedistillery.ca
The Volstead Project
Vine Arts Wine and Spirits
The demand for this barrel-aged manhattan, produced by Highwood Distillers for Vine Arts Wine & Spirits, is insane. Vine Arts supplies the vermouth and bitters, Highwood Distillers the rye, and the cocktail then sits in rye barrels at the distillery in High River for around five months, becoming ever more delicious.
1310 1 St. S.W., 403-290-0700, vinearts.ca
Basil & Mint
Basil Ranch
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Adding fresh herbs, like those from Basil Ranch in Calgary, to your juleps, mojitos and basil smashes makes a world of difference. Find Basil Ranch products in Calgary at Cookbook Co. Cooks, Bridgeland Market, Lina’s Italian Market, The Italian Super Market and Amaranth markets.
Black Cloud Bitters
Black Cloud
Calgary’s new Black Cloud creates handmade bitters perfect for cocktails or mocktails, and features flavours from charred cedar and prairie rose to lemon and orange.
Vya Vermouths
Vya
For this integral Negroni and martini ingredient we look farther afield, to California, where Vya makes delicious dry and sweet vermouth.
Quadry Winery, 13181 Rd. 24, Madera, California, 1-800-733-8068, vya.com
Taboo Genuine Absinthe
Okanagan Spirits
Rinse your Sazerac glass with this formerly banned spirit from Okanagan Spirits headquartered in Vernon, B.C. It’s made from fruit alcohol and locally grown whole herbs including fennel, anise, hyssop and petite and grand wormwood, once considered a “taboo” ingredient.
5204 24 St., Vernon, 250-549-3120, okanaganspirits.com
Alberta Premium Rye Whisky
Alberta Distillers
This affordable, award-winning 100-per-cent rye whisky is produced at Alberta Distillers in Ogden from prairie grain. It stands out for its spicy flavour and ability to stand (almost) alone in spirit-forward cocktails.
beamsuntory.com/brands/alberta-premium
Porter’s Tonic
Just add soda water to this made-in-Calgary tonic syrup (it comes in three flavours: original, grapefruit and cardamom orange) to give your G&T a refreshing and delicious makeover.
Ryan’s Honey
Bartenders swear by this Water Valley honey for making honey syrup, a crucial sweetener in cocktails such as a bee’s knees or penicillin. Or pour it straight into your dawa.
Parlour Gin
Eau Claire Distillery
Eau Claire Distillery in Turner Valley has a winner with this London-dry-style gin made predominantly from Alberta-grown barley and infused with 15 botanicals including coriander, lavender, rosehips and saskatoon berries. Your tonic will thank you.
113 Sunset Blvd. N.W., Turner Valley, 403-933-5404, eauclairedistillery.ca
Grizzly Paw Ginger Beer
The Grizzly Paw Brewing Company
There can be no Moscow mule or dark ‘n stormy cocktails without ginger beer, and Grizzly Paw in Canmore makes one that’s wonderfully gingery, but not too spicy.
310 Old Canmore Rd., Canmore, 403-678-2487, thegrizzlypaw.com