What’s the wildest cocktail you can imagine? Here’s your invitation to taste Canada’s most imaginative and delicious cocktails

What’s the wildest cocktail you can imagine? Here’s your invitation to taste Canada’s most imaginative and delicious cocktails

Cocktail lovers: See Canada’s top bartenders compete for the title of Most Imaginative Bartender

What do green tea, sake, citric acid, coconut syrup, umami bitters, nori and gin all have in common? They were all ingredients in Canada’s most ingenious cocktail, awarded last year as part of the Most Imaginative Bartender competition.

This year, you’re invited to join the festivities at an evening of inspiration and artistry as you experience 10 of the most original, imaginative and delicious cocktails from across the country—prepared by the nation’s best bartenders. Whether you’re a cocktail aficionado, gin lover or aspiring bartender, this event is for you—and it all happens on the heels of World Gin Day (June 10).

Presented by Bombay Sapphire, the Most Imaginative Bartender competition will take place in major cities across North America, landing in Toronto on June 14. The competition, which challenges bartenders to explore the depths of their imaginations for everything from technique to garnish, celebrates the talent of the top bartenders in the U.S. and Canada.

Taking place at District 28 in Toronto’s East End, this bar crawl will feature 10 bar stations, with each bartender stepping out from behind the bar to share the story around their cocktail. Guests will be invited to sample the creative cocktails before a winner is crowned by an esteemed group of cocktail experts from across North America.

For the first time ever, the competition is open to the public. A limited number of tickets are available for sale at eventbrite.ca

The Details

What: Bombay Sapphire’s Most Imaginative Bartender Competition – Canadian Finals
Where: District 28, Studio 1 | 28 Logan Avenue, Toronto, ON
When: Wednesday, June 14 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Cost: Admission is $20 and includes gin cocktails and appetizers. Must be 19 years of age or older. Available at eventbrite.ca

 

MOST IMAGINATIVE COCKTAILS

Looking to serve up some creative cocktail for World Gin Day? Here are a couple recipes from this year’s Toronto finalists to stir up your imagination

The Virtuous Cocktail

By Chantelle Gabino, bartender at Parts & Labour

2 parts Bombay Sapphire
¾ part The Virtuous Vermouth
½ part of St. Germain grapefruit pith

Foam:
1 part aquafaba, the liquid from cooking chickpeas
½ part citric acid
½ part honey syrup
½ part Bombay Sapphire

Garnish:
Herb oil by Stalk & Stem
Fresh cracked pepper

Method:
Combine the Bombay Sapphire, Virtuous Vermouth and St. Germain grapefruit pith in a mixing glass, stir over ice and stain into a chilled Nick and Nora glass. Combine the ingredients for the foam in a chilled shaker tin with one large ice cube; shake and then double strain into the Boston tin and shake hard again. Float foam on top of the drink, garnish with coconut herb oil and black pepper.
 

The Prince and The Pauper

By Tyler Newsome, bartender at Dailo

1½ parts Bombay Sapphire
¾ part lime shell cordial (shells from juiced limes, sugar, malic acid and lactic acid)
½ part fermented Ti Kuan Yin “beer” (second-fill tea leaves, coconut pulp from coconut water)
2 bar spoons scrap tincture (Bombay Sapphire East, watermelon rind, citrus peels, kaffir lime stem, thai basil stem, chili stems, chili seedsand lemongrass)
Egg white

Garnish:
Dehydrated coconut
Oolong dust

Method:
Combine all ingredient in shaker with ice and shake. Strain and dry shake. Strain into glass.