Five Classic Cocktails for a Distinguished Gentleman

While times are changing for the better, most men drink cheap beer, highballs, or sugar-filled shots. Thanks to the growing classic cocktail trends in today's large city bars, the growing number of small distilleries and breweries, and television shows like Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire, more and more are becoming interested in better quality products and more traditional drinks. The mid to late 19th century was the Golden Age of mixed drinks, led by the 'grandfather of mixology,' Jerry Thomas, who in 1862 was the first to publish an all-encompassing tome of bartending. Many great drinks and products were lost during Prohibition, and while the practice of drinking well did continue to a lesser extent from the 1930's until the 1960's, it is for the most part the great classics from the Golden Age that survive today. A distinguished gentleman appreciates these drinks for their taste and history, and cares for the manner in which they are made. This sophisticated man knows there is only one Martini, that anything called a "cocktail" must contain bitters, and that an Old-Fashioned must never contain juice or soda. Below are five classic drinks for this distinguished gentleman.

(As per the previous posts on Classic Cocktails for a Fancy Lady, drink-preference should not be gender specific, and the purpose of this post is historical. Furthermore, should any lady deem herself too dangerous to be fancy, any of the following make excellent substitutes as cocktails for a femme fatale.)

Old-Fashioned
This is the drink with the most variations, the source of so many debates, the biggest growing popularity, yet one of the most misunderstood. Thanks to Donald Draper on TV's Mad Men (who, by the way, makes a terrible Old-Fashioned), this drink is now ordered by droves of non-experienced drinkers. This is an exciting trend. The disappointing news is that practices from the dark ages of drinking (the 1970's to the 1990's) are still alive today, and the drink is often ruined or just unrecognizable. It is a finicky drink to maintain the balance of so few ingredients, and of course most everyone prefers his or hers a slightly different way. The drink’s history is a confusing one because it refers to a style and not one particular drink. In the early to mid 19th century, The Sling was a popular mixed drink that contained only spirit, sugar, water, and perhaps a grate of nutmeg. At some point bitters was added to the mix, birthing the “Bittered Sling,” which came be known as the “Cock-tail.” Faster than you can mix one up, variations were born. Fruits here and liqueurs there muddled up the original, and purists and old-farts began to request their Cock-tails the “old-fashioned way.” Over time this simply became an “Old-Fashioned.” Anything beyond the Bittered Sling recipe is not an Old-Fashioned, though very small embellishments included in Jerry Thomas’ variations (namely orange or lemon oil) are welcomed. The recipe below is from “Modern American Drinks” by George Kappeler in 1895, and is the best way to make a proper Old-Fashioned. (Note the absence of juice, muddling, soda, or any liqueur.) The type of bitters and spirit is up to the drinker and trying new combinations makes for a multitude of exciting options (try brandy and Peychaud’s, tequila and chocolate, or gin and Boker’s for example).

2oz whiskey
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1/2tsp of sugar (or one small sugar cube)
1 piece of lemon peel

Dissolve the sugar with a little water in a whiskey-glass [Old-Fashioned or rocks glass]; add bitters, a small piece ice, a piece lemon-peel, and whiskey. Mix with a small barspoon and serve.

"A small piece ice" can be substituted today with a few nice cubes (don't ruin the drink with small, watery ones), and the lemon peel can be swapped for orange if you please. Express the oil of the peel over top of the drink for best effect. A common practice is to soak the sugar in both water and bitters before adding ice and spirit.

Sazerac
Ordering this drink more than five years ago would have gotten you strange looks. Because of its history and fantastic taste, it was and is an obscure favourite among cocktail enthusiasts. Many claims are made to it being the oldest cocktail, but this is not true. We’ve tracked its inception to 1850's New Orleans in a slightly different form than we most often enjoy now. The Sazerac is the product of two smart men: one who imported the Sazerac de Forge et Fils, and the other who changed the name of his bar to "Sazerac House," where the cocktail was first made and became popular, thus naming it the "Sazerac Cocktail." Peychaud's bitters was literally made down the street, so it was the obvious choice. The first printed recipe in 1908 called for “good whiskey” (which in New Orleans means straight rye) at which point Cognac had become less abundant. The drink's flavour is dry and spicy, and the union of Peychaud's, absinthe, and rye (or Cognac for that matter) is something truly special. Again, the process of making the drink is important for both flavour and anticipation, so follow it closely. Use a good quality spirit, preferably a higher-proof and spicy rye, absinthe if you can, raw sugar, and lastly you can substitute Bitter Truth Creole Bitters for Peychaud's (but go with one fewer dash as it's more potent).

2 oz straight rye whiskey [or Cognac]
1 sugar cube
2-3 dashes Peychaud's bitters
Absinthe
Lemon peel

Fill an Old-Fashioned or Sazerac glass with cracked ice. Put the sugar in a mixing container, add the bitters and a little water and let dissolve. Add the whiskey, fill with ice, and stir. Dump the ice out of the glass and pour in a little absinthe, and roll around to coat the glass before discarding. Strain the whiskey mixture into the glass, then express the oil from the lemon peel over top and drop it into the glass.

Manhattan
This one is the probably the most famous and enduring of all classics, enjoyed by many in literature and film, particularly gentlemen, but also by bad-news ladies like Marilyn Monroe in “Some Like It Hot.” Vermouth entered the mixed drink equation sometime in the 1870's, drastically changing things for generations to come. Suddenly cocktails weren't just spirits with small additions of liqueurs, bitters, sugars, and sometimes fruits. Now spirits shared the spotlight or even had a supporting role in many popular drinks. Arguably the first of these was the Manhattan, made at the Manhattan Club in, yes, Manhattan. Its first mention was in the 1870’s, its first recipe in 1884, and the closest recipe to what we use today appeared in 1892. Early incarnations included maraschino, absinthe, gum syrup, and no whiskey specification, but the drink simplified over time. The type of whiskey and bitters are still optional, and like the Old-Fashioned make for very different drinks. A higher-proof whiskey mixes better, with rye being drier and spicier and bourbon being fuller and sweeter. Always stir, never shake, serve up and not on the rocks, and the garnish is always optional.

2oz whiskey
1oz sweet vermouth
2-3 dashes bitters

Add ingredients to a mixing glass, add ice, stir, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a real cherry, or a citrus peel (optional).

Martini
The Manhattan-style cocktail at times contained gin instead of whiskey, which became known as the Martini - the same drink save the spirit choice. The origins of the Martini are some of the most disputed of them all, numerous ones appearing around the same time, but the concept remained the same. The Turf Club is the simplest, while The Fourth Degree contained absinthe, and The Martinez contained maraschino and twice the amount of vermouth. The later and most popular incarnation, The Dry Martini, made an important change in recipe: swapping Italian vermouth for French. As time wore on after Prohibition, Martinis got drier and drier, reducing the vermouth down to smaller and smaller amounts. In the later half of the 20th century good-quality vermouths were harder to come by and the lack of knowledgeable bartenders left it sitting on shelves instead of fresh and in the fridge, and the vermouth became essentially non-existent. Furthermore, James Bond confused many by calling his Kangaroo Cocktail a "Vodka Martini" (which even confused the Bond girl). A classic gentleman does not drink a Martini with vodka, though will sometimes drink it dry. However, a Martini without dry vermouth or bitters is not a Martini. Below is the classic 1890's version, in which you can reduce the amount of vermouth and swap the orange peel for a lemon if you please. The olive is a later addition, and can mask the flavours of the drink, but to each his own. Be sure to use fresh vermouth - it is wine and should be kept in the fridge and will spoil and then ruin your drink. Choose a good gin and a great vermouth.

2oz gin (Old Tom traditionally, but London Dry works just fine)
1oz dry vermouth
1 dash orange bitters

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe. Squeeze a piece of orange peel over top.

Negroni
In 1860’s Italy, Gaspare Campari invented the most famous of amari, aptly named Campari, before settling down and opening a cafe. The signature drink there was the “Milano Torino,” combining Campari from Milan and Cinzano vermouth from Turin then topped with soda. The early 20th century brought an influx of American tourists, among whom the drink found popularity and was renamed the “Americano.” (It found popularity elsewhere too, even being the first drink James Bond ever ordered). In 1919, Count Camillo Negroni asked the bartender, Fosco Scarselli, at the Caffe Casoni for a stronger version of this drink by swapping the soda with gin. This drink subsequently became wildly popular in Europe. In 1947, iconic director/actor Orson Welles was working on his film "Cagliostro" in Rome, and spoke to reporters about his new favourite drink, The Negroni, saying "the bitters are excellent for your liver, the gin is bad for you - they balance each other." It wasn't long before the drink became popular in the U.S., though in the more American style it was enjoyed up rather than on the rocks. The three ingredients balance and accent each other beautifully, and as such the Negroni structure has been used for numerous variations and new concepts. The most notable - drinks also worthy of a distinguished gentleman - are the Boulevardier, which replaces the gin with bourbon, and the Old Pal, which switches gin for straight rye and Italian vermouth for French. While Campari is very bitter and therefore an acquired taste, it's a worthwhile one, and the Negroni is a drink bound to be in your life for good.

1oz London Dry gin
1oz Italian vermouth
1oz Campari

Add ingredients together and stir with ice. Strain over rocks in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a slice of orange a piece of lemon peel.



[Photo: Cary Grant]

Halloween Cocktails: "The Bay Harbour Butcher" by Shaun Layton

Our drinks are slowly getting more violent as we creep ever close to Halloween. Today's contribution comes from Shaun Layton of L'Abattoir, located in Blood Alley in Vancouver's Gastown. He shares his bloody creation named after the AMC series, "Dexter," about a blood spatter specialist with the Miami Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer. This cocktail is a fruity and herbal twist on the pisco sour, and Shaun incorporates some interesting ingredients, including Liquore Strega. This bright yellow herbal liqueur was supposedly created by an Italian witch coven in the 1800's. "Strega," actually meaning "witch" in Italian, was originally medicinal in nature, but became later known as a kind of love-potion. It is said that if a couple drinks Strega together they will be forever united.
(I will be talking a little more about Strega before Halloween).

The Bay Harbour Butcher

45ml pisco
30ml lemon juice
10ml Liquore Strega
10ml Campari
Dash of raspberry puree
1 egg white

Combine all ingredients and dry shake, then shake again with ice. 
Fine strain into a chilled coup and make blood-splatter-like dashes on top of the froth with Peychaud's bitters.

If you don't have raspberry liqueur handy, a great substitute (and one I use in Clover Clubs as well) is the award-winning Raspberry Liqueur by Okanagan Spirits. It's a surprisingly tart and dry liqueur made with real raspberries.

You can see Shaun's other contributions to this site here:
Maraschino March
Amaro April
Fernet February
The Butchertown

Stay tuned - there's a final Halloween drink still to come!

The Fall Series:

You can see the series introduction here
and more terrible Halloween cocktails here
"Death & Oranges" by Donnie Wheeler
"Jones' Bitter Aperitif" by Evelyn Chick 
"The Satchmo" by Simon Ogden 
"Dark City" by Jay Jones 
Classic Halloween Cocktails 
"The Giant Huntsman" by Lauren Mote 
"A Nightmare On Juniper Street" by Shea Hogan


[[ "Dexter" image belongs to AMC
cocktail photography by Shaun Layton ]]

Fall Cocktails: "Death & Oranges" by Donnie Wheeler

To kick things off for this fall series we are heading to Vancouver for a delicious pumpkin cocktail from Mr. Donnie Wheeler. He brings over fifteen years of experience in hospitality, bartending, and consulting for the likes of Cin Cin, Legacy Liquor, Corner Suite Bistro, and Donnelly Group bars Killjoy and Clough Club. Known to many in Vancouver as Donnie Bahama or Mr. Tiki, he runs Tiki Tuesdays at Clough Club (where each week they feature new drinks from Jeff "Beachbum" Berry's books), as well as giving seminars on Tiki history and culture at Legacy and festivals like The Art of the Cocktail.

Donnie is sharing a perfect example of a seasonal and themed cocktail that is both tasteful and tasty. (Apologies for the lateness on the Thanksgiving theme). I will let him introduce it himself:

"As it is Thanksgiving, [the drink] should be about family... in this case the Corleone family from the Godfather films. In the films every major death is preceded by an appearance of an orange in one way or another. [SPOILER ALERT]
Don Corleone buys oranges right before he is shot and falls into an orange cart. Sonny drives past an advertisement for Florida Oranges before he is assassinated. At the Mafioso summit, bowls of oranges are placed on the tables - specifically in front of those Dons who will be assassinated. Michael eats an orange while discussing his plans with Tom. Before Don Corleone dies he puts an orange peel in his mouth to playfully scare his grandson. The list goes on. So, the cocktail is a little morbid, a little seasonal, and about family."

Death & Oranges

1oz Carpano Antica Formula Italian Vermouth
1oz Campari
1.5oz fresh squeezed blood orange juice (seasonal)
1-2 tablespoons pumpkin puree-infused honey syrup
2 dashes Fernet Branca
Combine ingredients with ice and shake. Strain over crushed ice.
Top with soda water (optional).

Pumpkin/Honey Syrup: 
Add 2 parts honey and 2 parts water and bring to a boil. Add 1 part of pumpkin puree and stir until mixed.

[[ Photo by Donnie Wheeler ]]

The Fall Cocktail Series
 You can see the series introduction here
and more terrible Halloween cocktails here
"Jones' Bitter Aperitif" by Evelyn Chick
"The Satchmo" by Simon Ogden  
"Dark City" by Jay Jones
Classic Halloween Cocktails
"The Giant Huntsman" by Lauren Mote
"The Bay Harbour Butcher" by Shaun Layton  
"A Nightmare On Juniper Street" by Shea Hogan 

Amaro April: "The One Hit Wonder" from L'abattoir

Let's kick things off with a couple aperitivo-style cocktails using some lighter amari. First, we once again visit Shaun Layton at L'Abattoir in Vancouver's Gastown for a great spring/summer drink using Aperol and Campari, but the latter in an unusual way. Shaun makes a 2:1 simple syrup and adds Campari and a rhubarb stalk to it, adding a bitter-sweet layer of complexity. Rhubarb is a perfect addition as both the Campari and Aperol, the latter in particular, have this flavour and aroma. Tequila holds a steady backbone behind this potent ingredient, as we saw with several of the Maraschino cocktails last month, an overproof rum cuts through with the alcoholic edge, and the lime settles everything down. Wray and Nephew is a good choice as well for mixing with strong, bitter flavours, like we saw with The Pandemonium cocktail from Veneto in Victora during Fernet February. I'm in the process of convincing Shaun to throw a batch of this syrup together, so this cocktail might be making an appearance soon - make your way down to L'Abattoir to find out...

The One Hit Wonder

45mL El Jimador Tequila Blanco
30mL fresh lime juice
15mL Wray and Nephew Overproof Rum
15mL Rhubarb-Campari syrup
10mL Aperol
Grapefruit peel

Add all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, fill with ice and shake hard before double-straining into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a long piece of grapefruit peel.

To make the rhubarb-Campari syrup:
Combine 4 parts sugar to 2 parts water to 1 part Campari in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring often. Bring heat down to simmer and add 1 large stalk of finely-diced rhubarb. Let simmer for 30-60 minutes, strain, and let cool. Store in the fridge.

If you don't have a measuring tool with mL's, 1oz is close to 30mL (so 45 ~ 1.5oz, 15mL ~ 1/2oz, 10mL ~ 1/3oz).

(See my review of L'Abattoir here, and search "L'abattoir" in the top right of this blog to see other original cocktails from here)

[[ See my post on amaro digestivos here ]]
[[ See my post on amaro aperivos here ]]
[[ See a buying guide for amaro here ]]

[[ See "The Penny Farthing" from Pourhouse here ]]
[[ See an introduction to amaro  here ]]
[[ See "The Imperial Eagle" from Bourbon & Branch here ]]
[[ See "Sevilla" from Beretta here ]]
[[ See "Fallow Grave" from the Toronto Temperance Society here ]]
[[ See "The Black Prince" from Phil Ward here ]]
[[ See "Bad Apple" and "Jackson Ward" from Amor y Amargo here ]]
[[ See "The Four Horsemen" from Jay Jones at Shangri-La here ]]
[[ See Colin MacDougall from Blue Water Cafe here ]]
[[ See "Debbie Don't" from Dutch Kills here ]]
[[ See "Welcome to the Dark Side" from Cin Cin here ]]
[[ See "Foolish Games" from Russell Davis here ]]
[[ See "Intro To Aperol" from Audrey Saunders at Pegu Club here ]] 

Amaro Aperitivos

Drinks are often separated into categories involving food - aperitifs (French), or aperitivos (Italian), which are served before you eat to stimulate your palate and appetite, digestifs, or digestivos, which are served after a meal to aid digestion or calm your palate, and while you are eating you shouldn't really be drinking a mixed drink, but rather a nicely-paired wine, beer, or just water. This practice of enjoying alcohol through different stages of a meal is common practice in Europe, and one that has been carried over through good, high-end European restaurants here, or just in those with a really good cocktail program (Cin Cin in Vancouver, for example, has the second - soon to be first - largest selection of grappa in North America). Italians in particular have a very, very long list of aperitivos and digestivos in the form of amari and the Italian grape brandy known as grappa, both of which for the most part are enjoyed post-meal, but also sweet vermouths, or rossi, that are enjoyed beforehand. This does partly have to do with how it's being served, for example, making a mixed drink in an aperitivo-style, like a Negroni, using a heavier amaro than Campari like Montenegro makes a very refreshing pre-dinner cocktail, but sipping Montenegro neat is an excellent digestivo. But let's not make things too complicated and just look at some specific products.
First, to whet our palates, are the aperitivos, the most popular of which are Campari, and it's 'younger brother,' Aperol.

In 1860 in a town called Novara, northwest Italy, Gaspare Campari invented a recipe for a new liqueur by infusing alcohol (I have no confirmation, but I assume a grape spirit, or grappa base) with herbs, plants, roots, and fruit. It became so popular among the locals that Gaspare moved to Milano and opened Caffe Campari, where he soon invented Campari's signature cocktail, The Milano-Turino, named after the origins of both his liqueur and Cinzano sweet vermouth. This drink was later named The Americano, and you can see more history on this drink in particular here, plus it's successor, the Negroni, here.
It was common at the time to consume bitters (on the English side of things) or amaro after a meal to aid with digestion, but customers began to prefer sipping their Campari before lunch, which began a popular custom of meeting friends in the afternoon at a cafe for a little aperitivo before the big meals. The aperitivo concept was not new, but Campari made it a much more popular social custom.

The recipe has been claimed to include over 60 components, but nobody at Campari has ever spoken a word as to the ingredients. The disctinctive red colour comes from carmine dye, which originally came from crushed cochineal insects. The flavour is very unique and very bitter, but very light in comparison to other amari such as Averna or Fernet. There are hints of spice and menthol, strong herbal flavours, and bitter orange. There are many exciting and classic cocktails that use Campari, and the more you develop your bitter palate, the more you'll just want to just sip it with soda. The Americano is a good starting point for something light, but if you're more of a whiskey drinker, The Boulevardier is a must, with bourbon, sweet vermouth, and just a bit of Campari.

Aperol came much later, after the amaro boom of the mid 1800's. It was created by brothers Luigi and Silvio Barbieri with the intention of making an even lighter amaro than Campari in both flavour and alcohol content (only 11%) to be enjoyed as well as an aperitivo. They unveiled their invention at the Padua Exhibition in 1919, but it didn't really become popular until almost 30 years later. The recipe, as always, is a secret, but has supposedly remained unchanged since its inception. One thing did not, however, and that was the colour, which was basically clear, but a year after the original release (1920), the orange colour was added and used as part of its advertising identity. In the 1930's, Aperol started directing its campaign towards women, claiming its low-alcohol content was a great way for a woman to stay lean and fit but still enjoy drinking. In 1950, the signature cocktail the "Spritz" is invented, combining Aperol with Prosecco and a dash of soda, and the 1960's brought about television advertising, and Aperol really took off in Europe. It wasn't until 2000 that it spread to the rest of the world, when Peggy Guggenheim's exhibition in Venice is sponsored by the Campari group (the company that came to own Aperol) where the liqueur had a big advertising presence and Spritz was served to all manner of famous guests. Fast forward to 2006 and Aperol is suddenly available in the U.S. where it has since been not only delicious but an excellent stepping stone for anyone to get into amaro. This is where you need to start if you haven't yet, and this is definitely where you need to start if you don't have a taste for bitter yet. The biggest flavour is a bitter orange, but gentian and rhubarb are very noticeable as well.
While there are no real classic cocktails using it, it can fairly easily be substituted into any Campari drink to decent success. In fact, you'll see a lot of bars doing this, I assume to avoid offending anyone who isn't ready for the acquired taste of Campari. Making a Negroni with half Aperol and half Campari is quite delicious and easier to handle for the uninitiated, and I also find it mixes well with bourbon as is exemplified by an original by Joel Virginillo at The Refinery in Vancouver called "The Boulevardier of Broken Dreams," with 1oz bourbon, 3/4oz Aperol, and 3/4oz Cynar, built over ice.

Speaking of Cynar, I should take a further moment to mention it as it is most often enjoyed as an aperitivo (though also as a digestivo - being both is part of its identity). Also owned by the Campari group as of 1995 (they have quite the monopoly on aperitivos), but much younger, Cynar is an artichoke-based amaro made from only 13 herbs and plants and bottled at only 33 proof. It was launched in 1952 and gained popularity through television advertisements in the 1960's. Drinking an artichoke bitter may sound odd, and I honestly did not enjoy the first few times, but I have come to appreciate what it brings to a cocktail. Speaking of The Refinery, they make a fine Cynar Negroni that's definitely worth a try before you make any judgements on this amaro, and Pourhouse in Gastown has a couple creative Cynar drinks on their menu as well.

Next, we'll look at some popular amaro digestivos, namely Averna, Montenegro, and Ramazzotti.

[[ See my post on amaro digestivos here ]]
[[ See a buying guide for amaro here ]]

[[ See "The One Hit Wonder" from L'abattoir in Vancouver here ]]
[[ See "The Penny Farthing" from Pourhouse here ]]
[[ See an introduction to amaro  here ]]
[[ See "The Imperial Eagle" from Bourbon & Branch here ]]
[[ See "Sevilla" from Beretta here ]]
[[ See "Fallow Grave" from the Toronto Temperance Society here ]]
[[ See "The Black Prince" from Phil Ward here ]]
[[ See "Bad Apple" and "Jackson Ward" from Amor y Amargo here ]]
[[ See "The Four Horsemen" from Jay Jones at Shangri-La here ]]
[[ See Colin MacDougall from Blue Water Cafe here ]]
[[ See "Debbie Don't" from Dutch Kills here ]]
[[ See "Welcome to the Dark Side" from Cin Cin here ]]
[[ See "Foolish Games" from Russell Davis here ]]
[[ See "Intro To Aperol" from Audrey Saunders at Pegu Club here ]] 

Amaro Part 2: Buying Amaro in B.C.

Now that we've taken a brief look at what exactly amaro is, let's take a look at buying it in B.C. While some are actually cheaper here than in the States (well, Washington at least), others are only available at specialty stores where you'll still be paying a lot more, but if you're Canadian, you're used to it. Below I will list the types available to us here in Canada, which are the more popular types you will see in craft cocktail bars. If you're looking to buy for your home bar, Legacy is the place to go, unless you have time to visit Seattle (I've listed both prices so you can compare).

Averna - from Sicily, originally made in 1868 by a man of the same name. Herbs, roots, and citrus are soaked in a neutral spirit, then caramel is added and is bottled at 64 proof. It will run you $48 at Legacy in Vancouver, or $34 or less in the States.
Aperol - bright orange-colour, orange and rhubarb flavour, slightly bitter, low-proof (see my post on The Petruchio), aperitivo. This is the best starting point if you don't know amaro very well, or don't have a taste for bitter. $22 in the B.C. government liquor store, and $25 in Washington (woot!).
Campari - vibrant red colour, citrus and cinchona flavours, quite bitter (see my post on The Americano), aperativo. $27 in the government stores here, and $33 in Washington (woot again!).
Cynar - made from 13 herbs and plants, including artichoke, and bottled at 33 proof. Launched in 1952 and currently owned and distributed by the Campari group. $38 at Legacy, but only $27 in Washington.
Fernet - very bitter, 80-proof or higher (see my post from Fernet February), made in Lombardia. This will run you $30 in both Washington and B.C.
Lucano - fairly bitter using 37 herbs. $40 at Legacy, and not available to Washington stores (score another for Canada!).
Montenegro - from Bologna in the late 1800's, made from over 40 herbs and bottled at 46 proof, strong orange flavour. $44 at Legacy, $30 in Washington.
Nardini - mainly a grappa producer dating back to the late 1700's, they also produce a fairly light and minty amaro. You won't be able to find this in Canada, but can pick it up in Washington for only $28.
Nonino - grappa-based with very herbal but sweet flavour. $50 in Canada, but in the States you can find it for $24.
Ramazzotti - from Milan, bottled at 60 proof, flavour similar to traditional cola. $34 at Legacy, and $29 in Washington.

There are other less popular ones you can get in the Wasington stores like Santa Maria Genova (which is really light and tasty - another good starting point), Abano, and Rabarbaro Zucca, all in the $30-40ish range. I'm sure there are other states and cities, such as San Francisco, where you can find more, because you always can. 

The most typical way to enjoy an amaro is just neat in a liqueur glass after a meal, but often some are suggested to be drunk with soda water and an orange or lemon twist, or on the rocks, again with said twist. No matter how you enjoy it, an amaro is a perfect digestivo, or a perfect ending to an evening of drinking.

I'll be back soon with some information on aperitivo amari, specifically Campari and Aperol.

[[ See my post on amaro digestivos here ]]
[[ See my post on amaro aperivos here ]]
[[ See "The One Hit Wonder" from L'abattoir in Vancouver here ]]
[[ See "The Penny Farthing" from Pourhouse here ]]
[[ See an introduction to amaro  here ]]
[[ See "The Imperial Eagle" from Bourbon & Branch here ]]
[[ See "Sevilla" from Beretta here ]]
[[ See "Fallow Grave" from the Toronto Temperance Society here ]]
[[ See "The Black Prince" from Phil Ward here ]]
[[ See "Bad Apple" and "Jackson Ward" from Amor y Amargo here ]]
[[ See "The Four Horsemen" from Jay Jones at Shangri-La here ]]
[[ See Colin MacDougall from Blue Water Cafe here ]]
[[ See "Debbie Don't" from Dutch Kills here ]]
[[ See "Welcome to the Dark Side" from Cin Cin here ]]
[[ See "Foolish Games" from Russell Davis here ]]
[[ See "Intro To Aperol" from Audrey Saunders at Pegu Club here ]] 

Fernet February - "The Bittercup" from Pourhouse

Welcome to Fernet February, where all month I will be sharing original recipes from the best bars in Vancouver, Seattle, and Victoria.
Now that we've covered what Fernet is and what the general challenge is for mixing it, we can jump right into the cocktails.

The first bar up is one of my favourites and definitely my go-to spot in Vancouver - Pourhouse. While it's a somewhat new establishment (about three years old), it feels like a very old one as soon as you walk in. Sitting at the bar made from reclaimed Douglas fir from the 1920's you'll feel like you're sitting at an actual saloon at the turn of the century. All the bartenders are vested (as they should be), the lighting sets a mood, French absinthe fountains adorn the bar, and the menu and style of the cocktails themselves are consistently classic in mentality. Each of the bartenders here are skilled and knowledgeable and typically go for the well-crafted classic and simple over newer and more complicated concoctions of infusions and crazy syrups (not that there's necessarily anything wrong with those things, I just happen to be more classic-minded myself).

I will save the rest I have to say about Pourhouse for whenever I get around to doing a proper review, so let's move on to the drink.

Today's Fernet February cocktail is "The Bittercup" by Pourhouse bar manager, Christopher Flett. It's possibly the most interesting Fernet cocktail I've ever tried, and just looking at the recipe reveals a creative and gutsy idea in general. Despite the intense and bitter flavours involved, the drink balances extremely well - like that of "bitter strawberries," as Flett puts it. It's so delicious my lady and I have started buying prosecco just to have a few day's worth of pre-dinner Bittercup's.

So without further adieu,

The Bittercup:
1 oz   Campari
1/2oz Fernet Branca
1/2oz real cranberry juice (not cranberry cocktail)
3/4oz fresh grapefruit juice
1/4oz simple syrup
2 oz  dry prosecco

Pour all ingredients except prosecco into a shaker. Shake. Taste and balance bitterness with simple syrup (the taste of bitter strawberries is the goal). Double strain into a cocktail glass. Finish with prosecco.

Thanks to Christopher and the Pourhouse for a creative, tasty, and refreshing drink that has become a mainstay at my home bar, and a common order every time we visit.

I encourage everyone reading to share your own Fernet cocktails in the comments area, and of course, please discuss the drinks themselves if you feel so inclined! See you in a day or two for a new Fernet cocktail...

[[ see the Fernet February introduction here ]]
[[ see the "Gastown Swizzle" from L'Abattoir here ]]
[[ see the "Dark and Fernet-y" from Rob Roy here ]]
[[ see the "Chinatown Sour" from The Keefer here ]]
[[ see "Pandemonium" from Veneto Tapa Lounge here ]]
[[ see "The Vested Bartender" from Boneta here ]]
[[ see "The Parliament" from The Diamond here ]]
[[ see "Parliament Hill" from The Hideout here ]]
[[ see "The Lucky Lady" from The Refinery here ]]
[[ see "The Denny Triangle" from Jamie Boudreau / Canon here ]]

A Beginner's Guide To Tequila Part 3 - How To Enjoy Tequila

So you looked at what is available, did a little research, then decided on a decent tequila for yourself. Now, how do you enjoy it?

Traditionally, tequila is just enjoyed straight in a very short glass, or even a snifter - similar to Scotch or Cognac. Sometimes it is enjoyed alongside sangrita, which is a drink made from oranges, grenadine, and chili peppers. Drinking tequila shots with salt first and lime afterwards is really only done outside of Mexico, and began only as a way to mute the bad flavour and burn of a cheap product. Unfortunately, practices like this spread and began to really narrow people's palates and contributed to the crusade in the 1970's and 80's (which we are working hard to get rid of today) to ruin cocktails by making them overly sweet or juice-y.

Cocktail-wise, the most famous tequila drink is obviously the Margarita, which is responsible for the spirit's popularity in the U.S., and contains tequila, lime, and triple sec liqueur. There are other cocktails popular in Mexico, such as the Paloma, which is grapefruit, tequila, soda, and sometimes lime. Other American cocktails have changed dramatically, like the Tequila Sunrise, which originally contained tequila, crème de cassis, lime, and soda, but eventually evolved into the much less interesting tequila, orange, and grenadine. Once again, the 1970's ruined a good drink.

My next post will be entirely on the Margarita, its history, a recipe, and some apt 1940's music to enjoy while you sip. Today, I'm going to give a couple cool recipes to try - some that are hopefully new to you.
Typically, tequila is enjoyed with juice, but below are some interesting things you can do to better showcase the taste of the spirit.
First is probably the best cocktail to make with any good spirit - the actual Cocktail - the Old Fashioned.

Tequila Old-Fashioned
2 oz reposado or anejo tequila
2 dashes chocolate bitters 
1/2 oz simple syrup (or a barspoon or two full of agave nectar/syrup)
Build over ice in an old-fashioned/short glass

When you say "old fashioned," most people think of bourbon or rye with Angostura bitters, but old-fashioned only means to enjoy a cocktail the 'old-fashioned-way.' This just means spirit, bitters, sugar, water. You can enjoy any spirit old-fashioned, and you can try different bitters to match with the spirit. A lighter or vegetal bitters such as celery bitters will match well with gin, a bitters with a full spice profile like Angostura or Peychaud's matches well with whiskey or dark rum, and the full, dark, spicy and somewhat malty presence of a chocolate bitters pairs amazingly well with a tequila. I was able to pick up some Bitter Truth Xoxolat Mole bitters in Seattle for under $20, and it's very interesting and completely different than any other bitters I've had. The mole flavour works excellently with tequila, and of course makes sense as they both come from Mexico. If you can't get your hands on a more interesting bitters, Angostura will always do.

The Rosita Cocktail
1 1/2 oz tequila blanco
1/2 oz sweet vermouth
1/2 oz dry vermouth
1/2 oz Campari
1 dash Angostura bitters
Stir with ice, strain over ice in a rocks glass, garnish with a lemon twist

This one is only about 20 years old. It's a much more interesting direction to take tequila, and probably one you haven't tried yet. The herbal flavours and aromas from every other ingredient really plays on the tequila in a unique way. It's quite complex and I highly recommend it to someone really looking for a new kind of tequila cocktail.


The Prado Cocktail
1 1/2 oz tequila blanco
3/4 oz lime juice
1/2 egg white
1/2 oz Maraschino liqueur
Shake without ice first to emulsify the egg white, then shake with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with a lime wheel

Maraschino actually works very nicely with tequila, which should open a lot of doors for you to start experimenting.

The best way to try out new things and come up with new drinks is simply to take a cocktail that you know works, and substitute an ingredient. That's basically how all the cocktails we know and love were invented and evolved. Try making a Manhattan with tequila anejo instead of whiskey, or try a tequila blanco Martini instead of using gin, or a tequila Mojito instead of using rum, etc, etc. You'll be surprised how many of those variations taste really good.

As mentioned, next post I'm going to give the history of the Margarita, some cool variations on the recipe, and some fun 1940's music to enjoy alongside.

[[ click here to see Part 1 of A Beginner's Guide To Tequila ]]
[[ click here to see Part 2 of A Beginner's Guide To Tequila ]]

20th Century Italy Part 2 - The Negroni

First came the Americano, but it just wasn't stiff enough for some, so next came the Negroni.

The Cocktail

The Negoni was supposedly invented in Florence, Italy, in 1919 at Caffe Casoni when Count Camillo Negroni asked the bartender, Fosco Scarselli, for a stronger version of his favourite cocktail, The Americano, by adding gin instead of soda water. So, Scarselli made the switch and added an orange garnish rather than the usual lemon to soften the new mixture. The drink became popular and the Negroni family actually started producing a pre-mixed version called "Antico Negroni 1919," which is still made but with a different recipe.

The drink became popular outside of Italy when Orson Welles, while working in Rome on his 1947 film, "Cagliostro," spoke to reporters about his new favourite drink, saying "the bitters are excellent for your liver, the gin is bad for you. They balance each other."

The Negroni is considered one of the greatest classic cocktails, and like the others on that list, it's extremely simple in its ingredients and perfectly balanced (if made right).

There are many ways to enjoy it, but I don't agree with adding juice so as to hide the flavours. I think this is yet another compensation for people not developing the bitter palate and adding more and more sugar and fruit. Too much sugar ruins cocktails, and one as complex and interesting as the Negroni should have nothing of the sort added! There are also numerous bartenders of great skill and reputation that substitute Aperol for Campari, or use some of each in varying proportions, which leads to a more palatable and less bitter drink. While often delicious, and something I often experiment with at home, this is not a Negroni and should not be named as such.

The two classic ways to enjoy it are:

a) The Italian way, which is to serve the drink in a short glass over ice so the drink stays cold and the flavours develop,

b) The American way, which is to serve the drink straight-up in a cocktail glass. This makes a much more stiff and bitter drink and is still fantastic, but it is an Italian drink and the Italians do swear by their recipe... so I'll stick with them for now.

The Recipe

1 part Gin (each kind will change the drink dramatically - see my Beginner's Guide To Gin for some ideas)

1 part Italian vermouth (Cinzano Rosso would be fitting, Carpano Antica would be very fancy, Punt e Mes works wonderfully but makes a more bitter cocktail, but really any kind will do - experiment! Also see my previous post on the Americano)

1 part Campari (see my previous post on the Americano)

Either,


a) build in an old-fashioned glass over ice and stir, or


b) add all ingredients with ice, and stir for 30-60 seconds to taste, then strain into a cocktail glass.

Garnish with orange zest, or lemon will do nicely as well, depending on your taste. Orange oil is much sweeter and will soften drinks, while lemon is more aromatic and excellent for balancing stronger flavours and smells.


The History

1940's Italy was a very different time than the early 20th century when the Americano was gaining popularity. The 1940's were really the start of an artistic renaissance for Italy after leaving the clutches of Nazi Germany and Moussolini's fascist regime and allowed to both experience foreign art to a full extent and explore new ideas freely. A renaissance of film-making was occurring in the 1940's with a new generation of directors who started a new movement called Neo-realism, whereas almost no film at all was produced over the previous 20 years. The music scene in Italy was very interesting because during the fascist era throughout the 20's and 30's, there was a lot of censorship of both foreign art, but also of Italian art if it was deemed "insufficiently Italian." Certain composers were even kicked out of music schools or attacked on the street if they didn't include fascist songs into performances and compositions. Opera, which had been Italy's musical identity for almost 200 years, continued to have an influence on new popular music. Folk, classical, and jazz were incorporating operatic ideas and melodies, and big bands were even playing opera pieces. Jazz (from America) had already infiltrated Italy and most of Europe in the 1910's via James Reese Europe (a very important yet often unknown name in the history of jazz), and again in the 1930's when Louis Armstrong was allowed to tour.

A particularly popular swing/pop group named Trio Lescano (sort of the Italian response to the Andrews Sisters) was extremely successful in Italy in the 1930's until the late 1940's. Interestingly, they were actually sisters but were Dutch, not Italian, and changed their names to suit the Italian swing they were singing. They became so popular that even Mussolini recognized them on the street, and in 1941 were offered Italian citizenship. Sad were the times, however, and because of their mother's Jewish origins their radio shows were cancelled, they were stripped of their citizenship, arrested, and imprisoned on the grounds that their songs contained hidden messages for Italy's enemies. After the war, they performed one last time on radio in 1945, then disappeared to South America.

Enjoy your Negroni, perhaps the Italian way, while listening to one of the most popular European pop groups of the 1930's and 40's: Trio Lescano.

20th Century Italy Part 1 - The Americano

Today's cocktail is coming to you from Italy. It's an old one that gained popularity later on with American tourists and was renamed to honour this. It contains only three ingredients, one being soda water, and the other two being classic Italian drinks - sweet vermouth and an amaro. Further evolution of this drink led to the addition of gin, a variation named The Negroni, which is the next cocktail we will be visiting.

But for now, here is a very old Italian cocktail enjoyed in its peak of popularity around 1910 - The Americano.

The Cocktail

In 1860, Italian Gaspare Campari invented a recipe for an amaro (aptly named Campari) that quickly became very popular all over Italy. Soon after, he married, settled down, and opened a cafe called... well... Caffe Campari. There he invented the signature cocktail of his aperitivo, and called it the "Milano-Torino." Milano because that's where Campari was made at the time, and Torino because that's where Cinzano sweet vermouth was made at the time. In the early 1900's, there was an influx of American tourists into Italy, and many of them fell in love with this drink (of course increasing the sales of both the Milano-Torino and Campari), and in honour of this the cocktail was later renamed the "Americano."

(Interesting sidenote: the first drink ordered by James Bond in the very first 007 novel - "Casino Royale" - is an Americano).


The recipe is simple, and the ingredients are easy to find.

Combine:
1 part Campari
1 part sweet vermouth (Cinzano Rosso to be traditional)
in an old-fashioned glass over ice,
top with soda, or simply add a dash - depending on your taste -
and garnish with an orange slice, orange peel, or lemon peel, or all of the above.

The flavour of campari is unique, but very bitter. If you really hate bitter flavours or herbal flavours, you won't like this drink, however, the bitterness is muted by the sweetness of the vermouth, as well as by the acidity of the soda, and the dilution of both the soda and ice. It's a great drink with which to develop your bitter palate so you can better enjoy amari and their respective cocktails. The Americano is a refreshing afternoon-sipper, or pre-dinner aperitivo, whereas the Negroni is stronger, and typically served up (which I will discuss in its own post).

The Ingredients
Sweet, rosso, red, or Italian vermouth (all the same thing, just different names) is a fortified wine (meaning that an alcohol of some kind is added to the wine during or after fermentation, resulting in a higher alcohol content and usually a higher sugar content) that has been flavoured or infused with various herbs, roots, barks, and spices. There are two general kinds of vermouth - French (or dry or white/blanc) and Italian. The former is lighter in taste, colour, and is less sweet (or more "dry"), and the latter has a darker colour and taste, and is much sweeter. Vermouths have a slightly spicy, very herbal and wine-like taste, and require a particular palate to enjoy alone. It is key to always have fresh vermouth, as it is a wine and must be refrigerated and only kept for a month at the most, and it also key to choose a decent brand (I personally despise Martini & Rossi, but love Dolin, Vya, and Carpano Antica). Most people who say "I don't like vermouth" (and I was one of them for a long time) are either drinking vermouth that has gone bad, or just drinking a bad vermouth. Have a sip from a fresh bottle of Antica and you'll see what I mean.

One or both dry and sweet are essential in your home bar, as they're key ingredients in hundreds of cocktails, and the nice thing is that they're easy to find and they're cheap. There are some great ones that are very hard to find, if you can find them at all in Canada, like the aforementioned Dolin or Vya or Carpano Antica, but Cinzano Rosso gets the job done, and will cost you just $13 for a 1L bottle. I don't recommend Martini & Rossi, but you can get small bottles for $8, and there are some reputable bartenders and cocktail bloggers who often use it.

Again - ALWAYS refrigerate your vermouth, and you'll need to get rid of it after a month or two because it will go bad. (You can see my little rant on vermouth here).

Campari is an amaro, or an Italian bitter liqueur, though it's often not listed as one. It's made from a secret recipe of at least 60 different herbs, spices, and wood barks that are added to alcohol, water, and sugar. The distinctive red colour comes from carmine dye, which originally came from crushed cochineal insects. It became wildly popular shortly after its invention in the 1860's, and continues on today as a popular aperitivo, cocktail ingredient, and has been named one of the top twenty liqueurs in the world. As mentioned, the flavour is very unique and very bitter, with hints of spice, strong herbal character, with a definite bitter orange taste. It's fun to mix in cocktails, but it's also delicious just with a bit of soda water or orange juice. You can find it in the government liquor store for $27 for a 750mL bottle, which is actually cheaper than in Washington (yay!).


The History
Italy in the early 1900's was somewhat of a mess. It was only in 1861 that the separate states were unified, and only in 1871 that Rome was made the capital. There was minimal support for any kind of government, as the Pope told the populace not to vote due to all the land the church lost during unification. There were few natural resources, large debt, and almost no transportation or industries. Poverty, illiteracy, and taxes were high. The country was fairly split between north and south in terms of most everything; the north was becoming industrialized and wealthy, while the south remained poor and underdeveloped, which lead to a lot of crime and brutal government retaliation. It was definitely a terrible time. Leading up to World War I, some progress was made, but then unfortunately military and political affairs were mishandled, in part leading to the death of about 600,000 Italians during the war.

There were a lot of American tourists visiting northern Italy during these tumultuous times, coming to calmer, developing northern cities like Turin, Milan, and Rome. In art, futurism was blossoming, and the popularity of opera continued its reign from the 19th century. Verdi and Puccini were icons, with pieces such as "Madama Butterfly" and "Tosca" by the latter composer premiering in the early 1900's. Throughout the 1910's, foreign music (particularly early American jazz) was making its way into Italy and influencing new generations of musicians, but in the 1920's the fascist government put a ban on all foreign art, prompting many an artist to leave the country.

For the music today, I'm going with Puccini. Verdi is arguably the more interesting composer and more important name in Italian and classical music history, but he died in 1901, so Puccini is better suited to the time-frame of the Americano's hey-day.
Sip your Americano, imagine yourself sitting at a cafe on the streets of Milan in the early 1900's, and enjoy this excerpt from "La Boheme" by a great Italian composer, Giacomo Puccini, as sung in 1906 by one of the most famous Italian opera singers of all time, Enrico Caruso.

Enrico Caruso - La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini

See you soon for The Negroni (click here)...

The 6th thing you need to start mixing drinks at home

BOOZE

Ok, so you picked up some cheap glassware, a shaker, some citrus fruits, some sort of measuring tool, and you made your simple syrup (you learned all this from Part 1). All you need is some alcohol to mix.
Here are the most basic and cheapest things to pick up so you can start making some drinks...

A Base Spirit
The cocktail "base" is the alcohol you're using most in a drink. Everything else you're adding to accentuate certain flavours in this spirit. Probably the most commonly used spirit in cocktails, especially traditional ones, is gin, so that's definitely the first thing you should pick up. I have a beginner's guide to gin Part 1 and Part 2 coming soon, but for now I'll simply tell you to go buy Tanqueray or Beefeaters. They're both cheap ($23-26 for a 750mL bottle) and versatile. Tanqueray is more interesting and more herbal, Beefeater is much simpler and a little citrusy.

The next most common and classic base spirit is probably whiskey. A lot of drinking novices cringe a little when you say whiskey, but there are not only some really tasty and easy-to-drink ones for cheap, there are also a lot of easy cocktails you'll probably like even if you don't like whiskey itself. My lady is a great example - we used to go out for drinks and she'd make faces when I'd order whiskey cocktails and even made faces after trying some of them. Then she tried a Red Hook... then a Bensonhurst... then a Manhattan and a Brooklyn and so on and so forth and now she loves whiskey.
If you're new to whiskey, I suggest getting bourbon. It's sweeter with a little spice, mixes really well, and is very sippable if you're not used to rye or scotch. Get a bottle of Jim Beam or Wild Turkey - they're the cheapest at $23-26 per 750mL bottle, but they're definitely fine in cocktails and easy to use. They're not great sippers, though, so I'd just use them for mixing.
Don't buy Canadian Whiskey. It sucks and it's boring (sure that's a generalization - but a pretty accurate one).

I would go with one of the above to start, but if you're past that or have a bunch of money to spend and want more, move on to rum or brandy. For rum, pick up Mount Gay Eclipse gold or silver rum. They're only $27 for 750mL bottle, they're delicious, they mix really well, and they're tasty enough to drink straight. I'm much, much less knowledgeable about brandy, and I honestly buy cheap, small bottles because I rarely make drinks with it and I never drink it straight. Couvoisier VS is a very decent one, but will cost you $56 for 750mL bottle (I'm finding any good brandies or Cognacs are very expensive). I just usually get St. Remy VSOP, which is only $12 for a small bottle, and I only really use it for mixing a couple drinks. There is a very dramatic taste difference between a cheap brandy like this and a decent Cognac, as I'm sure you would imagine, but if you're just mixing some new drinks, it's not necessary YET. (Soon I'm going to do a guide on brandy to build my own knowledge and guide collection)

A Vermouth
A long list of cocktails contain vermouth - a fortified wine with added herb botanicals - including a lot of the classics. You'll definitely need bottles around, one white (or dry or French - all the same thing), and one red (or sweet or Italian - all the same thing). I personally really dislike Martini & Rossi, but it is the cheapest way to go, and they're the only brand in Canada that offers small bottles for only $8 - which is great because vermouth will always go bad before you finish using it. If you want to go a little nicer, Noilly Prat dry vermouth is only $14, and Cinzano Rosso sweet vermouth is only $13. If you only want to buy one... look at some cocktail recipes you want and just choose. Sweet vermouth is used more often with whiskey, and dry more often with gin.
Keep your vermouth in the fridge!! You can only keep it for a month before it starts to smell and taste funky, so be prepared for that. 

Bitters
The actual definition of a "cocktail" is a base spirit, water, bitters, and sugar. A lot of traditional cocktails will call for bitters, and there are a lot being produced nowadays that really change the complexity of a cocktail.
Unfortunately in Canada, the only bitters that's easy to find it Angostura, and our government liquor stores don't sell any at all. Fortunately, you can just pick it up in Safeway for $7-8, and one of those bottles lasts me about 6 months.
If you want to experiment in the future with other kinds, The Bitter Truth will ship to you, and they make a whole range of really interesting bitters, from chocolate to grapefruit to celery to traditional-style Creole bitters. Out of a store, the Gourmet Warehouse on Hastings near Commercial has some cool syrups and a huge range of bitters, and I also hear that there is a liquor store somewhere near 16th Street in North Vancouver that sells a lot of hard to find stuff... but the store itself is hard to find. I still can't find a listing for it, nor have I learned the name, but I've had more than one bartender tell me that this magical place exists. When I find out, I'll let you know.
So hit up the Gourmet Warehouse if you want to try some new or interesting things, but to start, you only really need Angostura and an orange bitters.

Modifiers
Now, this is really up to you. A modifier is that special other ingredient that makes a drink different. Like I said, a cocktail is just bitters, sugar, and a spirit with water, but the evolution of drinking has brought in many other things. I can't tell you what to get unless you know what you want to make!

If you're past the point of basics, though, I can recommend a few things that really spiced up my bar early on:
Amari - Italian bitter liqueurs which are meant to be drunk straight, but there are lots of drinks you can make with them. Lots of bars are experimenting with amari nowadays, and they're all really delicious. Only a few are easy to find though, and Campari is a great way to start. It runs $26 for a 750mL bottle, and you only use small amounts so it will last a long time. It has a distinctive bright red colour, an interesting range of bitter herbal flavours, and is an important ingredient in some great, classic cocktails like the Lucien Gaudin, The Negroni, and The Americano. (The latter post there has some extra information on Campari as well).

Cointreau (which is the high-end triple sec, or orange liqueur) has a lot of uses, and you can pick up a small bottle for $18.

Green Chartreuse is a very, very cool thing to have around. It's an herbal liqueur from the 18th century made with over 130 different plants and herbs. One of my favourite drinks is The Last Word, which calls for Chartreuse, but there are actually quite a few other things you can make with it. It is expensive at $36 for a small bottle, so is a treat, but is so potent that you won't use a lot of it. And it's naturally green! In fact, the colour Chartreuse was named after it.

Last thing I definitely recommend getting at some point if you want to expand your horizons is Maraschino Liqueur. No, it's not a red, cherry-flavoured, sugar syrup. It's a very interestingly flavoured liqueur dating back to 16th century Croatia, and is used in a lot of very old cocktails, including the father of the Martini - the Martinez. You can't get this in the regular BC Liquor Store, but a lot of independent places have it, like Brewery Creek on Main Street, or the independent liquor store in the Park Royal South Village in West Vancouver.

I hope all this helps in getting you going and giving you some options as to where you'll start. I've had so much fun experimenting and mixing drinks and getting connected to periods of history I really enjoy, particularly Prohibition, which is when so much good art and music and style was happening. Be open-minded, use good ingredients when you can, always have ice handy, follow recipes closely, and be adventurous!
I also have to take a moment to plug the Pourhouse. It's my favourite bar in Vancouver, with probably the best bartenders in Vancouver, and they really insist upon giving you a good experience, good information, and classic cocktails. It's in gastown. If you're not really into this yet, one trip there will get you excited.