There are a few loves Canadians tend to make known to the world: Tim Hortons coffee, road-tripping, cottages and rye whisky. We often talk about the country’s variable terrain—from the mountains in the west to the prairies, the Canadian Shield and the Maritime provinces. But we rarely mention the Arctic winds and sub-zero temperatures – or how we cope with them. Cocktails are an excellent place to start: a wee nip to keep you warm.
This wintry cocktail comes from The Bartender’s Guide to the World, the globe-trotting cocktail book by Canadian bartender Lauren Mote, whose recipes – like her Irish Whiskey & Stout Cocktail – often draw inspiration from the country’s landscape and ingredients.
Polar Vortex Rye Whisky Cocktail
A Canadian rye whisky cocktail inspired by Winnipeg’s frigid winters. The Polar Vortex blends apple honey shrub and lemon bitters, finished with an aromatic balsam fir mist for a crisp, woodsy winter drink.
Ingredients
- 1½ oz Canadian 100% rye whisky
- 2 oz Apple Honey Shrub see note #1
- 2 dashes Bittered Sling Lem-Marrakech bitters
Apple Honey Shrub
- ½ cup plus 1 tbsp honey
- ¾ cup freshly pressed apple juice
- 3½ oz cane vinegar (sukang maasim)
To Garnish
- evergreen “wreath”
- balsam fir spray see note
Instructions
Apple-Honey Shrub
- Add honey, apple juice and cane vinegar (sukang maasim) to blender. Blend on medium until honey is dissolved. Strain into a sanitized bottle with a mesh sieve and store in the fridge for up to 10 days. Makes 2 cups.
Cocktail
- Wrap highball glass with an evergreen sprig, affixing it to glass with kitchen twine or a rubber band, to create a mini “wreath.” Spray inside of glass with balsam spray; fill with ice.
- Fill shaker with ice; add whisky, shrub and bitters. Using some force, shake hard for 5 seconds. Using small fine-mesh sieve, double strain into prepared glass.
- Finish with additional misting of balsam spray.
Notes
To make 3¼ oz or a generous ⅓ cup balsam fir spray, add 2 oz filtered water, 1¼ oz vodka and 2 drops pure balsam fir essential oil to a small atomizer. Replace lid and shake. Spray can be stored in the fridge for up to 6 months.
