Indian River

"Indian" cocktails tend to have raspberries or blackberries in them, even in spirit form. This one is made with my homemade raspberry liqueur that is made from fresh raspberries coocked, mashed and strained into sugar syrup. Vodka makes it a liqueur. This drink got great reviews, and I knew it would be good because of how much a fresh squeezed grapefruit juice can improve any cocktail.

• 2 oz. Canadian whisky
• 1/2 oz. raspberry liqueur (Chambord is acceptable)
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
• 1 oz. grapefruit juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled Old Fashioned glass.

Canadian Cherry

I made my own cherry brandy for this cocktail, and I have to say it gives this drink that cherry flavor you loved as a kid. You know the cherry Skittles or Starbursts that you refused to share with your sibling or buddies when you opened a pack and started divvying.

I already had cheery Wishniak with vodka infused with cherries and sugar. I added a little kirschwasser and just a drop of Luxardo maraschino.

The rest of the drink falls out just as you expect. But because it is Canadian, you can't assume the bar has cocktail glasses. Canadians don't do cocktail glasses. Everything must be in a rocks glass, so here it is.

• 2 oz. Canadian whisky (Black Velvet Reserve used of course)
• 1 oz. cherry brandy (homemade version used)
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. orange juice
• bar sugar

Coat the rim of an Old Fashioned glass with cherry brandy and dip in sugar to coat the rim in cherry flavored sugar.  Combine all liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into the glass.

Canadian Blackberry Cocktail

This is a beautiful drink in the model of the Allegheny and other blackberry and whisky cocktails with lemon. I think what I like most is that it is a simple and, might I say, Canadian presentation. "Put it in an Old Fashioned glass and let me drink it," says the Canuck. And I have to agree, it is an easy drink in a rocks glass with no rocks.

I've made my own blackberry brandy for this cocktail. I debated about which brandy I wanted to use as the base before deciding that the flavor I was going for was apple brandy, specifically Laird's. So I used blackberry jelly--seedless, that's key--and dissolved a tablespoon in about two ounces of apple brandy. Then I fine strained it three times to catch any large chunks.  

This is me pushing the apple brandy through the strainer.

Once the jelly is dissolved you get the sugars you need for the cocktail as well. Most store bought blackberry brandies are pretty sweet anyway and this means you can omit any simple syrup.

• 2 oz. Canadian whisky
• 1/2 oz. blackberry brandy (homemade blackberry brandy used.)
• 1/2 oz. orange juice
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. bar sugar (omit)

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled Old Fashioned glass.

Habitant Cocktail

I've been wanting to try this drink ever since I got a bottle of Knob Creek smoked maple bourbon. Products like this didn't exist when the drink was invented, so maple syrup as a sweetener distinguished this one from a Whiskey Sour made with sugar. I thought that the intense smoky maple of Knob Creek would help it along, though.

I was right. An extra ounce of bourbon also helps the balance between the ounce of lemon juice and just two ounces of whiskey. Two to one proportions of whiskey seemed too small to keep the drink from tasting tart. So of you want to try the original recipe just use the two ounces of whiskey and keep everything else the same, including garnishes.

Canadian whiskey is required, though; as this is a Canadian cocktail. For some reason the maple syrup and whiskey are supposed to represent being a inhabitant of Canada.

• 2 oz. Canadian whiskey
• 1 oz. Knob Creek smoked maple bourbon (recommended)
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. maple syrup
• cherry
• orange slice

Combine whiskey, maple syrup and lemon juice in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with cherry and orange slice.

Blackhawk

I've heard the name Blackhawk applied to wheat beer and raspberry syrup drinks as well as creme de cassis cocktails with Canadian whisky. This simple drink is pretty good because it is sweet with sloe gin but dry with the dominant flavor of whisky.

• 2 oz. blended whiskey (Canadian whisky used)
• 1 oz. sloe gin

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Canadian and Campari

I like the alliteration of this drink's name, but I find that it is a little uninspired and not even as helpful of a reminder of its ingredients as, say, a Gin and Tonic. That's because dry vermouth and a lemon twist are essential ingredients. Beyond that, these two spirits seem made for each other. Campari, which is almost too bitter to enjoy on its own, is mellowed by soft whisky--Canadian whisky being some of the best brown liquors for mixing. I will probably make this for guests at the bar.

• 1 1/2 oz. Canadian whisky
• 1 oz. Campari
• 1/2 oz. dry vermouth
• lemon twist

Combine all ingredients except lemon twist in a shaker or mixing glass with ice. Shake or stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Canadian Dog's Nose

I get the feeling that this is not as much about the dog's nose as something that would overpower a dog's nose. It's a beer cocktail with whisky and I wanted to use Canadian varieties of both. It's not as refreshing as a Michelada, but it is much stronger. Unlike a Bloody Beer, it's not all salt and pepper sauce. Yes there's Tobasco, but there is also Canadian whisky sweetness somewhere in there. And the beer is bubbly and light, so it's not as thick as a Bloody Mary.

• 2 oz. Canadian whisky
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp Tobasco sauce
• 4 oz. tomato juice
• 6 oz. lager beer
• salt and black pepper

Combine whisky, tomato juice, and sauces in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a beer glass. Add beer while stirring slowly. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top.

Canadian Apple

 

This was another great opportunity to use Catoctin Creek apple brandy. This is a whisky-forward drink that benefits a lot from the citrus and spice. 

• 2 oz. Canadian whisky
• 1/2 oz. apple brandy
• 1 tsp. sugar syrup
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• lemon slice
• pinch of cinnamon

Combine all ingredients except for lemon slice in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a highball glass and garnish with lemon slice.

Canadian Cocktail

Folks have been asking me to make more cocktails with good Canadian whisky, and I've been wanting to try this one, myself. It is pretty much just a quick way to serve your whisky up and change its flavor to make it less hot and more interesting.

• 2 oz. Canadian whisky
• 2 tsp. triple sec
• 1/2 tsp. simple syrup
• dash Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 

Banf Cocktail

This is a nice liqueur cocktail with a Canadian whisky base. I really enjoyed the interplay of flavors between the Grand Marnier and the Luxardo.

• 2 oz. Canadian whisky
• 1/2 oz. Grand Marnier
• 1/2 oz. kirschwasser (Luxardo used sparingly for its strong flavor)
• dash Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients except bitters in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Temptation Cocktail

 

This is an excellent drink with plenty of that soft flavor you get from Pernod without it overpowering it. 

• 2 oz. blended whiskey (Canadian pictured)
• 1/2 oz. Cointreau
• 1/2 Dubonnet Rouge
• 1tsp. Pernod
• lemon twist

Combine all ingredients except for lemon twist in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with the lemon twist.

Trois Rivieres

Here's another great Canadian whisky drink I really liked. Lots of wine flavors here, but you can taste the whisky (Note: Canadians  spell their spirit without the "e" according to the rule that the e belongs in whiskeys made by countries with the letter e in the name.)

• 2 oz. Canadian whisky
• 1/2 oz. Dubonnet Rouge
• Cointreau
• orange twist

Combine all ingredients except twist in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the orange twist.

Quebec Cocktail

Doing research for my Irish whiskey drinks led me to a few good Canadian whisky drinks. I especially like how these drinks fit the same profile as the Irish ones where the whiskey takes a back seat to liquor and wine flavors. Here's how to make the first one.

• 3 oz. Canadian whisky
• 1 oz Amer Picon
• 1 oz. dry vermouth
• 1/2 oz. maraschino liqueur

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.