Vesper Cocktail

This James Bond inspired cocktail, is named after the character in the movie Casino Royale, Vesper Lynd. It is a light citrus cocktail that is crisp and complex.  

Vesper Cocktail

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makes 1 cocktail

3 oz London dry gin

1 oz vodka

1/2 oz Lillet or Cocchi Aperitivo Americano  

lemon zest for garnish

Place all the ingredients into a cocktail pitcher with ice. Stir well until chilled, for about 20 seconds, strain into chilled cocktail glass or place all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake for about 10 seconds, this will make the cocktail more bubbly and cloudy. Squeeze the lemon zest over the drink and use as a garnish, if you wish.  

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Clear-Coin Martini

This unique tasting cocktail is smooth and mellow. Perfect when you want something different. 

Clear-Coin Martini

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makes 1 cocktail

1 oz Vodka

1 oz Campari

2 oz Orange juice

Rinse chilled martini glasses with Campari. Pour remaining ingredients into a cocktail shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with an orange twist, if you wish. 

Have a lovely weekend everyone! - JD 

Mexican Martini

This punchy lime martini is perfect anytime however most enjoyable on a hot summer day.  

Mexican Martini

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makes one martini

3 oz Vodka

1 oz Lime Juice

3 parts Corona

Rim chilled martini glass with salt. Pour all ingredients, except the Corona, into a shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into prepared martini glasses. Top with Corona and garnish with a lime wedge, if you wish. 

Have a great weekend everyone. - JD  

Vodka Pear Ginger Ale

Something fresh and spicy. A light elegant cocktail for sipping. 

Vodka Pear Ginger Ale

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makes 1 cocktail

1 1/2 oz Pear Vodka

5 oz Ginger Ale

1/3 oz lime juice

1 slice of pear

Fill a highball glass with ice cubes. Add all the ingredients. Garnish with the pear slice, if you wish. 

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

San Francisco with a Twist

Usually this punchy citrus cocktail does not have an ounce of alcohol, like vodka,  however we added it for a twist. 

San Francisco with a Twist

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makes 1 cocktail

2 oz Vodka 
1 1/2 oz Orange Juice
1 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1 oz lemon juice
1/3 oz Grenadine
1 or 2 Maraschino cherries, for garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Add all the ingredients. Shake and pour into a wine glass. Garnish with the cherries or an orange slice, if you wish. 


Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Blenheim

Apparently, the inspiration for this cocktail comes from a town nestle in the Jamaican Hills, where one Sir Alexander Bustamante was borne and given the Order of National Hero for his work towards liberating the island. I read that they named a boiled sweet after him that represents his firmness of character however found no reference to a cocktail.   

Blenheim

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makes 1 cocktail

Ice cubes

2 oz vodka

1 oz Tia Maria

1/2 oz freshly squeezed Orange juice

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the vodka, Tia Maria, and orange juice. Shake well.

Strain into cocktail glass.

Stay warm and have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Ballets Russes

This sweetly smooth cocktail, inspired by a ballet company formed in Paris in 1909 by Sergei Diaghilev, will have you doing a pirouette... or two.    

Ballets Russes
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makes 1 cocktail

2 oz vodka
1 oz créme de cassis
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
ice cubes

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the vodka, creme de cassis, and lime juice. Shake well.

Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a small piece of tulle.


Have a great weekend and Happy New Year everyone! - JD 

Stairs Martini

This light and fresh fruity cocktail is a moreish one; that will fill up your daily quota of Vitamin C in one cocktail. 

Stairs Martini

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makes 2 martinis

2 oz vodka

4 oz cranberry juice

2 oz grapefruit juice

1 oz apple juice

1 oz pear juice

a splash of lemon juice

2 dashes of orange bitters

1 spills of simple syrup

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Add all of the ingredients. Shake and strain into chilled cocktail glasses.

Have lovely weekend everyone! - JD 

Melrose Martini

This rosy cocktail is not intensely sweet however nicely smooth and refreshing.   

Melrose Martini

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makes 2 martinis

4 oz Vodka

1 oz Triple Sec

1 oz Cranberry juice

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with an orange wedge, if you wish. 

Notes: We substituted the cranberry juice for fresh pomegranate juice.

The snow has returned. Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Jack Rose Martini

I do not know for whom this martini is named after however I do know it is one sweet punchy cocktail.  

Jack Rose Martini 

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makes 2 cocktails

4 oz Vodka

4 oz Brandy

2 oz Lime juice

1 oz Grenadine

Pour ingredients, except the Grenadine, into a cocktail shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Place a drop of Grenadine in each glass. Garnish with a lime twist, if you wish. 

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Martini Quid Pro Quo

This pale pink vanilla cherry cocktail is anything but pallid... it is a strong one which will totally refresh ones mind, amicably! 

Martini Quid Pro Quo

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makes 1 martini

2 oz Vodka
1 oz Extra Dry Vermouth
2 dashes of Cherry brandy
1 drop Vanilla extract

Pour ingredients except vanilla extract into a cocktail shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Open shaker, add vanilla extract and swirl once. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with an olive , if you wish. 

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Groovy Martini

To me, the Groovy Martini is just a stronger version of the Cosmopolitan... aka Cran-tini. This would make for a  a lovely holiday cocktail.

Groovy Martini

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makes 2 cocktails

8 oz Vodka
4 oz Triple Sec
8 oz Cranberry juice
1 part Creme de Cassis   

Pour all ingredients into a shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with an orange wedge and cranberries, if you wish. 

Notes: make it a long drink by pouring ingredients over ice and topping up with club soda.  

Soaked in as much rest and relaxation as I could. Have a great weekend! - JD 

Aphrodite's Love Potion

This slightly sweet and some what fruity cocktail is beautifully smooth.  

Aphrodite's Love Potion

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makes 1 cocktail

1 oz Vodka
2 oz Brandy 
5 oz Pineapple juice

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with an orange slice and maraschino cherry, if you wish. 



Have a great weekend and enjoy the remaining matches of the World Cup everyone! 
- JD 

Swinger Martini

I do not know to whom or what the Swinger martini is name after or for, however it is a crisp clean citrus martini that will have you swaying. 

Swinger Martini

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makes 2 martinis

6 oz Vodka

3 oz Gin

2 oz Lime Cordial

Rim chilled martini glasses with dry Vermouth. Pour ingredients into a shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with a twist of lemon, if you wish.

Have a good weekend everyone! - JD 

Screwdriver

This classic cocktail gets a nod with this, the addition of grenadine. More fruity and sherberty well suited for a brunch cocktail.

Screwdriver

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makes 1 cocktail

1 oz Vodka

dash of Grenadine

Chilled orange juice

Place three ice cubes in a tall glass. Add vodka, the dash of Grenadine and enough orange juice to fill the glass. Stir.  

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD   

Lonsdale-Hands Pile Driver

An exceptionally smooth cocktail, the Lonsdale by Richard Lonsdale-Hands a British Industrial Designer, denotes a "for adults only" singular dry cocktail. One is definitely plenty!  

Lonsdale-Hands Pile Driver

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makes 1 cocktail

1 oz gin

1 oz sherry

1 oz vodka

1/4 oz Cointreau

Ice

Shake all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and serve in an old-fashion glass. 

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Petit Zinc

Interesting name for a unique drink; that is smooth and mellow.  

Petit Zinc Martini

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makes 2 cocktails

4 oz vodka

2 oz Triple Sec

2 oz Sweet Vermouth

2 oz orange Juice

Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with cracker ice and shake well. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with an orange wedge, if you wish.

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Red Tonic Martini

The Red Tonic is quite simply fresh and sweet. It is the martini that will do when having a few staple cocktail ingredients on hand. 

Red Tonic Martini

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Makes 2 martinis

4 oz Vodka

1 oz Grenadine

1 oz lemon juice

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with a twist of lemon, if you wish. 

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Twinkle

Simple, crisp and delightful. The twinkle is a fabulous cocktail for any occasion. 

Twinkle
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Makes 2 cocktails

50ml vodka
30ml Elderflower cordial
Champagne, to top

Shake the vodka and Elderflower cordial with ice and strain into a chilled glasses. Top with champagne and add a twist of lemon, if you wish. 

Notes: you may use St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur instead of using Elderflower cordial. To make one cocktail just halve the recipe to 25ml vodka and 15ml Elderflower cordial.


Have a lovely weekend everyone and to those celebrating Canada Day, both near and far, Happy Canada Day! - JD 

Sipsmith Gin Distillery Tour

When I was in London I took in a gin distillery tour at Sipsmith. Instead of giving you all the details on the tour. I have decided to share my photos with a few comments thrown in here and there. I do highly recommend this tour. It was fun, informative and sampling the spirits were a bonus! 

Looks can be deceiving! There is a gin distillery behind those blue doors. Step over the threshold and see the only copper distillery in London in over 200 years! Lucky number 27.  

Who needs curtains when empty bottles will do! How many times a month do they do a tour? 

This spirit bottle is empty but beautiful nonetheless. They usually rest the ageing spirits.  

Besides Fairfax, whom is one of the founders, greeting us was a lovely gin and tonic! I don't know how many people were there that night, it was a packed warehouse, warm and the gin and tonic was refreshing.  

Part One: Prudence won't you come out and play! Preferably to make gin and vodka. The name Carl is etched on the centre circle due to it's producer, Christian Carl.   

When you look through the port hole on the side this is what you see. Loads of bubbly action. 

Part Two: The birth of Prudence. It's dated the 14th of March 2009.   

Part Three of Prudence. The Fractional Distillation Column. When making vodka, it's ingredients, barley and water pass through the five plates. However when making gin it bypasses the five plates. Making the gin more botanical.  

All together now. Prudence and Fairfax. A bit blurry but Fairfax was passionate, informative, eloquent and had a very good sense of humour. 

Sipsmiths Summer Cup which is absolutely divine! Their Winter Warmer was as well. Since they are not a bonded warehouse you can't buy directly from them. I bought a bottle from duty-free at Heathrow Airport on my way back to Canada. Sipsmith isn't available across Canada, although Fairfax informed us that the province of Ontario will soon be carrying it... next year I believe. Lucky them! You can find out more about Sipsmith by visiting *here*  and by taking a tour. Happy sipping. cheers. - JW