Air Canada enRoute X Diageo World Class

The Art of Perfect Cocktail Pairings

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Raise a glass to the Top 3! These three unique cocktail recipes, created by Diageo World Class bartenders Jacob Martin, James Grant and Kaitlyn Stewart, were each inspired by the flavours and cuisines of the Top 3 Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2023.
Drink responsibly.

Food & Drink, Canada’s Best New Restaurants, Cocktails, Recipes, Videos

Photos by Colin Fox
Illustrations by Anna Minzhulina

November 1, 2023

A Midsummer Snow

Inspired by Canada’s Best New Restaurant, Kappo Sato. Pairs with fresh, umami flavours. Bracing, sweet and tart.

Ingredients

1 oz Don Julio Blanco tequila
⅔ oz cacao–infused blanco vermouth (infuse 25 ml overnight with 1 tbsp of cacao nibs)
⅔ oz fino sherry and aperitif blend (50:50)
⅓ oz aloe syrup (½ cup aloe juice to ½ cup sugar; heat and stir to combine)
½ oz grapefruit–lime juice (50:50; strain through a coffee filter)
Grated white chocolate (for garnish)

Combine contents in Boston shaker and throw (about six times) or stir until mixing glass is chilled. Strain onto ice and top with grated white chocolate.

Jacob Martin

World Class Global Bartender of the Year 2023
@J.W.Martin

Former bartender at Toronto’s St. Regis Hotel, Le Swan and Bar Pompette, as well as Rata in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, Jacob Martin now runs Bar Banane on Ossington Avenue.

Dark Ocean

Inspired by Wild Blue, Canada’s Best New Restaurants’ second–place winner. Pairs with seafood dishes. Rich, complex, smoky and woody.

Ingredients

1 ¾ oz Johnnie Walker Black Label Scotch whisky
¾ oz hojicha tea–infused oloroso sherry (steep 2 tsp of hojicha tea leaves per sherry bottle; strain after two hours)
¼ oz ginger liqueur
¼ oz salted honey syrup (stir to combine 2 parts honey, 1 part hot water and a pinch of salt)
2 dashes mirin rice wine
Lemon twist (for garnish)

Stir together all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Express the oil from lemon twist, then add twist as garnish.

James Grant

World Class Global Bartender of the Year 2021
@OldGrayRabbit

With numerous wins under his belt, James Grant has had the pleasure of bartending, writing and teaching all over the world. He currently oversees the bar programs at the historic Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto.

High & Dry

Inspired by Marilena Café & Raw Bar, Canada’s Best New Restaurants’ third–place winner. Pairs with sashimi, nigiri and sushi. Bright and citrusy.

Ingredients

¾ oz Tanqueray No. Ten gin
¾ oz red bitter aperitif (such as Campari)
¾ oz elderflower liqueur (such as St–Germain)
2 drops orange blossom water
Sparkling wine (cava or champagne), to top off
Grapefruit slice (for garnish)

Stir ingredients over ice to chill (except sparkling wine and grapefruit). Strain into a glass over ice. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with grapefruit slice.

Kaitlyn Stewart

World Class Global Bartender of the Year 2017
@LikeableCocktails

When she’s not travelling for seminars, pop–up events or competitions, Kaitlyn Stewart runs Likeable Cocktails, a recipe development business. Follow her on social media for tutorials.

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