YEW’s decadent Buttered Rum (courtesy Leila Kwok).
Sugar, spice and everything nice – the holidays wouldn’t taste as sweet without the palate-popping flavours of peppermint candy canes, creamy hot chocolate and spicy gingerbread. When these treats are enhanced by rum, sparkling wine, chocolate liqueur and other boozy indulgences, the yum factor rockets to a whole new level. Inside Vancouver’s seventh annual Christmas Cocktail Crawl unearths some of the tastiest candy-inspired cocktails in the city so you, dear reader, can easily find a festive brew to suit your tastes. For more cocktail inspo, view previous versions of the Crawl here. Happy holidays!
Candy Cane Fizz.
Candy Cane Fizz: Cascade Room This spunky twist on the Ramos Fizz incorporates menthe pastille, cachaça, heavy cream, egg white and soda water, creating a winter-fresh cocktail dusted with crushed candy canes. While you’re cozying up at the bar, consider supporting The Cascade Company’s annual spirited fundraiser by purchasing a jar or three of Head Bartender Justin Taylor’s Hot Buttered Rum Mix (great for stocking stuffers!). Partial proceeds from each sale will go towards the Fawkes Academy Parental Advisory Group, which provides educational programs for children and adolescents with developmental disabilities or different learning needs.
The Gingerbread Drop.
Gingerbread Drop: Winter Terrace at Reflections During the holiday season, Reflections at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia transforms into an enchanting winter wonderland complete with beautifully decorated Christmas trees, twinkling fairy lights, black-and-white holiday movies playing on an enormous projector screen and magical cocktails infused with festive flavours. Warm up for an evening of imbibing with the Gingerbread Drop, an intoxicatingly sweet shot blending rum, Baileys and gingerbread – then work your way through a parade of holiday drinks that includes the Poinsettia (Cointreau, pomegranate and sparkling wine), Scrooged Up (vodka, mandarin, winter spices and chocolate egg white foam) and more.
Candy Girl.
Candy Girl: Gotham Steakhouse & Bar Gotham’s play on the classic French 75 is a delicate, subtly floral delight featuring lavender-infused gin, limoncello and sparkling wine topped by a sorbet float. Enjoy your drink in the cushy lounge to soak in live music five nights per week, and a live DJ spinning soul and jazz tracks during Social Hour (3pm to 6pm).
YEW Buttered Rum (courtesy Leila Kwok).
YEW’s Hot Buttered Rum: YEW Seafood + Bar Christmas wouldn’t be complete without Hot Buttered Rum, and YEW’s decadent version effortlessly sets the bar. The drink incorporates rum, buttered batter, pimento honey syrup, bitters and gingerbread, which twist smoothly together into a complex brew that will leave you buzzing from head to toe. More savoury than sweet, the cocktail’s honey and gingerbread will appease your candy craving without sending you into sugar shock.
Sloe Down Santa.
Sloe Down Santa: Ancora Waterfront Dining and Patio Holiday celebrations come alive with bubbles, and this sweetly sparkling drink is sure to add a rosy blush to eager imbibers. Infused with festive flavours like peppermint (thanks to menthe de pastille) and candied caramel (an enticing flavour achieved by barrel-aging gin), the cocktail also incorporates hibiscus flower syrup, three sprays of absinthe, and champagne (preferably sparkling rosé). Garnished with a candy cane and dried hibiscus flower, the delicate concoction is pretty enough to star in a Christmas centerpiece.
Hot Scotch-olate.
Hot Scotch-olate: Various Donnelly Group venues Drop by any of the Donnelly Group’s myriad cocktail taverns or pubs to warm up with this decidedly Scottish take on a hot chocolate. The drink combines Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve whisky with coconut milk and chocolate syrup, making for a complex and hearty indulgence that will keep you toasty on cold winter nights. Cheers to Christmas!
