Home bars are kind of a lovely thing. You don’t even know the things you’ll come up with after stocking yours. For example, my new favourite drink came about because I made lemonade. Real lemonade, with the juice of 6 lemons, splenda to taste and about 2 L of water. Trying that out with some Midori Melon Liqueur was an unexpected, yet brilliant, twist. It’s surprisingly green, and surprisingly good.
So, if you want a better stocked bar than mine, currently? (it’s not hard, I promise.) Here’s a few of the things that you need to make sure you have on …read more

Grand Marnier and Moet Chandon Rosé have teamed up to create a perfect match for Valentine’s Day, in the form of a delicious little drink called, appropriately, Cupid’s Arrow.
This cocktail is simple to prepare and wonderfully indulgent— combining Grand Marnier’s delightful orange liqueur with the rich character of Chandon Rosé and pomegranate juice for a delicate rose hue.
Cupid’s Arrow
1 Part Pomegranate Juice2 Parts Grand Marnier®2 Parts Chandon Rosé½ Part Lemon juice
Shake pomegranate juice, Grand Marnier and lemon with ice. Pour into a champagne flute. Top with Chandon Rosé.
[image provided by Grand Marnier]

This Valentines, do something a little different for your sweetie, instead of the usual champagne and chocolate.  Try these Belvedere cocktails.
Pear of Hearts
2 oz Belvedere Cytrus1 oz Pear Nectar1 oz Pineapple juice1 oz Pomegrante Grenadine
Add Grenadine to the bottom of a chilled cocktail glassShake spirits vigorously with ice and strain gently over grenadine.Add a strawberry heart to garnish.
Heart and Tart2 oz Belvedere Cytrus2 oz passionfruit juice1 oz simple syrup
Shake vigorously with ice and serve up with pomegranate seeds and mint.
Happy Ending2 oz Belvedere Pomerancza1 oz Ginger Beer.25 oz lime juice
Serve on the rocks topped with ginger beer with a cinnamon …read more

Reading through the New York Times recently, and I found an article all about getting caught in a "caught in a downpour", and while this is something that I’ve suspected in the past, it’s not something I was ever able to prove.

The working in a restaurant outside of New York City where we poured cheap booze into all of the name-brand bottles: a trick known as a “downpour.” Now it’s not like we came up with the idea. Bars have been downpouring since before the invention of the neon sign." [source]

While the writer goes on to say that they …read more

Cognac is the probably the most famous kind of brandy. Like true champagne, only brandy that is from the Charente and Charente Maritime areas, north of Bordeaux can be legally labeled Cognac. The chalky soil, climate and proximity to the ocean offer an interesting advantage for vineyards. This combination produces a thin, acidic white wine, which no one would want, but it is perfect for distilling brandy.
There are three grape varieties grown in Cognac – Ugni Blanc, Colombard, and Folle Blanche. The area itself is also divided up in to three sections – forest (bois), champs (fields) and champagne (open …read more

In honour of Vancouver’s wicked winter wonderland we’re currently being subjected to, I bring you one of my favourite winter cocktails, all the way from the freak-deaky Dutch.
This one is one of those retro classics currently making its way up clubs with caché right now, alongside the Sidecars and the Whiskey Sours: it’s the Snowball.
Snowballs are made with Advocaat, a Dutch liqueur that’s the alcoholic equivalent of, well, egg nog. It’s a creamy, light liqueur with a hint of fruitiness (from brandy) and eggs. But there really is no other way to drink it unless mixed in a Snowball.
And the …read more

This new Thai spirit is made mostly from sugar cane and rice and is infused with a special blend of indigenous Thai herbs and spices. The highly secret Mekhong recipe delivers a distinctively rounder texture, delightful aroma and a smooth and more balanced taste than many golden spirits.
At 35% ABV, Mekhong makes some fun and flavourful cocktails. Mekhong has a golden, dark amber and reddish copper appearance and its flavour and aroma is both spicy and sweet with hints of ginger, honey, toffee, vanilla, floral, herbs and citrus.
If you’re lucky enough to have a bottle of Mekhong on hand, try …read more

It’s October first (how did that happen already??) and that means it’s time for another exclusive cocktail from Drinks After Dark’s official Cocktail Guru, Steve Kemble.

This month, Steve’s evoking a little bit of a Halloween bonfire type vibe and brings us a “Campfire Martini”. It’s pretty easy, and something the grown ups can have while kids snack on s’mores.
To make:
1 oz 10 Cane Rum
1 oz Godiva Dark Liqueur
1 oz Bailey’s
2 dashes Vanilla extract
Crushed Graham Crackers
Melted Chocolate
Bacardi 151 Rum soaked marshmellows for S’more effect (optional)
Pour all liquids into shaker over ice and shake vigorously. Rim a martini glass with melted …read more

mmmm. I want to get all of my furniture from these guys. Not only is this stuff gorgeous, but I bet is smells amazing. May as well carry my love for good bourbon throughout the entire house!

The furniture is made from reclaimed bourbon barrels from Bardstown, Kentucky. Usually, the used barrels are only used once to age bourbon, and then they’re either sold to Scotland for scotch or they’re turned into planters, or firewood (sob! how wrong!!).
Uhuru is instead taking this gorgeous charred white oak and has created the Küpe line. Heck, they make gorgeous furniture, period. I want …read more

Rap mogul, Dr. Dre, has entered into an equity partnership (rather than the typical celebrity spokesperson role) with Drinks America to produce a super-premium cognac (what is it with rappers and Cognac?) and a sparkling vodka “beverage”. I was kind of interested until I got to the “beverage” part. That just reminds me of coolers and other pre-mixed vodka cocktails that are generally far too sweet for me.
“I’m always down for a new challenge,” Dre said in a statement. “When Drinks Americas approached me about going into business with them, I knew there was a lot of competition …read more