By Sheri DeCarlo
The Stephen Bulger Gallery hosted a Drambuie Special Pop-Up Gallery featuring the work of Leeay Aikawa on October 5, 2013 during Nuit Blanche, an all-night art extravaganza in Toronto presented by Scotiabank.
“To see an entire city literally stop and appreciate art from sunset to sunrise is extraordinary,” says Drambuie Mixologist, Anthony Caporale. “Drambuie is about trying to give people a taste of the extraordinary. When I come to Canada, appreciation for whisky crosses both genders. Women appreciate good whisky more so than in Canada where I’m used to working.”
“Toronto has everything you want in a big city but, it’s accessible; you can wrap your arms around it,” says Caporale. “There’s an appreciation for bartending as a craft, not just getting intoxicated. It offers some of the best customers and bartenders I’ve worked with. I’m looking forward to seeing where Toronto cocktail week will be in five years.”
“Flavouring all whisky is very hot right now. We’ve been doing it commercially for 100 years and that’s what we do better than anyone else,” says Caporale. Drambuie has recently partnered with Rickard’s to offer customers a taste of two tartans, which will be available in LCBO stores starting next month.
Drambuie is derived from a Scottish Gaelic term “An drambuidheach” or “the drink that satisfies”. Born in Scotland in 1745, Drambuie started out as a secret elixir made especially for Bonnie Prince Charlie.
“We are into unique and unusual experiences and going to the biggest art gallery in North America is what Drambuie is about,” says Caporale. The Art Gallery of Ontario offers First Thursdays bringing together art, artists, live music, food, and drinks once a month. Drambuie will be offering complimentary cocktails at the next event. “Looking at Rembrandt and Van Gogh with a rusty nail in one hand is definitely an extraordinary experience, not something you do every day.”
Signature cocktails served at the Nuit Blanche event included:
Knotty Kilt – feature drink
1 oz DRAMBUIE® Scotch Liqueur
11 oz Rickards Red
2 dashes hot sauce
Lemon wedge
Chili salt*
*Combine 2 tbsp coarse sea salt with 1 tsp cayenne pepper.
Rim pint glass with chili salt*. Fill with Rickard’s Red. Add 2 dashes of hot sauce, a squeeze of lemon and DRAMBUIE®.
__________________
DRAMBUIE Hot Mulled Cider
1 oz DRAMBUIE® Scotch Liqueur
4 oz hot Mulled Cider
In a coffee mug, add DRAMBUIE® Scotch Liqueur and hot Mulled Cider. Stir briefly, top with 1/2 oz. thickened cream and garnish with grated nutmeg.
_____________________
Railroad Spike
1 oz DRAMBUIE® Scotch Liqueur
4 oz cooled fresh Coffee
In a mixing glass half-filled with ice add: DRAMBUIE® and cooled coffee. Still to chill and strain into an event glass over fresh ice.
______________________
Ginger Crusta
1 1/2oz DRAMBUIE® Scotch Liqueur
1/2 oz Triple Sec
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
Ginger Beer
In a mixing tin half-filled with ice, add: 1-1/2 oz. DRAMBUIE® Scotch Liqueur 1/2 oz. Triple Sec Juice of 1/2 Lemon Shake until the tin is frosted, strain into a rocks glass filled with ice, add: Splash Ginger Beer. Garnish with an orange twist.
