Cooler temperatures outside signal the time to enjoy warm, winter flavours in our drinks. At this time of year I like incorporating the cozier liquid ingredients such as coffees, ports, and ice wines, into my craft cocktails.

Quail & Cosmo Cocktail

Winter Cosmo

Urban Distilleries Spirit Bear Gin is ideal in this cocktail as its strong lavender presence shines well with the orchard fruit notes of Quails' Gate Optima. From the winery's website: "For over 25 years Quails’ Gate has become known for this wonderfully unique dessert wine. Our Optima grapes are grown in a vineyard block close to the lake to encourage a micro flora known as Botrytis Cinerea or Noble Rot to grow on the ripe grapes, which concentrates the flavours and intensifies the sugars to produce a Sauterne-style wine."

Espresso Martini
Espresso Martini

Urban Distilleries Spirit Bear Espresso Vodka (made with locally roasted Cherry Hill Coffee) pairs perfectly with the above local ports as they each have a nice chocolate note. Substitute with almost any port and you'll still have a tasty cocktail. I used local Canoe Coffee Roaster’s: Dugout Espresso and Simp's Syrup to balance out the sweetness. You can make a simple syrup at home, but if you want to check out Simp's you can order from their website simpssyrups.com