by Shaun Layton | They’ve been trending in other cities like London and New York for some time now, but Vancouver has yet to see much in the way of “vintage” cocktails, or drinks mixed with spirits and vermouths that were made long ago (to classify as “vintage” the production goalposts are wide: between the late 1800s and the 1970s).

But why bother? I mean, a martini is a martini, correct? Yes and no. Once in the bottle, spirits don’t change a lot, but the way that they were produced back in the day is a whole lot different from how they are now. What’s more, a lot of the brands that were used in classic cocktails just aren’t around any longer. So the point of the vintage cocktail is a blend of curiosity and verisimilitude, with a little why the hell not? for good measure.

Personally, I have a small, but steadily growing collection of vintage hooch, and for an event at work that we hosted in early December, I got ahold of three bottles to create a truly vintage Vancouver Cocktail.

The Vancouver Cocktail was invented in the early 1950s at the Sylvia Hotel in the West End. Back then it was the premier spot for cocktails in the city. Read up on the hotel here and here.

Among the bottles – all from the late 50s – were Benedictine, Punt E Mes vermouth, and Gilbey’s gin. The difference in the bottle was quite astonishing. Even the Benedictine (a herbal liqueur made by monks in the French alps) tasted a lot different. The flavours had concentrated more, the alcohol content was lower, and the overall flavour had so much more complexity and roundness to it. The Punt E Mes (a bitter, sweet vermouth from Turin) was much more thin and extremely bitter, with a nose that was fragrant and floral. The Gilbey’s gin had almost no presence of juniper — a weird thing for a London dry gin!

All three ingredients – with the addition of orange bitters – sum up a Vancouver cocktail. This is what it may have tasted like at The Tilting Room in The Sylvia. For the event it really galvanized the nostalgic slant to the evening (a lot of the attendees had fond memories of the hotel). It’s one thing drinking classic cocktails, but its another thing entirely if they’re made with ingredients from that time.

Should you ever come across some of this liquid gold, here are a few tips. Keep them in a dark cool place. Also, if they are wine-based (eg. vermouth, Dubonnet, etc), once you open them they need to be refrigerated and stored like a wine; you don’t have a lot if time. Final tip: drink them, enjoy them, and let your palate compare them with tastes of their modern day equivalents.

PS. We still have some vintage Benedictine and Punt E Mes left at L’Abattoir; it’s not cheap, but it’s well worth it!

THE DRINKER’S ARCHIVE

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Shaun Layton has helped to maintain a top notch bar scene in Vancouver for ten years, and since day one at Gastown’s L’Abattoir, where he is the Bar Manager. He also runs his own consulting company, designing bar programs and training staff locally and as far away as St.John’s, NFLD. Layton has competed and travelled throughout the USA and Europe, touring distilleries, breweries and bars. He was recognized in 2010 as the Bartender of The Year by Vancouver Magazine.