You Need To Try This is a running archive of all the awesome drinks and dishes we’ve come across over the course of our professional and private lives — or at least the ones that we have the presence of mind and patience to photograph before they get in our bellies.

Three months ago there was a changing of the guard behind the bar at Hawksworth as longtime Head Bartender Cooper Tardivel traded Vancouver for the east coast. While the bar program was left in the extremely capable hands of Luke O’Toole, Tardivel’s legacy endures as a number of his creations remain on the menu.

His final contribution was a drink called Last Mulligan — a cold weather cocktail with a tropical twist. While single malt scotch may conjure warming caramel notes, Cooper turns the autumnal ingredient on its head with the addition of coconut, sherry, banana and ginger bitters. It’s undoubtedly odd, but superbly delicious.

Although the menu will undergo some changes in the coming months, we’re glad to report that Tardivel’s simple yet surprising, scotch-based cocktail will remain.

In his own words, the former head barman explains the inspiration for the drink thusly:

“The inspiration is quite simple actually. When my good friend, Gez McAlpine began representing the Bruichladdich brand, I made him a promise that I would make a cocktail with it for our menu before I left my post as Head Bartender; understanding that a cocktail on the Hawksworth Cocktail menu would gain the spirit a lot of exposure. Beyond that, I always enjoy designing cocktails in positions that are unexpected by drinkers. Specifically, with the Last Mulligan – taking a typical cold weather spirit and dressing it up as a tropical cocktail; with appropriate supporting flavours. As for the name, it’s a direct golfing reference (a ‘Mulligan’ being a free stroke) the Scots invented golf and Bruichladdich is a Scotch and this was my last cocktail for Hawksworth – the last ball in my bag as it were – my, Last Mulligan.”

Hawksworth Restaurant

Neighbourhood: Downtown

801 West Georgia St.

604-673-7000

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