Carlino’s ‘New Lease’ Takes a Cue from an Old Italian Drinking Tradition

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While the names on the restaurants may have changed over the years, some constants remain – Luigi Bosco has been the bar manager in the Shangri-la space since 2018, first with Market, then Miantao, and now Carlino. Over the course of his tenure in Vancouver, Bosco has continuously worked with 05 Rare Tea Bar to bring unique and intriguing ingredients to his cocktail list. Case in point: the “New Lease” features oxidized wild blueberry leaf ‘tea’ which isn’t actually a tea at all. Foraged in Western Georgia (the country, not the state), the leaves are processed similarly to a black tea and add hints of earthiness to the drink.

Bosco explained that the inspiration for the New Lease comes from a drinking tradition in Italy where it was common to do a shot of rum alongside a shot of pear juice. He had long wanted to combine the two and found his opportunity with this most recent cocktail menu. A spiced pear syrup combined with rum and rye whiskey come together to create a depth and warmth perfectly suited to the season.