You Need To Try Tocador’s Delicious Coconut Fat-Washed ‘Bird Conspiracy’ Cocktail

Back in February, Tocador set up shop on Main Street in the old Charlie’s Little Italian location. Owners/industry veterans Dale Styner and Guy Stowell have been enjoying a steady stream of patrons ever since, due in large part to the Cuban-inspired cocktail program. It lists many an ideal drink for all the warm weather we’ve been having. Case in point: The Bird Conspiracy.

This is a delightful coconut fat-washed gin cocktail with a delightfully quirky story behind it. According to Guy, he and Dale were leaving Vancouver on “a research trip” for Tocador. The flight was quite turbulent from the get go. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot announced that the plane had struck a bird and would be making an emergency landing in Seattle. Guy described the scene of emergency vehicles awaiting their arrival on the tarmac and the chaos and fear inside the plane. While they landed safely and grateful nothing too dramatic occurred, he and Dale wondered to themselves if a bird had actually hit the plane. And thus the notion of The Bird Conspiracy was born!

Despite its rather sensational origin story, the cocktail itself is light and refreshing. Playing on elements of a White Lady (a classic cocktail of gin, Cointreau, lemon juice and egg white), this updated riff ditches the egg in favour of Martini Bianco, lavender syrup and cardamom bitters, making for a great and quenching sipper from now through the dog days of summer.