sparkles

Catalan 75

1 oz Victoria Gin
1 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
one dash grappa cherry syrup
3 oz Codorníu Cava Clasico

Shake first four ingredients over ice.  Strain into large flute.  Top with Cava and garnish with a lemon twist.

Created by Chris McDonald, Chef at Cava Restaurant, for our FIFA cocktail face-off

French 75

1 1/2 oz Vic Gin
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup

Shake with ice.  Pour into a champagne flute.
Top with sparkling wine.

* This cocktail has great proportions to play with.  Try grapefruit juice instead of lemon or some cordial instead of simple syrup… or Chris’ variation above!

The Hartland

1 oz Victoria Gin
1/2 oz pear liqueur
1/2 oz Montenegro Amaro
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1-2 dash grapefruit bitters
cava or other sparkling wine

Shake Gin, pear, amaro, lemon juice, and bitters with ice. Strain into a flute and top with cava.  Garnish with a twist of lemon

Created by Solomon Siegel of Veneto in Victoria.

P.S. Victoria

1 1/2 oz Victoria Gin
1/4 apricot brandy
1/4 fresh Ontario apple juice
Château des Charms Brut, or other bubbly

Shake first three ingredients on ice and pour into a champagne flute.  Top with brut and garnish with a slice of Ontario Gala or Red Delicious apple & a dried apricot.

Created by the Fairmont Royal York’s Library Bar.

Royal Blue Moon (aka, something old, new, bubbly, and blue)

(makes two, for a nuptial toast)

4 oz Victoria Gin
2 dashes of crème de violette
2 oz dry vermouth
2 dashes of twisted & bitter, orange bitters
bubbly

Shake Vic Gin, crème de violette, vermouth, and bitters on ice.  Pour into champagne glasses & top with bubbly.

The Royal Treatment

1 1/2 oz Victoria Gin
4 oz white cranberry juice
sparkling wine
kiwi slices
some raspberries
some blackberries
6 mint leaves

Add ice to a wine glass, add Gin, juice, and top with sparkling wine.  Add fruit and mint.  Stir, drink, love.

Created by Elizabeth Savage for our 2010 Toronto Cocktail Competition.

Spicy Mandarin Sparkle

makes 1 litre

3 tbsp Spicy Mandarin tea*
1/2 cup Victoria Gin
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed mandarin juice
2 cups chilled sparkling white wine or champagne

Add tea leaves to gin.  Wait 20 minutes and then strain.  Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Peel mandarin oranges, and squeeze with a citrus press.  Combine tea-infused gin with mandarin juice.  Shake over ice and pour into a pitcher.  Gently stir in sparkling white wine or champagne, to keep bubbles.  Serve immediately in champagne flutes.

*Earl Grey, green teas, and other black teas also work well in this recipe.

Created by our pals at Silk Road Tea.