Bourbon
The Nash & Off Cut Bar has quickly become a restaurant hotspot in Calgary. The bar part pays
homage to the prohibition era, with velvet couches, low tables, and, of course, delectable classic
cocktails. “We have a wide selection of whisky, and we focus predominately on
bourbon,” says bartender Emily Butt. “We chose to do this because bourbon is
warm and soulful, just like our food.” If you’re dining too, order up the Quarter
Horse which pairs well many of the menu items, most notably the AAA Rib Eye
Steak with blue cheese gnocchi. This flavourful cocktail has a Jim Bean black
bourbon base, with additives including amontillado (dry) sherry, chartreuse,
quinine-blackcurrant cordial and cherry bitters.
Traditionally made with muddling sugar with bitters and adding bourbon
and a citrus rind, the iconic Old Fashioned gets a twist here as guests are
encouraged to play around with the recipe in order to create a custom
version that suits their preferences. Pick out a sweetener such as salted
Malabar-cardamom cordial and flora kola cordial. Next up select some bitters,
with flavours ranging from crabapple to cherry to orange juniper. Lastly, choose a
spirit such as Connemara peated Irish whisky or the El Dorado 12 rum.
Gin
You don’t need to leave Calgary to get an
authentic taste of Spain. Ox and Angela serves
up crafted Spanish tapas and drinks that taste
as delicious as they look. The star of the show?
Gin. “Spanish people have a strong affinity for
gin and gin and tonics, or as it’s locally known,
a gintonic,” says bar manager Neila MacIntyre,
who’s worked in the Trump Hotel and Tower
and Paese Ristorante in Toronto. “Gin can come
in so many variations which makes it fun,
especially in cocktails where you play off and
emphasize certain
botanicals and
flavour profiles.
It’s also light and
refreshing, so it
pairs perfectly
The “Last Word” gin cocktail at
with our food.”
The DERRICK Gin Mill & Restaurant
Naturally, a gin
and tonic—
made with your preferred gin—is the most popular at the bar. Runner-up is The Lillian cocktail, made with gin,
Lillet, martini blanco, lemon juice, and tonic. Or go for the Balearic Gin Tonic, which highlights Xoriguer Mahon
gin from Spain and is made with grapes. For something really special, order a drink with—or a straight-up
glass of—Ungava Gin. Ungava is a Canadian all-natural gin made in Quebec from rare arctic plants and herbs
including Nordic juniper, wild rose hips, cloudberries, and crowberries. No matter what you order, there is no
need to rush over your dinner, as Ox and Angela provides the perfect atmosphere to savour the food and drink
over good conversation, just as a European would do.
The DERRICK Gin Mill has an impressive selection of —you guessed it—gin. With over 26 gin varieties, unique
flavour profiles include a heavy juniper or cucumber and rose.. Try their $40 Black Gold cocktail, a concoction
made with Monkey 47 gin, maraschino liqueur, sweet maraschino vermouth, and flavored bitters. Another
great gin option is Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin, a small-batch gin from Sonoma, California that’s made with lavafiltered water. Whichever gin you choose, The DERRICK Gin Mill is the perfect place to explore, with new gins
being added to the collection frequently.
Just a short drive from Calgary, nestled in the town of Turner Valley, is Eau Claire Distillery. Housed in the
circa-1923 town dance hall, guests get a true sense of the town’s history from the moment they walk in to the
end of a distillery tour. The tour itself is a wonderful experience, complete with a comprehensive talk of the
history of the area, learning how the spirits are processed, and ending in the 1920’s-style prohibition tasting
room for a sampling of their unique spirits. The Parlour Gin, an ode to the gin parlours in the prohibition
period, is a dry style gin with notes of Saskatoon berry, lemon, orange, and mint. The seasonally-available Gin
Rummy is a smooth concoction of gin, rum, and spiced fruitcake—perfect for the holiday season. Can’t make it
out to the distillery? It’s served at many bars and restaurants in Calgary, just ask your server.
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THE ESSENTIAL CALGARY 2015/16
PHOTOGRAPHS (TOP TO BOTTOM): RICKY LEONG, COUTRESY OF FLICKR; JANET DAVIE; COURTESY OF THE DERRICK GIN MILL & RESTAURANT
The Nash & Off Cut Bar