Montreal Cocktail
Stir ∙ Coupe glass ∙ 3 min ∙ 25.7% ABV ∙
The Montreal Cocktail is Montreal's official city cocktail, a stirred, spirit-forward aperitivo of equal parts London dry gin, Canadian rye whisky, an Aperol-style aperitivo, and gentian liqueur. Bittersweet and bracing, with juniper and rye warmth threaded through orange-bitter aperitivo and the earthy snap of gentian, finishing dry with expressed grapefruit oils — a fine aperitif.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 20 mlCanadian rye whisky 20 mlAperitivo 20 mlGentian liqueur 20 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express a grapefruit twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Stir all four spirits over ice for about 30 seconds — the build is entirely spirituous and needs the dilution to open up.
- Fine-strain into a chilled coupe to keep the drink clear and remove any small ice shards.
- Express a grapefruit twist over the surface before dropping it in; the citrus oils lift the gentian's earthiness.
- Keep the four liquids at equal parts — tipping the balance loses the deliberate French-English symmetry of the recipe.
History
The Montreal Cocktail was created collaboratively in the summer of 2017 by fifteen Montreal bartenders, timed to coincide with the city's 375th anniversary. The project was led by Kevin Demers, owner of the Montreal bar Coldroom, with a team that included Brynley Leach, Charles Landry, Chris Natale, Drahos Chytry, Fabien Maillard, Graham Warner, Hugo Dallaire, Jason Griffin, Kate Boushel, Philippe Haman, Sabrina Mailhot, Sam Dalcourt, Tony Galdes, and Jean-Maxime Giguere. The creators positioned it as the city's official cocktail, hoping it would be embraced as a modern-day classic both in Montreal and in communities elsewhere. Its gin and gentian nod to the city's dual French and English heritage, while the Canadian rye whisky marks its domestic roots.
FAQ
Is there a Montreal cocktail?
Yes. The Montreal Cocktail is the city's official cocktail, created in 2017 by a team of local bartenders. It combines equal parts London dry gin, Canadian rye whisky, an Aperol-style aperitivo, and gentian liqueur, stirred and served up.
What is a Montreal Cocktail made of?
Equal parts London dry gin, Canadian rye whisky, an Aperol-style aperitivo liqueur, and a gentian liqueur such as Suze or Salers. It is stirred over ice, fine-strained, and garnished with an expressed grapefruit twist.
Is a Montreal Cocktail shaken or stirred?
Stirred. Because every ingredient is a spirit or liqueur with no juice, stirring over ice chills and dilutes it while keeping the drink clear and silky, then it is fine-strained into a chilled glass.
What glass is a Montreal Cocktail served in?
A coupe glass, served up without ice. Chill the glass first so the spirit-forward drink stays cold; some versions use a Nick and Nora glass instead, but the serve is the same — straight up with a grapefruit twist.
What is a traditional Canadian cocktail?
Canadian rye whisky drinks like the Caesar and rye-based classics are widely considered Canada's traditional cocktails. The Montreal Cocktail is a modern entry, designed in 2017 to represent Montreal specifically, built around Canadian rye alongside gin, aperitivo, and gentian.
