Although I love to drink them, I’ll be the first to say that I know little about making cocktails. So, I’ve enlisted help from my friend and local cocktail connoisseur Jack Fotheringham, who shares some of his favourite recipes.

Jack is a fourth-year political studies student by day and a bartender at Ayden Kitchen & Bar by night. He was also at the Beefeater MIXLDN 2017 national competition in Vancouver, so he knows what he’s talking about. Here are three of his must-try cocktail recipes.

Pisco Sour: This refreshing classic comes from South America, where pisco — a typically unaged grape spirit — is ubiquitous.

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. pisco

0.5 oz. fresh lemon juice

0.5 oz. fresh lime juice

0.75 oz. simple syrup

1 egg white

Directions: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker, and shake without ice to froth the egg whites. Add a scoop of ice, and continue shaking for 10-15 seconds. Strain into a glass of your choosing.

Bijou: This bold classic dates back to the 1890s. Its name means “jewel” in French and refers to the colours of the ingredients — gin for diamond, sweet vermouth for ruby and green chartreuse for emerald.

Ingredients:

0.75 oz. London dry gin, such as Beefeater or Tanqueray

0.75 oz. sweet vermouth

0.75 oz green chartreuse

2 dashes of orange bitters

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, with a scoop of ice. Stir for 15-20 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass without ice. Garnish with an orange peel or a cherry.

The Last Word: This complex — yet refreshing — cocktail was created during the prohibition era, but fell into oblivion until it was rediscovered in 2004. If you’ve already invested in green chartreuse and London dry gin for the bijou, you’re in luck!

Ingredients:

0.75 oz. London dry gin

0.75 oz. green chartreuse

0.75 oz. maraschino liqueur

0.75 oz fresh lime juice

Directions:

Add all ingredients and ice to cocktail shaker, and shake for 10-15 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with lime peel.

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Tanner Bayne / Culture Editor

Jack Fotheringham

Graphic: Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor