With liquor and drinks sales restrictions altered and eased in many provinces during the pandemic, artisan distilleries, their cocktail bars and some local partners have gotten creative with cocktail kits for spirits fans to mix into delicious drinks at home. Here are just a few.
Beattie’s Distillers, Howitzer Whisky and Willibald Farm Distillery, ON
Spirits from all three distilleries pack an Ontario Bar Builder box that also includes Old Fashioned Mix, a jigger—and hand sanitizer, of course—from Noble Estates Wine & Spirits.
Black Fox Farm Distillery, Saskatoon
A Cocktail for Two option adds a mini-bottle of spirit and a bottle of tonic to local customers’ online order.
Compass Distillers, Halifax
Kits of pre-mixed cocktail ingredients plus spirits and garnish, with fun names like Ginger Snap, Squeeze the Day and Busy Bee, are delivered through a partnership with a local cidery.
Kinsip House of Fine Spirits, Bloomfield, ON
At least nine cocktail kits have joined the lineup of spirits at the wine-country distillery in Prince Edward County east of Toronto.
The Liberty Distillery, Vancouver
Teaming up with The Ellis Gastro Pub nearby, the distillery’s spirits fortify cocktail kits for whisky, gin and vodka Mules, a rye-infused Shandy and more.
Mad Lab Distillery, Vancouver
A unique Blue Negroni featuring its Blueberry Kombucha and a S’Mores Old Fashioned are among the single-serve cocktails from this artisanal microdistillery.
Odd Society Spirits, Vancouver
Innovative Mother’s Day kits included Rye or Gin plus chocolates, mixers and more from local partners. They are also planning to launch a series of camping cocktail kits with local company Callister Soda.
Park Distillery, Banff, AB
As part of its popular Barrel Aged Cocktail program, the distillery aged Manhattan, Negroni and Martinez cocktails in barrel, bottling them ready-to-drink in spiffy new packaging, with national shipping.
Patent 5, Winnipeg
Cocktails to Go include a Pink Flamingo, Long Island Gimlet, Jasmine and Primordial Punch, premixed and bottled.
Reid’s Distillery, Toronto
A dozen options for cocktail kits, bar equipment and mix are available directly through the distillery, packaged with its own local-favourite gin.
Stumbletown Distilling, Saskatoon
Stumbler Cocktails (a 200-ml premixed bottle plus garnish) include a Pink Negroni, Lil Pick Me Up, Palm Trees & Poplars, Fashionable People, Million Dollar Bill and more.
Taynton Bay Spirits, Invermere, BC
A Caesar kit features its distinctive Pickled Vodka plus Clamato, glass rimmer and seasonings.
Vine Arts, Calgary
This Calgary wine and spirits boutique (which shares ownership with bar-gear purveyor Fifth and Vermouth) has cocktail boxes and a monthly cocktail club that frequently includes Alberta artisan spirits, such as Confluence Distilling’s gin, in the mix.