Is there anything more Canadian than a butter tart? Sure poutine is iconic, but deep down America wishes they invented that sinister delight. Nanaimo bars are also a favourite, but many people dislike coconut, and honestly coconuts don’t grow here. To me, the butter tart is a quintessential part of “Canadian cuisine”. Plain, raisin, pecan or one of many other creations, whatever your palate there is probably a flavour for you. I’m not fussy. If you’d prefer to drink your butter tart, look no further. Top Shelf Distillers in Perth, Ontario has you covered. In this article I will be reviewing Top Shelf’s Butter Tart liquor. I was introduced to this liquor through Top Shelf’s social media and found it at my local liquor store. As a big fan of butter tarts, this looked right up my alley. The bottle is $22.95 for 375mL and is 17% ABV. The colour is deep amber, the colour of butter tart filling. The nose is full of butter tart aromas. Brown sugar, caramel, butter and pecan. On the palate it is very sweet. With 226g/L of sugar! Flavours of caramel and table syrup, almost like Aunt Jemima butter flavour syrup. Light alcohol and a mouthfeel of light maple syrup. I tasted the butter tart liquor three ways. Neat, on ice and with some rye whisky added. Neat is very nice. Same temperature you would enjoy a butter tart. You feel the little alcohol that is in it. On ice all I tasted was the sweetness. The ice dilutes the alcohol level, leaving a cold syrup-like sipper. Not my preference but you may like it. My prefered drinking method is with the addition of rye whiskey. A little goes a long way. Just as the pastry helps tame the sweetness of the butter tart filling, the rye adds a bready richness and alcohol level for a more balanced drinking experience. This would also be a great addition to coffee or as a substitute for simple syrup in a cocktail, even over vanilla ice cream. This butter tart liquor may not be for everyone. It is very sweet, almost more so than a butter tart, depending on the recipe. Those who do not like butter tarts probably won’t like this either. It is a very well crafted product. That being said, it isn’t something I would drink a lot of, or very often. I will definitely keep a bottle around over the holidays when butter tarts are being served, as a dessert drink option. Check out Top Shelf Distillers other offerings on their website at topshelfdistillers.com and on Instagram @tsdistillers and in LCBO locations across Ontario. *Oenzym is not affiliated with Top Shelf Distillers. Products were purchased for the purpose of review.

As you may have noticed, gin is going through a renaissance. A revival in craft and creativity is sparking new interest in this botanical spirit. Gone are the days of combating malaria with a stiff gin and tonic or “bathtub” gins made from alcohols not fit for consumption and flavoured with turpentine. There is gin being made in nearly every corner of the world. One area in particular has recently peaked my interest. The Isle of Islay Scotland. Islay (pronounced “eye-luh”) is a prominent Scotch whisky region. One of my favourites. Known for whiskies with a rich peat smoke aroma and flavour. Some famous Islay single malts are Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Lagavulin. I was recently made aware of an Islay gin being produced by a prominent whisky distillery. In this article I will be reviewing that gin. The Botanist is an Islay dry gin produced by Bruichladdich (pronounced “Brook lah-dee”) distillery, using 22 foraged botanicals from the Isle of Islay. The spirit begins with nine core botanicals before the addition of the 22 native Islay botanicals making a flavourful gin of 31 botanicals! The nine core botanicals (barks, berries, seeds and peels) are cassia, coriander, juniper, orange, cinnamon, lemon, liquorice, angelica root and orris root. These nine botanicals comprise the rhythm section of this super group. The 22 Islay botanicals are apple mint, chamomile, creeping thistle, downy birch, elder, gorse, hawthorn, heather, juniper, Lady’s bedstraw, lemon balm, meadowsweet, mugwort, red clover, spearmint, sweet cicely, bog myrtle, tansy, water mint, white clover, wild thyme, and wood sage. Add some wormwood and asphodel and you’d have yourself a potion to rival the likes of Neville Longbottom! Kidding aside, the botanicals are foraged for seven months every year by James Donaldson, for The Botanist. Hand picked from all over the 620 square kilometer island. The Botanist is simmer distilled. Meaning the spirit is distilled at a lower temperature over a longer period of time. The core botanicals steep for 12 hours in the spirit before being brought up to a simmer, where the vapours pass through the 22 foraged botanicals set in loose muslin bags and then through the condenser where it returns to liquid to be sampled before finishing. The Botanist is bottled at 46% ABV and is elegantly packaged in a beautiful embossed bottle with a simple label. The embossing on the bottle is the Latin names of all 22 foraged botanicals. In the glass the gin is perfectly colourless. Immediately after pouring I was met with aromas of mint, grapefruit and juniper. Upon allowing the gin to breathe for several minutes it opened up to a warmer woody and baking spice aroma. The viscosity is that of water but with great legs in the glass. On the palate I get a burst of citrus right away that evolves to a warm baking spice smoothness. It has a long finish that is multi-tonal. It begins warm and woody and moves into an almost cooling menthol. The mouthfeel is delicate and sophisticated. Very akin to a whisky. Perfect to be enjoyed neat. The alcohol is present but is not overpowering. The Botanist is very well crafted. It would be a welcomed addition to any bar. It is very versatile and if I wasn’t sipping it neat or on ice I would be using it with a variety of different tonics. The lemon and elderflower tonic waters from Fevertree make for an excellent, refreshing drink to beat the summer heat. Enjoy it in martinis and negronis as well. I would rate The Botanist 9/10! A Very approachable gin. A must try for any gin lover. I would recommend it to any scotch drinker looking to expand outside of the whisky realm. The Botanist can be found at LCBO at $54 for the 750mL bottle. There are some beautiful videos as well as great information at thebotanist.com The incredible photo above was taken by Mike Taylor at Mike Taylor Photo Arts. Mike is a photographer from Peterborough Ontario, specializing in alcohol product photography. You can find more of Mike's work on his website at miketaylorphotoarts.com or his Instagram @picsmiketaylo r . *Oenzym is not affiliated with The Botanist, Bruichladdich or it's partners. Products were purchased for the purpose of review.

It’s not common on cocktail menus or in home bars, some distillers don’t even make it a possibility. A cocktail of one origin. A true farm-to-table, grain-to-glass experience. I’m talking about a cocktail made with ingredients from one single producer*. Many craft distillers understand the vast landscape of the cocktail world. Most offer a range of products to stock your bar. From gins to vodkas, whisk(e)ys and even bitters. For a single source cocktail, you’re looking for a one-stop-shop for all the ingredients. For me, Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers from Beamsville Ontario is truly a one-stop-shop. Since 2012, Dillon’s has been crafting high quality bitters and spirits. In more recent years they have expanded to cover nearly every shelf of the bar with 100% Ontario rye whisky, gin, vodka, brandy, absinthe, vermouth, rum and schnapps. They also make a line of cocktail syrups and pre-mixed cocktails. All using premium Niagara ingredients! Since their beginning they knew the significance of a single source cocktail. “There was a dream, a really big dream - to build a distillery that would eventually create our very own Manhattan cocktail from our very own ingredients”. That quote was taken from their website www.dillons.ca. In this article I will be showcasing a single source Manhattan from Dillon’s. For a Manhattan, I use what I feel is the proper 2-1-2 recipe. 212 being the telephone area code of Manhattan and a perfect ratio for ingredients. This cocktail begins in a mixing glass. Start with 2 dashes of Dillon's bitters, of your choosing. I’m using Batch #10 DSB Aromatic Bitters. Dillon’s take on a classic. Next add 1 ounce of Dillon’s Vermouth. You will then add 2 ounces of Dillon’s Three Oaks Rye Whisky. I’m pouring from bottle 3095 of Batch #13. (My love for this whisky goes back to bottle 3639 from Batch #1!) Add ice to the mixing glass and stir 30 seconds to one minute to reach the desired dilution. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a cocktail cherry . Enjoy! The magic of single source cocktails doesn’t end with the Manhattan. Dillon’s wide range of products allows for all sorts of creativity. Try a Negroni with one of their delicious gins, vermouth and their recently introduced Black Walnut Amaro or a classic Sazerac with rye, absinthe and bitters. Substituting Peychaud’s bitters for Dillon’s Wormwood bitters. Go out and explore your local distillers and see what creations you can make using only their products. The shared craftsmanship and processes of these ingredients make for a lovely unified flavour in the glass. A new twist on an old favourite cocktail. You can check out Dillon’s in person at their distillery at 4833 Tufford Road in Beamsville, or online at www.dillons.ca . They offer Canada-wide shipping on orders. The Dillon’s Manhattan 2 dashes of Dillon’s DSB Aromatic Bitters 1 oz Dillon’s Vermouth 2 oz Dillon’s Three Oaks Rye Whisky Stir over ice in a mixing glass. Strain and serve into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cocktail cherry. *Exceptions for garnish. ** Oenzym is in no way affiliated with Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers. All products were purchased for the purpose of this article.

Arcane is defined as “understood by few; mysterious or secret.” In the case of Arcane Ales, they may be one of Bowmanville’s best kept secrets. Arcane Ales is the experimental brand extension of Bowmanville’s Chronicle Brewing Company. Crafting premium, high-alcohol ales, expertly barreled and blended for the distinguished craft beer drinker. Bottle conditioned to be cellared and enjoyed for years to come. In this article I will be reviewing Arcane Ales Speak With Animals Bourbon Barrel-aged Stout. Speak With Animals was released May 20th, 2021. Arcane Ales’ second release and their first to be bottled. It was produced in partnership with the Humane Society of Durham Region (HSDR). A portion of the proceeds from each bottle sold is donated to the HSDR. Staying true to their nerdy roots, the name comes from a spell in D&D as well. The beer is barrel-aged in Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels and bottled at 10% ABV in beautiful half litre bottles. In the glass the beer is obsidian black with hues of brown. Similar to traditional black liquorice. Soft and velvety head gently rests on top. On the nose you get a sweetness from the bourbon and vanilla from the oak. On the palate I experience a blast of rich and bitter flavours, delicately backed by the sweet and smooth bourbon. Flavours of espresso, cacao nib and maduro tobacco leaf are most prevalent. It is complex and well balanced. Bottle conditioning provides a silky mouthfeel. A process used in some of the most sophisticated beers in the world. This beer is not an entry level beer by any means. The depth of flavour could easily be overwhelming to a fan or lighter beer. For me as a drinker who enjoys fuller bodied, robust, darker beers, this checks all the boxes. I find this beer to be a beautiful companion to a solitary cigar session, served cold on a warm summer night, as a dessert with chocolates, or with a warm bath. I would rate this beer 9.5/10! Speak With Animals retails for $13 with a portion of proceeds helping the Humane Society of Durham Region. Cellar this beer upright in a cool environment as you would a sparkling wine. Chill before serving and pour gently into a glass. Speak With Animals Bourbon Barrel-aged Stout, other Arcane Ales and all of Chronicle Brewing Co’s assortment of beer are available in store at 422 Lake Road in Bowmanville Ontario or online at https://chroniclebeer.com with Ontario-wide flat rate shipping of $15. I am currently cellaring a couple bottles to further review in the future to see how it evolves. Look for that article in the years to come :)