Botanist Bar in Vancouver, Canada represents North America in Global ‘Bar Team’ Cocktail Competition
Botanist Bar at Fairmont Pacific Rim has been named as the North American finalist in the Lucas Bols ‘BOLS AROUND THE WORLD’ competition. One of six bar teams in the world competing for the first time, this global cocktail competition has shifted the criteria from individual to team submission in celebration of its 10th year.
Bar teams around the world were tasked with creating a cocktail with a unique concept and presentation, which required submission of a 1-2 minute video outlining how the cocktail and concept came to life. The Lucas Bols team narrowed down the top team finalists by region, and a final review by industry icons took place to select six bar teams around the globe to be flown to Amsterdam to compete in the grand finale in June, to include highlighting their home bar as a ‘pop up’ on Reguliersdwarsstraat, a popular street in Central Amsterdam known for great bars and restaurants.
The Botanist Bar team took the opportunity to create a new uniquely designed experiential cocktail, Into the Æther. This show-stopping floating libation was inspired by the fifth element of spirit, featuring Bols Genever as its base, combined with white tea, elemental vermouth, forest herbs and seawater to emphasize bold and surprising flavours. The team’s collective vision brought together the elements of teamwork and team spirit with ingredients foraged through the natural surroundings of Vancouver. This cocktail will remain on the Botanist Bar list as the fifth ‘from the lab’ cocktail creation.
Botanist is home to the country’s most unusual Cocktail Lab, a bartender’s artistic studio that inspires creativity, as well as a space to prepare and experiment with ingredients to develop house-made tinctures, shrubs, syrups, and whatever else they can concoct. Its custom creation features industrial kitchen equipment to integrate a culinary-forward approach to cocktail design and development. The edgy venue inspires creative freedom and precision, granting the attention required to forge an elevated drinking experience.
The formal Botanist cocktail program is available exclusively at the bar and follows the principles of botany; Flowers + Trees, Fruits + Vegetables, Orchard + Vines, Herbs and Spice, and ‘from the lab.’
