The Art of the Cocktail Comes to Victoria This Weekend

Tickets are on sale for Canada’s Premier Cocktail Event!

From October 4‐6, Art of the Cocktail returns for its sixth spirited season to celebrate – you guessed it – all things cocktail!

Last season’s event brought out an unprecedented amount of international guests, and saw an incredible sell-out of almost every event. Now, after a record-breaking year in 2013, the AOTC team is upping the ante by introducing some new events to the roster.

The Earls Kitchen + Bar Games Competition will pit the bravest bartenders against one another in a heated multi‐challenge showdown. In front of a panel of bar-stars and brand ambassadors, competitors will need to bring their best game to the wood as they are judged on speed, charm, and memory before one of them is named Bar Games Champ.

In addition to unique competitions, this year’s AOTC will feature a hands-on Make Your Own Bitters workshop. In this exclusive 90-minute session, Victoria Spirits’ own Peter Hunt takes the mystery out of the process as he guides you through the process, giving you the chance to create and take home a bottle of your own bitters.

Following the ever-popular tradition, on October 4th, the Grand Tasting will take place at the historical Crystal Gardens. Here, guests can indulge in unique samples of cocktails from dozens of spirit brands beside delicious appetizers from some of the best chefs in the city. Il Covo and Steamship Grill & Taphouse are among the newcomers who will be serving up tasty appetizers alongside favourites like Bard And Banker.

Featuring artisanal and regional distillers including, as well as the most well-known brands in the world, the Grand Tasting is the festival’s largest event.

As well as The Grand Tasting there are numerous seminars, workshops and tastings at various venues around the city (see the AOC website for a complete list).

One seminar you won’t want to miss is Drinking on Deadline with Paul Clarke. Clarke has been writing professionally about drinks for the past decade, as the proprietor of The Cocktail Chronicles and as a contributing editor, and now executive editor, of Imbibe magazine. He is hosting a 90-minute session that delves into the fluid relationship between cocktails and journalism. Takes place Oct 6 at the Parkside Hotel at 5pm.

Event information and ticket sales are available at the new and improved artofthecocktail.ca

Got Spirit?