The new name for 'bartender' is 'mixologist' ... a person, in this case a engaging Aussie, who combines being a shrink with being a salesman / gastronome. Jacob Sweetapple tends his (s)willing flock at the swish Fairmont Pacific Rim's lobby bar. He sized us all up - we were all completely fried after our pre-games breakfast event, and suggested that he just make a flight of drinks. Bingo. Don't remember who had the signature cocktail named "O'Shaku" (we were told it's Japanese for 'one who pours' but it could've been Greek for "totally yummy"). It's based on pear vodka, Armagnac, peach bitters and so forth. He created a Scratched Sidecar for the gal who clearly had worked the hardest that day. But my fave was the Bramble...a concoction of good gin, plum liqueur, a splash of lemon and sugar with a couple of perfect raspberries balanced on raft of lemon peel. Apparently it's a classic (you can google it) and it's going to be one that I hope to make in largish quantities sometime next summer during G&T season and when the blackberries are ripe.
BTW...Try Victoria Gin from Victoria, B.C. -- it's a close second to the marvelous Myriad View brand from P.E.I. which is stellar but made in such small batches that you have to visit the distillery or one of the nearby Island liquor stores to buy it.
