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One of the benefits of knowing the city’s top barmen is being able to send out a tweet offering a harvest of organic chocolate mint from my roomie’s balcony and turning it into an impromptu cocktail competition (which I duly hashtagged #chocomintchallenge).

First up was my pal Shaun Layton, formerly of George Lounge and now the liquid genius behind the wood at L’Abattoir, one of my absolute faves among last year’s openings. 

Shaun’s cocktail, which we decided to name the “Gastown Julep,” was an improvisation while I watched that resulted in the following jet fuel:

Chocolate mint (bruised to release the oils)

45 ml Ron Zacapa rum  (23 year old)

10 ml Galliano L’Autentico

3 dashes Bittermen’s Xocolotl Mole bitters 

Stir and pour over crushed ice

Dust with sugar and top with sprig of chocolate mint

Served in an antique pewter julep glass (fitted with a “speed grip” so your hands don’t get cold)

Pic: Shaun Layton

[Next up, Jay Jones from MARKET, Jean Georges’ restaurant in the Shangri-La hotel.]