The Epic Montreal Bartender Survey Takes the Pulse of the Cocktail Scene

In a bid to take the pulse of the cocktail scene in Montreal, we recently invited bar professionals - some of whom work at the 12 essential Montreal cocktail bars - to answer a range of questions.

Today we look at what they had to say with regard to four in particular:

1. What was the first cocktail you mastered?
2. Name three cocktails everyone should learn to make at home.
3. What is the most overrated cocktail in Montreal at the moment?
4. The most underrated?

Here, in no particular order, are the responses.

Romain Cavelier (Henri Saint-Henri)
1. Sazerac
2. Sazerac, Boulevardier, Pisco Sour
3. Vieux Carré
4. Boulevardier

Graham Warner (Le Mal Nécessaire)
1. Sazerac
2. Old Fashioned Margarita, Vesper
3. Bloody Caesar
4. Vesper

Kate Boushel (Freelance consultant)
1. Martini
2. Old Fashioned, Gin Fizz, Moscow Mule
3. Mojito
4. Sazerac

Sam Dalcourt (Co-founder of La Ligue des Coqueteliens du Québec, industry veteran)
1. Long Island Iced Tea
2. Daiquiri, Margarita, Dry Martini
3. Ramos Gin Fizz
4. Manhattan

Samuel Trudeau (Mile Public House)
1. Disaronno Sour
2. Tom Collins, Bourbon Lemonade, Last Word
3. Old Fashioned
4. Vesper

Geneviève Beaulieu (Wunderbar)
1. Old Fashioned
2. Negroni, Martini, Margarita
3. Mojito
4. Boulevardier

Raphaël Brière (University Club of Montreal)
1. Rob Roy
2. Old Fashioned, Tom Collins, Sour
3. Pornstar
4. Cobblers (Any)

Gabrielle Panaccio (Lab, Incorruptibles, Proxibar)
1. Martini
2. Collins, Martini, Boulvardier
3. Sex on the Beach
4. Martini

Jonathan Homier (B1 Cocktail Club)
1. Old Fashioned
2. Old Fashioned, Whisky Sour, Negroni
3. Tiki drinks
4. Manhattan

Alexis Green (Foodlab at the Société des Arts Technologiques)
1. Margarita
2. Margarita, Old Fashioned, Gin Fizz
3. Tiki drinks
4. Boulevardier

Léa Messier François (Quebec Scope)
1. Mai Tai (Victor Bergeron's original recipe)
2. French 75, Manhattan, Negroni
3. Any cocktail in a Mason jar
4. Sazerac

Alexandre Valois (SuWu)
1. Old Fashioned
2. Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Negroni
3. Blackberry Mojito
4. The Flip

Maxime Coubes (Spirit House Montreal)
1. Mojito
2. Old Fashioned, Martini, Planter's Punch
3. Old Fashioned
4. Aviation

Nicolas Villalon (Brugal National Brand Ambassador)
1. Old Fashioned
2. Daquiri, Negroni, Old Fashioned
3. Bloody Caesar
4. Proper Tiki cocktails (Hurricane, Zombie)

Jeremy Bourgeois (L'atelier d'Argentine)
1. Caipirinha
2. Caipirinha, Mojito, Old Fashioned
3. Old Fashioned
4. Cosmopolitan

Tony Galdes (B1 Cocktail Club)
1. Old Fashioned
2. Negroni, Old Fashioned, Tom Collins
3. Any cocktail in a Mason jar
4. Any cocktail with three ingredients

Andrew Whibley (Mme Lee, consultant)
1. Mint Julep
2. Negroni, Old Fashioned, Mint Julep
3. Tiki cocktails
4. Montreal cocktail

Thierry Valiquette (Le Bremner)
1. Old Fashioned
2. Boulevardier, Sidecar, Sazerac
3. Tiki cocktails
4. Montreal cocktail

Jean Vasquez (La Belle et la Boeuf)
1. Pisco Sour
2. Gin Fizz, Classic Margarita (optional flavours: horchata, guava, kiwi), Maracuya (passion fruit) Pisco Sour
3. A bad Cosmopolitan
4. Pisco Sour

Alexandre Lefebvre (Huis Clos, Laurea)
1. Zombie
2. Manhattan, Negroni, Mai Tai
3. Vodka soda
4. Sazerac

Guillaume Maillé (Baron Samedi)
1. Long Island Iced Tea
2. Negroni, Sazerac, Dark and Stormy
3. Old Fashioned
4. Vieux Carré

Jean-Maxime Giguère (132 Bar Vintage)
1. Cosmopolitan
2. Old Fashioned, Negroni, Last Word
3. Molecular cocktails
4. Good old classics

Tune in later in the week as the panel of bartenders shares where they like to go for cocktails in Montreal, as well as best dive bars and whether mixology is a bad word. (Spoiler: maybe.)