I headed to the Drinks Show 2010 this year. It’s always been one of those things I say I want to do every summer, but never get around to it.

The Drinks Show is a cocktail extravaganza that is celebrating Canada’s growing cocktail culture. Sipping cool cocktails on a hot summers night while overlooking the breathtaking views of Toronto’s skyline has also made this Show one of the hottest events of the year.

There is a flat fee for admission and you then buy tickets for the sample. I attended the show on a media pass and that got me free entry and some tickets for samples. I brought Gail McInnes as my guest and we boarded the Fun Bus to Polson Pier. This was also my first time visiting Polson Pier. I’ve seen a few concerts at what was then called The Docks, but I had never been to the patio and pier area.

It was a gorgeous setting for a party. Polson Pier provides spectacular views of the city.  There were many booths setup and we didn’t try everything.  I didn’t like the Pernod Absinthe much.  It was in a mixed cocktail called the Moulin Lemonade (Pernod Absinthe, San Pellegrino Limonata, mint).  It’s amazing that the Three Olives Float Flipper (Three Olives Root Beer Vodka, Pepsi Max, whipped cream, cherry) tasted exactly like root beer.  Root Beer lovers this is a dangerous vodka for you.  I really liked the Prairie Raspberry (Prairie Vodka, Raspberries, lime, cranberry juice, basil).  Prairie Vodka is an organic vodka from the US.  Bruce Wills vodka was available; I didn’t drink any.  I can’t believe he has a vodka brand, just went I thought the perfume thing was strange.

Some of the non drinking attractions included a make your own Inception movie poster and a photo booth. Gail and I acted like hams and did both. She was kissing Leo and I was the paparazzi. We continued tasting and had the Dusk Martini (Polar Ice Vodka, Creme de Cacao and Dove Dusk Chocolate shavings). It was your standard chocolate martini. The Vitality Daiquiri (Spiced Rum, Sour Mix, Tube of Intuition My Vitality) has Intuition My Vitality which is a natural energy booster in liquid form. Could this be the next Redbull and Vodka?

The best drink of the day was the Crown Spice. It’s my new absolute favourite mixed drink now.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 1.5 oz Crown Royal, 1 oz. lime juice, 1 oz simple syrup and 1 coin of fresh jalapeño. Shake sharply and strain into a rock glass filled with ice. Garnish with a jalapeño.

I’ve been making this constantly. I use brown sugar for my simply syrup and have substituted Crown for Canadian Club. It’s refreshing, tart and delicious. The spiciness of the jalapeño goes well with citrus.

Participating companies list: 7Up, Absolut Berri Açai, Absolut Vodka, Alberta Premium, Bacardi Dragon Berry Flavoured Rum, Beefeater 24, Beefeater London Dry Gin, Bulleit Bourbon, Burnett’s Sweet Tea Flavoured Vodka, Canadian Club Classic, Ceres Fruit Juices, Crown Royal, Danfield’s Private Reserve, Dove Dusk Chocolate, Eldorado 6 year old, Deluxe Silver, Finlandia Grapefruit Fusion Vodka, Gibson’s Finest 12 YO, Grand Marnier, Havana Club Anejo Reserva, Hound Dog Sweet Tea Peach Flavoured Vodka, Intuition, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Jose Cuervo Especial Gold, Lamb’s Black Sheep Spiced Rum, Olmeca Gold Tequila, Prairie Organic Vodka, Pepsi Max, Pernod Absinthe, Proof Whisky, Smirnoff Vodka, Sobieski Vodka, Sour Puss Apple, Sour Puss Lemon, Stolichnaya Elit, Sweet Carolina Raspberry Sweet Tea Flavoured Vodka, Tanqueray Gin, Three Olives Bubble, Three Olives Root Beer, UV Vodka Blue Raspberry, UV Vodka Pink Lemonade and Wiser’s Deluxe.