Eighties one-hit wonder Q Lazzarus experienced a bit of a comeback in Calgary earlier this year. Its single Goodbye Horses was played so often at Model Milk restaurant, the song was eventually banned. "This is my way of remembering it," says bartender Madeleine MacDonald of the cocktail she named after the song. MacDonald, recently crowned Calgary's best female bartender at the Mademoiselle Cointreau competition (a national winner will be announced in December), used American whisky as the main spirit, softening it with the citrus and floral flavours of a gewurztraminer wine syrup that needs to be prepared in advance. To make it, combine a bottle of gewurztraminer with a cup of sugar in a pot on the stove. Simmer it for 15 minutes and then remove from the heat. Let cool and store, refrigerated, for up to two weeks. When you're ready to make the cocktail, simply combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker packed with ice and shake well. Strain into a coupe, and say hello Goodbye.
11/2 ounces of Buffalo Trace bourbon (or any bourbon you have handy)
1/2 ounce of St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
1 ounce of fresh lemon juice
3/4 ounces of gewurztraminer wine syrup
1 dash of Angostura bitters
1 dash of Scrappy's cardamom bitters