Behind every great craft cocktail is a balancing act. Success requires the right tension between alcoholic strength, flavours —sweet, sour, bitter, salt — temperature and texture. Choosing the right component can make or break a cocktail, so opting for high-quality ingredients is critical. When Doug Blendell couldn't find them for his mixed drinks, he decided to take matters into his own hands. With a background in distilling, the Hamilton-born entrepreneur founded Jolly Cut cocktail syrups. Made in Prince Edward County with foraged and organic ingredients, each flavour has been vetted by bartenders. With the ethos that simple and fresh is always best, we present four crafty cocktails —one for each syrup — and an opportunity for you to be a cocktail star.

The Cocktail: Cosmopolitan

The Syrup: Organic Sumac & Cranberry

The Glass: Stemless Martini

• 2 oz vodka

• ¾ oz Cointreau

• ½ oz fresh lime juice

• ½ oz unsweetened cranberry juice

• ½ oz Organic Sumac and Cranberry syrup

• Shake all ingredients with ice, and double strain into a stemless martini glass.

The Cocktail: Old Fashioned

The Syrup: Old Fashioned

The Glass: Timeless DOF

• ½ oz Old Fashioned syrup

• 2 oz of your favourite bourbon

• Orange twist for garnish

• Pour ingredients over ice and stir well. Garnish with an orange twist.

The Cocktail: Cognac Sour

The Syrup: Simple Syrup

The Glass: Aria Coupe

• 2 oz cognac

• ¾ oz fresh lemon juice

• ¼ oz simple syrup

• Shake all the ingredients with ice, then double-strain into a chilled coupe.

The Cocktail: Juniper Gin & Tonic

The Syrup: Juniper & Ceder Tonic

The Glass: Hepburn DOF

• ¾ oz Juniper & Cedar Tonic syrup

• 2 oz gin

• Soda

Pour Juniper and Cedar Tonic syrup and gin over ice, fill the glass with soda (or tonic if you want an extra punchy drink) and garnish with limes

Tip: To level up your G&T, add a sprig of rosemary