Vancouver has its own cocktail but it’s little known.

Bartender Steve Da Cruz has taken the recipe for the Vancouver Cocktail with him throughout his career in recent years, from Boneta to Gastropod to Corner Suite Bistro De Luxe.

Da Cruz was opening bar manager at Chill Winston in 2006, where he met customer Josiah Bates, who works at the O.K. Boot Corral, behind the statue of Gassy Jack.

This is how Cruz described Bates in the 30-page menu he compiled for the defunct Corner Suite Bistro:

“Josiah Bates has a thick Scottish brogue, dresses like one of The Dirty Dozen and drinks B&B like he owns stock in the company. He’s kind of like Sean Connery and John Wayne rolled into one tough son of a bitch. His ostrich skinned boots and ten-gallon hat are as recognizable as Gassy Jack and I’ve seen many women a third of his age hanging on his every word, not to mention his arm.”

According to Da Cruz, Bates was pleased Da Cruz served B&B— Benedictine liqueur and brandy—and that he knew the story behind it.

Da Cruz says Benedictine is made by an order of monks.

“Two monks have the recipe at any one time,” he said. “In 1905, the 21 Club in New York blended Benedictine with brandy. The company heard about it because it was so popular and so they started making it.”

Da Cruz says Bates was impressed that his barman knew the stories behind of a legion of drinks.

“He was like well I’ve got one for you sonny.”

Bates said he learned the recipe for the Vancouver Cocktail from a friend who tended bar at the Sylvia Hotel near English Bay around 1955. Vancouver’s first cocktail lounge opened at the Sylvia in 1954.

Legend has it that it was the last drink imbibed by actor Errol Flynn before he died in Vancouver.

Now the Tiki Bar at the Waldorf Hotel is slinging the Vancouver Cocktail as Da Cruz launches the new drink menu next week.

The list will include drinks like Blue Hawaii, Mai Tai, Zombies and fresh, young coconuts.

“We actually chop the tops off and put a bendy straw and umbrella, then you have this beautiful young coconut water, and you can add rum to it, and you can refill it with a different cocktail,” he said.

Da Cruz said the Vancouver Cocktail is akin to a gin Manhattan.

“It’s earthy. It has a good dash of orange bitters, so it has a nice dry, spicy finish,” he said. “And then because it has Benedictine in it, it has heather and honey notes. Heather and honey are the only two ingredients we know are in Benedictine because the recipe belongs to God and he doesn’t want us to know.”

The Vancouver Cocktail:

2 oz. good gin

0.5 oz. sweet vermouth

a splash of Benedictine

a good dash of orange bitters

Chill, stir, strain and serve straight up.

crossi@vancourier.com