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On the cocktail menu for 2009: drinks good enough to eat.

Expect ingredients both savoury and sweet - from basil to grapefruit - to move out of the kitchen and onto the bar counter.

The modern bartender is inspired by both culinary trends and international flavours, says Tony Abou-Ganim, a "master mixologist" who has worked with such notable chefs as Mario Batali in New York and created cocktails for such notable establishments as the Bellagio resort and casino in Las Vegas. Just as in kitchens, the trend is toward fresh, seasonal ingredients and premium artisanal goods - in this case, spirits.

"We're in the midst of the second golden age of cocktails," Mr. Abou-Ganim says.

Especially hot are Latin traditions. On the heels of the Cuban mojito craze comes the caipirinha. It's a strong, lime-flavoured drink reminiscent of a classic rum daiquiri, but made with Brazilian cachaca (ka-SHA-sa), a spirit distilled from sugar cane juice. The frothy pisco sour is also popular; it includes egg whites, lime juice and pisco, a brandy with roots in Peru.

Even the trendsetting mojito is experiencing a rebirth. Jeff Schaus, who oversees the bars at Calgary's Metropolitan Grill restaurants, sells upward of 200 a night. "The style is as fresh as possible, with herbs and purées," says Mr. Schaus, who will represent Canada at the 11th annual Finlandia Vodka Cup Finals in Finland in February. "The key is getting the kitchen involved."

In Toronto, Adrian Stein shakes up purple basil grapefruit vojitos (mojitos with vodka) at Italian restaurant Mistura. "It's always fresh fruit - I cut it à la minute," he says. For the new year, he's readying a different approach. "Right now I'm heading to the savoury side - cucumber and radish juice with pear vodka and ginger."

Indeed, flavours are getting bolder across Canada. Bartenders in several cities talked about blending ingredients such as agave nectar, ginger, elderflower and rhubarb with infused vodkas and sweet liqueurs such as Tuaca or Chambord.

"We're excited about Chartreuse and sake," says Brian Grant of Voya Restaurant in Vancouver. "And food flavour combinations, like strawberry with balsamic."

Finding the right balance for such drinks - the perfect marriage of strong spirit with sweet and bitter components - means that the new cocktails are "longer" than traditional drinks, often shaken with lots of crushed ice and fresh fruit juices, or muddled (mashed) with whole fruit and herbs.

Even strong bitters, such as the Italian herbal-based digestif Fernet-Branca, are finding their way into drinks.

But no one is taking it to the extreme like Canadian-born "molecular mixologist" Jamie Boudreau, who now shakes in Seattle: He offers up bacon-infused bourbon and chocolate cocktails.

Not ready for meat in your martini glass? The winners of the recent Finlandia Vodka Cup regional contests in Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal shared the hottest cocktails in their respective cities, along with their winning recipes for holiday drinks (at right).

CANADA'S HOTTEST COCKTAILS

JEFF SCHAUS

METROPOLITAN GRILL

CALGARY

"We're looking at the bar like a kitchen - using fresh juices and purées as much as possible, but simple is better."

Signature cocktail: Limestone Lemonade (see recipe)

Hot Calgary cocktail: Mojito

New Year's Eve cocktail: Cosmopolitan (vodka, Cointreau and fresh lime with cranberry juice)

Limestone Lemonade

1 ounce Finlandia Lime Vodka

1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 ounce simple syrup

2 ounces water

1 sprig fresh rosemary

Shake with crushed ice and strain into a tall, narrow cocktail glass. Garnish with rosemary sprig and lime wheel.

JASON BRUS

RADIO LOUNGE

MONTREAL

"I'm the fast-food bartender - people here buy vodka by the bottle and the girls like sweet drinks."

Signature cocktail: Jason's Sweet (1 ounce apricot brandy, 1 ounce Amaretto with orange and cranberry juices)

Hot Montreal cocktail: XO Cognac

New Year's Eve cocktail: Jason's Sami Punch (see recipe)

Jason's Sami Punch

½ ounce Finlandia vodka

½ ounce Cointreau

¼ ounce apricot brandy

Splash each of orange, cranberry and grape juice

Shake all ingredients with crushed ice and strain into a martini glass, edged in powdered green sugar and garnished with exotic fruits.

BRIAN GRANT

VOYA RESTAURANT

VANCOUVER

"It's the renaissance of the golden age of cocktails - drinks like the sidecar and sazerac - made with aged bourbons, tequilas and liqueurs with character."

Signature cocktail: Old Dog, New Tricks (twist on a salty dog with vodka, sparkling wine, pink grapefruit, black raspberry liqueur and pink sea salt)

Hot Vancouver cocktail: Sazerac

New Year's Eve cocktail: Jack Rose (Calvados, lemon juice and homemade grenadine)

Mango "J" Collins

2 ounces Finlandia Mango Vodka

¾ ounce saffron-infused simple syrup

1 ounce lemon juice

½ ounce mango juice

3 ounces soda water

Shake all with ice (except soda) and strain into a Collins glass. Top with soda. Garnish with a fan of fresh mango dusted with ground saffron.

Cinda Chavich