By Kathy Mak When I think of sublime cocktails, I think of bartender Tarquin Melynik. He is among the top cadre of bartenders elevating the cocktail game in Vancouver. I first met Melynik in 2014 when he was the bar manager at Gastown’s Bambudda, which shuttered in 2017. His level of creativity–panache, really–had an indelible effect on many cocktail aficionados, including yours truly. He continues to improve the art of libations, currently helming the cocktail program at the Long Table Distillery’s lounge. During a recent visit to the distillery, Melynik told me that when he first became interested in cocktails over a decade ago beverages were not understood in the same way that chefs knew cuisine. At that time, as an example, fresh ingredients or juices were not used for mixing at bars. “To train as a bartender, you had to travel to cities like New York, San Francisco, Tokyo…
