Review:

This cocktail, which is popular in the city from which it takes its name, was originally made with French dry vermouth but since the turn of the century has been made with Italian sweet vermouth. I've opted for the 'perfect' solution with 50% dry and 50% sweet vermouths.

History:

Recipe adapted from the About Town Cocktail Book which featured popular food and drink recipes in Vancouver and was published in 1925 by Mitchell Publishing, a local publishing company.

VANCOUVER
Dash of Orange Bitters
50% Gin
30% French Vermouth
20% Benedictine
Olive

About Town Cocktail Book, 1925

Interestingly, the book also includes a riff on the Vancouver called a Fitchett which is the same drink but with sweet vermouth in place of dry vermouth. The entry also explains this cocktail's name.

FITCHETT
JOSEPH A. FITCHETT, Vancouver Club head bar steward, who has no doubt thrown many a cocktail together for you, originated this one. Of the thousand and one drinks he can mix we believe it is the best.
50% Gin
30% Italian Vermouth
20% Benedictine
Dash Orange Bitters
Serve with olive or cherry.

About Town Cocktail Book, 1925

The book's writer is unnamed but in the introduction she says, Joe Fitchett "has not only been kind enough to check every single recipe for us but has added many of his own special and excellent cocktails."

Prior to a 2nd March 2020 article in Canada's Scout Magazine which brought the above entries in the About Town Cocktail Book to everybody's attention, the accepted recipe for a Vancouver was actually that for Fitchett using sweet vermouth.

Nutrition:

One serving of Vancouver contains 216 calories