Our History

A Canadian creation, the Caesar (or Bloody Caesar) was invented in 1969 to celebrate the opening of Marco's Italian restaurant at the Calgary Inn (now the Westin Calgary). Resident mixologist and food and beverage manager, Walter Chell, was commissioned to develop a new cocktail. He took inspiration from the flavours of Spaghetti Vongole (spaghetti with clams), and combined sweet (tomato juice), salty (clam nectar), sour (lime), spicy (Worcestershire sauce) and bitter (celery salt) into his new concoction. After naming it for the Roman emperor, legend has it that he served one to an Englishman who exclaimed: "That's a good bloody Caesar!"

That same year Mott's Clamato was introduced and is, without a doubt, Canada's original and most popular Caesar mix found on store shelves across the country and isused in most bars and restaurants. In fact, many establishments use the Caesar as their signature cocktail, with more than 350 million Caesars made with Mott's Clamato every year! No wonder it is Canada's Cocktail.