MUDL Magazine - Issue #3 by MUDL Magazine. Mixology Released

QTR 1 2012 Regular Price R39.95 (VAT incl) SPECIAL OFFER R20.00 (VAT incl) ISSN 2224-9109

TRACY McGREGOR

COGNAC COCKTAIL RECIPES SPIKE MARCHANT & the World Class Programme

shakes a Burlesque Martini

Shaun Duvet talks

DEADMAU5 A DRY SHAKE Gaz Regan

MIXO VS FLAIR Tom Dyer

SPIRIT SPOTLIGHT: Bisquit Cognac

GRAPES, MORE THAN JUST WINE

MAX’S

Ekasi Style Bar

SKYY

Global Challenge

03 QTR 1 2012

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MAGAZINE 5

O N D I S C E R N I N G TA S T E

C O C K TA I LS W I T H A V I E W

Drink Responsibly. Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18.

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Editor Ross Shepherd Managing Editor and Operations Grant McDonald Art Director Sarah McLean Contributors Andrew Mullins, Etienne Schlechter, Gary Regan, Ryan Duwenage, Shaun Duvet, Simon Difford, Tom Dyer and Travis Kuhn Editorial Enquiries Tel: 021 447 6008, Fax: 021 447 3097 info@mudlmag.com Advertising, Marketing and Distribution grant.m@mudlmag.com Subscription, Newsletter & Retail enquiries grant.m@mudlmag.com MUDL is published by MUDL Media MUDL Magazine, Block C, Black River Park – North, 2 Fir Street, Observatory, Cape Town, 7925 Quarterly Distribution MUDL Magazine is distributed quarterly throughout South Africa to over 2,000 on-consumption and retail outlets. Visit the MUDL website at www.mudlmag.com Or go to Twitter: @MUDLmag Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ MUDLmag

12 Industry News − South Africa A selection of what has been happening in the liquor industry throughout South Africa.

16 Industry News − International A selection of what has been happening in the liquor industry worldwide.

26 Grapes, More Than Just Wine Travis Kuhn explains the term “Country of Appellation”.

30 Ekasi Style Bars: Max’s Lifestyle Lounge Travel with us to Umlazi, KZN, to experience the wonder that is “Max’s”.

40 Anything Goes: Deadmau5 in South Africa Shaun Duvet’s rundown of how the event came to fruition.

48 Spirit Spotlight: Bisquit Cognac All you need to know about Bisquit Cognac.

59 Cognac Cocktail Recipe Guide A selection of cognac concoctions.

68 A Dry Shake for Cocktails isn’t so New after all Gaz Regan re-introduces us to the joy of a dry shake.

70 SAFFAS Abroad: Skyy Global Challenge Travis Kuhn recounts his trip to London & Dubai for the Skyy Global Challenge.

83 Mixo vs Flair

ON THE COVER

Tracy McGregor Photograph David Lazarus Venue Valora, Cape Town

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the

ac Cogn tails Cock 59

Tom Dyer tackles the age old rift between Mixology and Flair.

108 How to make a... Burlesque Martini Tracy McGregor shakes up with style.

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Liquid Lifestyles: Hunter’s Ultimate Urban Oasis Tour 22 Liquid Lifestyles: brandhouse World Class In the know 23 Liquid Lifestyles: Hendrick’s Gin, 34 The History of Bartending − The Grand Etienne Schlechter 28 Liquid Lifestyles: Hennessy KAWS 38 The Heart of Bartending − Launch, Hush Ryan Duvenage 35 Liquid Lifestyles: Pink Pigeon, 45 History of Cognac − The Grand Cognac Experts.com 44 Hennessy and Chocolates 77 Nielson Report − 72 World Class Brandy & Cognac Market 87 CFS & NFS 78 Menu Development: Psychology − 89 Liquid Lifestyles: Get-A-Grip, Andrew Mullins Eastwoods 88 ARA assists in Combating 112 Leap Year Underage Purchase of Alcohol

66 7

What’s been happening

92 96

Molecular Mixology − Darcy O’Neil Social Media for your Business − Social + One

Products 24

People to know 36 World Class Spike Marchant 42 A Century in a Carafe, Remy Martin Ambassador Guillaume Cadilhac

Places to go 32

International Bar Review: Please Don’t Tell (PDT) 66 Venue Review: Billy the B.U.M’s 103 Docklands Hotel, Durban Waterfront

Plugged, Played, Purchased − Conor van Gesselleen 56 SA Cognac Availability 63 Product Glossary 74 Courvoisier Cognac − Simon Difford 85 Available Apps: Muddler, LLC 94 Birth of a Brand - Kamm & Sons 106 Hennessy

How to 86

Shaker Flair Studio

MUDL Info 6 Editor’s Letter 8 Social Media 10 MUDL Subscriptions 11 You know you want it 98 MUDL Directory 104 MUDL Next Issue

ISSUE 03 2012

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R R E O T I T T ED

LEOM THE FR

Andrew Mullins is Operations Director at Fling International. Fling International is a group of professional bar developers and hospitality operators dedicated to the improvement of bartending, bar operation, hospitality training & guest experience worldwide.

EPHE

S SH Y ROS

Andrew Mullins

Etienne Schlechter Etienne is the Managing Director of Bartenders Workshop. He is also the President of the South African Bartenders Association, has judged the world flair competition for two years in a row and is on the World Cocktail Committee. Etienne is also responsible for the running of the National Flair and Cocktail Bartending Championships.

MAGAZINE

Dear MUDL’ers,

The signs are there. The days are slowly getting shorter, the leaves are starting to change colour and the mornings bring with them a chill that makes relinquishing the duvet a little harder. [For the bartenders among you, “morning” is that time between midnight and lunch when you’re still sleeping]. Yes, summer is winding down, and what a season it’s been. Across venues, liquor categories and brands it’s been one of unpredictability and mixed fortunes as the stakes continue to rise amidst growing competition. It’s great for the industry but it does mean the pressure is on. One category that is enjoying something of a global revival at the moment is cognac, which is the subject of our category focus this issue. It’s nothing new, and owes a lot of its success to hip hop for introducing it to a new market outside the smoky confines of elitest cigar rooms. Although Busta Rhymes’ 2002 song “Pass the Courvoisier” probably had the most explosive impact on cognac sales, the earliest mention I could dig up was from Humpty Hump of Digital Underground when he said “I’ll drink up all the Hennessy you got on your shelf, so just let me introduce myself” in “The Humpty Dance” in 1990. Other notable mentions of cognac, or “yak” as it is known in hip hop slang, are Snoop Dogg’s “Cognac is the drink that’s drank by G’s” in his 1993 song “G’z Up Hoes Down” and Coolio’s “Rollin’ with my homies... sippin’ yak all night” in his 1995 song “Rollin’ With My Homies”. All of a sudden cognac became cool, as a younger affluent crowd discovered its magical allure. Obviously the various brands have taken note and adjusted their positioning accordingly. No longer are they punting their

Gary Regan Gary Regan, bartender extraordinaire, was born over a pub in Lancashire, England. An expert on spirits and cocktails, he has written numerous articles on bar service and liquor. He has also worked as a consultant to restaurants and liquor companies, written about drinks and drinking, and coordinated with his wife Mardee Haidin Regan on a variety of food and beverage-oriented projects.

heritage to the same extent, preferring to leverage its relevance to an aspirational target market as a symbol of achievement and excellence. This strategy is seeing traction around the world, especially in the Far East where cognac is flying off the shelves. In addition to our usual contributions from Andrew Mullins, Tom Dyer and Gaz Regan, we have Travis Kuhn talking about his recent trip to the finals of the SKYY Global Flair Challenge in London and Shaun Duvet discusses the benefits of aligning brands with high-profile performers. For aspiring bartenders and venue owners looking to help your bar staff be more effective, Ryan Duwenage shares some tips on how to best interact with guests, and the duo from Shaker are back again with some useful flair lessons. So pour yourself a Bisquit Summit cocktail, kick back and enjoy issue #3. Regards,

Ryan Duwenage Ryan is a Durban based bartender and trainer for the Barcode Bar Academy and Bespoke Bar Services. He is a 2 x South African National Cocktail Champion and represented South Africa at the IBA World Championships in 2010 and 2009. Ryan was also selected as one of the world’s 12 finest Gin bartenders in the G’Vine Gin Connoisseurs Program. Locally, Ryan is the Durban representative of the South African Bartenders Association. Shaun Duvet Shaun Duvet is the Managing Director of entertainment-based marketing agency, Anything Goes. Anything Goes has been operating for close on ten years with the business focusing on largescale events, international DJs, live acts and touring. Anything Goes also has an incredible media and marketing department that produces all the collateral for the shows. Simon Difford Simon Difford has been involved in most aspects of the drinks industry from running his own off licence and wholesale company to importing and brand creation, but is best known as a drinks writer and publisher. Tom Dyer Tom Dyer is one of the finest flair bartenders on the planet, appearing in almost every significant flair bartending movie made in the last 3 years. He is also co-founder of the World Flair Association, an organisation dedicated to flair bartending around the globe. Travis Kuhn Travis is the owner of Pure Bar Studios and is currently, and has been for six years running, the South African National Flair Bartending Champion. His travels and constant hands-on experience of mixology on a global scale allows Travis to funnel knowledge and world drinking trends into the industry with various training programs.

Ross Shepherd Editor — MUDL Magazine

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info@mudlmag.com

@MUDLmag

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NERS LAST ISSUE’S WIN Oakley frames: and men’s frames “Plaintiff” Van Fletcher gets the ered”. mp “Pa es fram ies’ lad Bianca Uriot wins the Passoa Hamper:

Mike Groenewald

Pure Bar Studios:

Dominic Walsh

Campari Poster: bs all get one. Clulow and Jason Hob Barend Heiberg, Jolene

Balance: Russian Bear and New

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Shaun Duvet (@shaunduvet) CAPE TOWN 07/02/2012

@mudlmag finishing up a very cool interview/ piece for @mudlmag. Get ready lads.. lots of juicy stuff ;) cc: @anythinggoes_ct

Tash Bryant (@TashJayne) PRETORIA 02/02/2012

Should I use @mudlmag to help me with Valentines Day? Nope, think I’ll cut up cosmo instead... @mudlmag can help me try mix drinks...

Barend (@barendh123) JOHANNESBURG 13/01/2012

The world is my mixer ... @mudlmag

Peneolpe Amatt (@Penelope_Shaker) BIRMINGHAM 13/01/2012

@mudlmag Enjoying reading this months Rum edition!

Doug Hardes Williams (@Doug_HW) JOHANNESBURG 10/01/2012

Eventually some decent reading material courtesy of @mudlmag ! Happy Days http://pic. twitter.com/Jnn7W7W7

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Don’t Drink And Snip. Cut Responsibly Complete the form below, attach a copy of your ID and post it to: MUDL Magazine, 2C Black River Park − North, Fir Street, Observatory, Cape Town, 7925 or email your details to info@mudlmag.com together with proof of payment (see banking details below). Title:

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Subscription fee: R140 (4 issues)* *RSA delivery only and foreign subscriptions by request. I do not wish to recieve promotional material from MUDL For Electronic Transfers: Name: RW Shepherd Investment Holding T/A MUDLMAG Bank: Standard Bank Branch: Milnerton Code: 051001 Acc: 078244935 Subscription Terms and Conditions: Subscription and promotions available for South African delivery only. Email addresses and phone numbers will be for the use of MUDL promotional material only. Your privacy will be respected and your details will not be sold to any third party. For 4 issues only.

MIXOLOGYRELEASED

W! O N K T I U T OU WAN YO Y

Post a photo of you and your friends out and about with MUDL, preferably with cocktail in hand, The pic that appeals to us the most will will be published in the next issue of MUDL and will win a mobile bar party AT THE WINNER’S HOUSE for up to 30 people! The photo can be taken anywhere, so get creative. Tag your photos by the 18th May 2012 to stand a chance.

Terms and Conditions:

• T he judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. • The prize is not transferable or redeemable for cash. • The person submitting the entry must appear in the photo and own it. • By submitting a photo it is implied that you give MUDL permission to publish it in the magazine and on the MUDL online platforms. • All entrants must be over the age of 18. • The prize constitutes a fully stocked mobile cocktail bar manned by two or more mixologists. The bar will arrive any time from 5pm to set up and will start packing up at midnight at the latest. Anything not mentioned here is not included in the prize. • This competition is open only to residents of South Africa who live in and around the JHB, PTA, CT, DBN or PE areas.

WIN A NIGHT FOR 2 AT DOCKLANDS HOTEL AT THE DURBAN WATERFRONT What do people who drink pink drinks think? Tell us what’s on your mind and stand a chance to win. Write to us with suggestions of interesting features you would like to see covered in the next edition of MUDL. The submission we use in the next issue wins! It’s that simple. We know it would be reward enough just to see your concept published (really we do) but we’d like to show our appreciation all the same. What can we win, we hear you ask! A night for 2 at Docklands Hotel in Durban. See page 103 for more details on this funky new hotel. Please note that the prize covers room only. Send your ideas to: info@mudlmag.com Terms and Conditions: • • • • •

Entries close on 18th May 2012 Prize is not transferrable or redeemable for cash, and is subject to availability. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Employees of MUDL and associated companies are not eligible to enter. Flights and transport are not included.

WIN A RESERVE BRANDS HAMPER Take a photo with your camera phone of a barman at a venue pouring any of the three Reserve Brands pictured above, post it on the MUDL Facebook wall with the name of the venue, and you could WIN this amazing hamper. As if you needed any more incentive to enjoy these great brands… Post your photos on our wall by 18th May 2012 to stand a chance.

Terms and Conditions:

• T he judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. • The prize is not transferable or redeemable for cash. • By submitting a photo it is implied that you give MUDL permission to publish it in the magazine and on the MUDL online platforms. • All entrants must be over the age of 18. • The prize constitutes 1 bottle of Ciroc Vodka, 1 bottle of Don Julio Reposado Tequila and 1 bottle of Tanqueray No. Ten Gin.

WIN WITH BISQUIT Win one of 3 pairs of True Religion Brand Jeans worth R5,400 each OR one of 3 Bisquit Cognac hampers! Go to Facebook.com/BisquitCognac for more details (see page 60) and terms and conditions.

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STRIKE A POSE

S W E N Y R T S U D IN rica f A h t u o S

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SPRINGBANK RETURNS TO SA

After a few years of not being readily available, the highly sought after, iconic single malts whiskies of SpringBank are finally back on shelves in SA. This family run operation is one of the oldest independent distilleries in Scotland and is the only one in the country to carry out the full production process – from traditional floor malting, maturation to bottling − on one site, and all by hand. This limited edition range of Single Malts offers something for everyone, from the whisky novice to the connoisseur, and includes a 10 year old, 12 year old (bottled at cask strength), 15 year old and finally the 18 year old. Each whisky is unique, with a specific flavour profile entwined with a distinct salty tang. This is due to its

coastal location and the strong sea air that blows into the warehouse as the whisky matures, but just like sprinkling salt into a dish, it helps to bring out and highlight the countless other flavours in the spirit rather than overshadow them and has become an integral part of this much love, cult classic whisky. The consistent high levels of quality within each bottle have seen them win many an award and accolade, including Whisky of the Year by Whisky Magazine for the 12 year old. Springbank will soon be available in limited quantities through various premium liquor stores or direct from Liquidity, purveyors of fine wines and spirits. Contact them on 021 905 9066 or sales@liq.co.za for more info.

CALLING ALL SA FLAIRTENDERS! The rules and regulations for the SABA National Flairtending Association Competition, sponsored by Mainstay, Finest Call and Cubana, are available. Below are the basics, but please email Etienne Schlechter if you want a full comprehensive copy – Etienne@bartendersworkshop.co.za.

COMPETITION FORMAT

Three regional heats will be held in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. The top twelve will be invited to participate in the national final at Cubana Stellenbosch. Flights for the Johannesburg and Durban regional

winners to the final will be covered by the sponsors. Bartenders from every region will be invited to attend the competition and the eventual overall winner will be the 2012 champion and go to Beijing. Bartenders will be required to make three cocktails, all three of which must contain Mainstay and Finest Call.

Heats: • Cubana Claremont – 13 June 2012 • Cubana Menlyn – 20 June 2012 • Cubana Durban – 27 June 2012 • Cubana Stellenbosch (Finals) – 11 July 2012y

DURBAN FLAIR SOCIETY LAUNCHES Flairtenders in KZN, and Durban in particular, are finally set to get the support and recognition they deserve. If you are interested in finding out more, contact Ryan Duwenage at ryan@barcodemobile.co.za, and he will be able to supply you with information on competitions, workshops and more.

Parts of the draft Gauteng liquor bill could be difficult to enforce, the Industry Association for Responsible Alcohol Use (ARA) said recently. A prohibition on selling alcohol to pregnant women showed commitment to the prevention of foetal alcohol syndrome, but could prove difficult in practice, said ARA director Adrian Botha. “While the intentions behind the legislation are good, it presents a difficulty for the seller: how do they know if a woman is pregnant?”

According to a section of the draft legislation, a licensed liquor trader will not be allowed to sell, supply or give alcohol to minors, anyone wearing a school uniform, anyone who “reasonably appears to be intoxicated”, or pregnant women. The draft bill also makes no distinction between on-premise consumption and offpremise sales of alcohol. “[According to the draft] pregnant women will not be allowed to buy a bottle of wine for her family and friends to drink at home,” said Botha.

MAGAZINE

ARA – GAUTENG LIQUOR BILL HARD TO ENFORCE

BRANDHOUSE ANNOUNCES JUDGES FOR THE 2012 RESPONSIBLE DRINKING MEDIA AWARDS Prominent Cape Talk presenter Kieno Kammies, and chief director of the National Liquor Authority (NLA) Thezi Mabuza will be joining marketing guru, Chris Moerdyk, former RDMA judge, to complete this year’s judging panel. “The awards, now in their second year, showcase journalistic efforts in supporting, promoting and contributing to the Responsible Drinking agenda and ultimately helping change consumer behaviour,” says Heather Noble, Responsible Drinking Campaign Manager at brandhouse. “Being part of the 2011 brandhouse RDMA’s was a great experience. The awards were a huge success, and I am looking forward to honouring journalists who are making a difference by informing South Africans about responsible drinking, at this year’s RDMA’s, ”

says Chris Moerdyk. The objective of the awards is to encourage journalists to use their individual approach and messaging influences to proactively gain traction with their readers and shape perceptions and behaviour around drunk driving, as well as other alcohol-related issues such as under-age drinking, foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and binge drinking. The awards are open to all South African journalists who consistently demonstrate efforts to support and promote responsible drinking and associated issues. Articles must be published in South African media (print, broadcast, online). Any stories on responsible drinking can be covered including issues related to alcohol abuse, its consequences and how to address these challenges. The entry categories for the 2012 brandhouse

RDMA include:

• Journalist

of the Year (Prize money of R10 000) • Best Magazine (Prize money of R10 000) • Best Newspaper (Prize money of R10 000) Broadcast -Radio/TV • Best (Prize money of R10 000) • Best Online (Prize money of R10 000) • Best Blog (Prize money of R10 000) • Best Community (Prize money of R10 000)

ALCOHOL ADVERTISING BAN NOT DEFINITE There are no definite plans to ban alcohol adverts but all options to curb alcohol abuse are being considered, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Elizabeth Thabethe said recently. “Everything is still under discussion. These are possible actions,” she told a liquor regulation conference in Midrand. Thabethe said alcohol abuse in South Africa had reached a crisis, particularly among youth. For this reason, alcohol advertising that glorified liquor consumption, particularly to young people, was not acceptable. “It is not right to promote liquor as we are doing in South Africa. We’ll continue to

MALIBU COCONUT RUM LAUNCHES TWO READY-TO-POUR BAG-IN-A-BOX COCKTAILS Malibu Coconut, the delicious coconut rum from the Caribbean, has launched two 1.5-litre bag-in-a-box cocktails: ‘Apple & Guava’ and ‘Iced Tea: Peach & Mango’, with an ABV of 5.4%. These cocktails are the latest offering in the rapidly expanding ready-to-pour drinks category where the convenient format is revolutionising how consumers drink premixed spirits. Inviting and contemporary, summery and fun, light and refreshing, New Malibu Coconut mixed with Apple & Guava or Peach & Mango Iced Tea is perfect for chillaxing

with friends – delicious, sophisticated and easy, without the hassle of mixing. Just chill, pour over ice and serve. The ever popular Malibu Coconut Rum, now infused with exotic complementary fruit flavours and capitalising on the growth in the iced tea category, is bound to be a hit, providing consumers with an exceptionally refreshing take on Malibu’s summer taste. These new 1.5-litre Malibu Coconut spirit coolers, Apple & Guava and Iced Tea: Peach & Mango are widely available nationally.

look at that if advertising companies don’t comply or work with us.” Thabethe said advertising companies and liquor outlets needed to “come to the party”. “You must be responsible if you want to continue selling alcohol... we are saying work together with us.” If this did not happen, then as a “last, last resort”, the banning of alcohol advertising could be considered. “We expect the industry to come on board and say this is what we can do (to selfregulate),” Thabethe said.

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NEW Y R UST D N I ica r f A h Sout

DESIDERIUS PONGRÁCZ SCOOPS 90+ IN INTERNATIONAL WINE REVIEW IN THE USA Desiderius Pongrácz 2003, the singularly noble flagship of South Africa’s much loved Méthode Cap Classique range, has achieved the venerable 90+ rating for excellence from the International Wine Review, the highly respected American-based bi-monthly wine report. Described as “very, very good” and “one of South Africa’s finest tasting sparkling wines” by publisher Mike Potashnik and editor Don Winkler, the ultraelegant Desiderius Pongrácz 2003 was one of 750 South African wines costing $15 or more tasted by this experienced duo. Their praiseworthy tasting notes read as follows: “It’s a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir that spends an astounding 87 months on the lees. The result is a beautiful and subtle wine showing freshly baked

bread, cured lemon and lightly toasted almond aromas and a delicately flavoured, very fine palate.” The section on sparkling wines concludes that the best of the South African Cap Classiques which received over 90 points “can compete with the best New World sparkling wines anywhere.” The International Wine Review praises the high quality of South African wines, largely due to intelligent vineyard management practices, the careful selection of vineyard sites and grape varieties, and a strong commitment to craft terroir-based wines. The review lauds the expertise applied in winemaking, including the use of minimalist winemaking techniques where possible and conserving South Africa’s bio-diversity. The award winning Desiderius Pongrácz 2003 is available at selected boutique.

SA MICROBREWERY TASTES SUCCESS IN BRITAIN

Zulu Blonde, a beer first brewed in a garden shed in Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal is selling “like a rocket” since it went on tap in over 900 pubs across the UK last Wednesday. It is extraordinary that a beer made in a micro brewery in a small South African town is finding favour in the fiercely competitive international beer market dominated by big multi-national brewing companies. “They were sold out on Zulu Blonde in the top

two pubs out of the 900 in the group, in the first three hours,” says Richard Chennells, brewer and owner of the George Hotel in Eshowe. The 33-year-old returned from the UK last week, having completed an order to brew Zulu Blonde for the JD Wetherspoon chain of pubs. The beer will be made at the Caledonian brewery in Edinburgh, Scotland. The story of Zulu Blonde started eight years ago. The initial idea was to market Zulu Blonde from a tap sticking out of the rear light of a Land Rover at golf clubs and other venues in Johannesburg, to lure golfers for “beer and golf” weekends in Eshowe. Zulu Blonde was initially brewed through “trial and error,” says Mr Chennells, who studied brewing in the US after a stint working as a merchant banker. For a while “things started to fizzle” because the next step would normally have been to inject a large amount of capital into the venture and build a large-scale commercial brewery, which Mr Chennells could not do. Mr Chennells was then invited to participate

in the Real Ale Festival in the UK — the biggest festival of its kind in that country — where Zulu Blonde won the award as the top beer of the festival. During the 2010 Soccer World Cup, JD Wetherspoon approached him to brew beer for the chain, to provide a “South African flavour” at their pubs during the tournament. At one stage thereafter, Mr Chennells approached SABMiller CEO Graham Mackay for advice on the next step for Zulu Blonde — Mr Mackay also grew up in Eshowe. “When he (Mr Mackay) said that Zulu Blonde would only ever be a flavour of the week, I decided now the game is really on,” he says. Mr Chennells says discussions are under way in Europe and the US to find a way to tap into the over 50000hl of orders of Zulu Blonde that Mr Chennells estimates are still waiting to be fulfilled. While the beer can be had at the George Hotel, it is not available in the rest of SA. Mr Chennells says it remains a long-term dream of his to be able to bottle the beer.

MOROKA SWALLOWS FC SCORES A GOAL FOR RESPONSIBLE DRINKING The brandhouse DRINKiQ in partnership with South African Football Players Union roadshow moved to one of South oldest clubs, Moroka Swallows, at the Volkswagen Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto in February. The brandhouse DRINKiQ workshops aim to educate players about alcohol use and misuse and enable them to become ambassadors for responsible drinking so they can help shape South Africans’ behaviour to make the right choices. “As advertising regulations are being reformed in the country, we need to ensure that we preserve space for alcohol companies to partner with the sporting fraternity to promote responsible drinking. Social responsibility campaigns such as DRINKiQ are a growing aspect of sports sponsorship,”

says Norman Reyneker, Corporate Relations Director at brandhouse. Some of the soccer players and stars who participated in the session included Captain of Moroka Swallows and former Bafana Bafana Midfielder Lefa Tsutsulupa, Joseph Makhanya and David Mathebula to name a few. “More and more team players are faced with challenges of alcohol abuse. An initiative of this nature is important in empowering players to make the correct decisions regarding alcohol use,” said Moroka Swallows Brand and Communications Manager Mr. Siyabonga Sangweni. The brandhouse DRINKiQ sport initiative is endorsed by the South African Football Players Union.

“We are really proud to be part of this much needed initiative. Alcohol abuse is a serious problem in South Africa, across all communities – and this includes the sporting fraternity. The subject of the brandhouse DRINKiQ workshop is very close to my heart and I lend it my full support,” says Haraipha “Simba” Marumo who is the President of the Union.

MAGAZINE SAB TASTE SPECIALIST CLAIMS LEAD IN GLOBAL BEER TASTING CHALLENGE SABMiller’s global Taster of the Year title is now held by a woman from the brewer’s South African operation, the South African Breweries (SAB). Frieda Dehrmann, SAB’s Consumer Science and Sensory Manager, claimed the title after a gruelling challenge amongst 6 highly skilled tasters from six international regions served by SABMiller. The group’s approximate 1600 tasters participate in the event. The Taster of the Year challenge is in

its fourth year and pits some of the brewer’s best beer tasters from its operations around the world against one another. The event was introduced in 2008 with the aim of recognising the skills of SABMiller’s tasters and their critical contribution to the quality of the end product. It also aims to encourage, maintain and further improve performance in this area. Women have taken the top position since the event’s inception.

KENNY KUNENE GOES INTO VODKA ZAR mogul Kenny Kunene is set to expand his empire to include an exclusive brand of the Russian drink. According to media reports, Kunene will be launching his own brand of vodka with his business partner Gayton McKenzie. The two are rumoured to have met with some of the biggest vodka distributors in the Ukraine, and are hoping to import vodka into South Africa under their own brand name. Kunene told Saturday Star the venture will be costly but the product

itself will be reasonably priced. The bulk of the duo’s investment would go into marketing and the vodka will be “around the same price as vodkas such as Smirnoff and so on”. “We have always wanted to have our very own alcohol brand. We are in the nightclub business and we are always looking to maximise our potential and this is a great idea,” says Kunene. Kunene did not reveal the name of the brand he intends to import.

GREAT KINGS STREET WINS BLENDED WHISKY OF THE YEAR Compass Box Great King Street – “The Artist’s Blend” has been awarded the 2011 “ Best Blended Whisky of the Year” Award from Whisky Advocate magazine. Artist’s Blend is the first whisky in the new range from Compass Box solely dedicated to Blended Scotch Whisky. The whisky is rich, round and fruity with hints of toasty oak, vanilla and spice. Using a high proportion of malt whisky combined with truly excellent quality grain whiskies, from

individually chosen casks from some of Scotland’s best distilleries, this craft blend is very approachable and easy drinking, yet complex. Enjoy neat, on ice, as a refreshing Highball with soda water or in a variety of cocktails. Available through various premium liquor stores or direct from Liquidity, purveyors of fine wines and spirits. Contact them on 021 905 9066 or orders@liq. co.za for more info. (RSP R290)

LIQUOR CONSUMPTION PATTERNS IN SA A FOUR YEAR OVERVIEW Year End June VOLUME = ‘000L BRANDY Gin Cane Vodka WHITE SPIRITS Liqueurs Whisky Rum TOTAL SPIRITS SPARKLING WINE HP Natural MP Natural SP Still Perlé TOTAL NATURAL TOTAL FORTIFIED WINES RTDs SUBTOTAL BEER GRAND TOTAL

2006/2007 Volume Value 46,600 4,102,664 6,300 483,714 2,300 124,752 13,925 960,547 22,525 1,569,013 10,200 892,500 30,600 3,745,746 4,900 552,475 114,825 10,862,398 8,000 459,200 44,000 1,870,440 70,000 1,000,300 121,000 999,460 43,600 715,476 278,600 4,585,676 29,660 889,800 302,000 5,152,120 733,085 21,949,194 2,778,600 25,007,400 3,511,685 46,956,594

2010/2011 Volume Value 39,000 4,688,970 5,320 574,879 1,800 139,968 16,750 1,637,983 23,870 2,352,830 9,500 861,650 34,000 5,797,000 4,950 719,483 111,320 14,419,932 8,320 640,307 45,000 2,479,950 82,600 1,637,958 91,000 1,093,820 52,800 1,048,080 271,400 6,259,808 28,595 1,163,817 354,000 8,206,200 773,635 30,690,064 2,937,000 35,831,400 3,710,635 66,521,464

For the full reprt by Elias Holtzkampf, visit http://www.sawis.co.za/info/download/Liquor_consumption_article_feb_2012.pdf

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DIAGEO LAUNCHES TWO NEW JOHNNIE WALKER WHISKIES Diageo GTME Americas has launched two new products under the Johnnie Walker brand. Johnnie Walker Platinum Label and Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve will launch in the Americas first, followed by a global roll-out in travel retail in the first half of 2012. Platinum Label is inspired by the Walker family’s historic tradition of creating exclusive ‘private blends’, for favoured customers, directors of the company and ‘select private gatherings. It was created by master blender, Jim Beveridge, for ‘increasingly sophisticated global consumers’ – or the ‘new whisky set’ as Diageo has called them. It is described as a ‘delicate smoky blend that embodies the characteristic full flavours of Johnnie Walker blended scotch whiskies reflecting a strong, sweet and elegant Speyside style’. Patinum Label has an RRP of $86 for 75cl and will sit towards the top end of the Johnnie Walker

range. Gregorio Gutierrez, regional director, Diageo GTME Americas said, “Johnnie Walker Platinum Label is the richest, most precious, crafted 18 year old Blended Scotch Whisky John Walker & Sons has ever created – its price point reflects this. It is a thoroughly modern interpretation of the ‘private blends’ that our company has produced from the very beginning and is a contemporary blended scotch whisky that is perfect for exclusive occasions.” Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve was launched at IAADFS in Orlando. It is said to be inspired by the 190-year lineage of the Johnnie Walker story and created using Beveridge’s ‘favoured whiskies’, including casks of Clynelish malt whisky. The target audience is ‘up and coming affluent male and female consumers’ and is expected to have strong appeal in emerging markets.

CAMPARI ANNOUNCES THE FIRST-EVER “BEST APERITIVO” COCKTAIL COMPETITION WITH U.S. BARTENDERS’ GUILD Campari announced the first-ever Campari “Best Aperitivo” Cocktail Competition in conjunction with the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild (USBG), a competition designed to seek out the best drinks made with Campari as an aperitivo. The regional finalists will each win a trip to New York City to compete at the final competition on Sunday, May 13, 2012 during the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. The judges include industry luminaries: USBG President David Nepove, bar legend Tony Abou-Ganim, master mixologist Francesco Lafranconi, and aperitivo expert Jacques Bezuidenhout. The USBG national

winner will receive a trip to Beijing to compete in the 2012 International Cocktail Competition. “The bartending community has demonstrated amazing loyalty to Campari over the last 150 years. Today, they have reintroduced Campari to cocktail enthusiasts and foodies through their innovative drinks and have kindled the current aperitivo trend in America,” said Jason Daniel, Campari Brand Director, Campari America. “As bartenders have clearly made Campari their brand, we eagerly await the aperitivo creativity this competition will no doubt unleash.”

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HEINEKEN TO RECEIVE MIPTV BRAND OF THE YEAR AWARD It’s been announced that Heineken will receive the 2nd annual MIPTV Brand of the Year Award which will be presented in Cannes on Monday 2 April 2012. As part of MIPTV’s Branded Entertainment Programme which runs 2-3 April, sponsored by Ogilvy & Mather, Europe’s largest brewer Heineken has been selected to receive recognition for its commitment and innovation in the field of branded entertainment. The MIPTV Brand of the Year Award will be presented to Cyril Charzat, Senior Director, Global Heineken Brand, during a ceremony on Monday 2 April at the Majestic Hotel. Through its new “Open Your World” strategy in branded entertainment, Heineken is creating engagement in areas that are at the centre of its core consumers’ lives. Designed with the agency Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, the Open Your World campaigns generated more than 6 million fans on Heineken’s Facebook fan page and more than 25 million views on YouTube. Andrew Canter, CEO of the Branded Content Marketing Association, and head of the Brand of the Year Award selection jury, said: “Heineken has demonstrated leadership through compelling engagement in producing various kinds of high-level branded content in areas including Music, Football, Design and Social Media, and in particular through its international Open Your World strategy in branded entertainment.”

PERUVIAN PISCO REIGNS SUPREME Pisco Porton, the and full-bodied ultrapremium white spirit from Peru, was awarded the prestigious Chairman’s Trophy at the 2012 Ultimate Spirits Challenge. This marks the first time within the competition’s three year history that any pisco brand has received this award, positioning Pisco Porton at the forefront of the resurgence of the grape-based spirit from Peru. This news comes just one month before the brand’s one year anniversary in April, reinforcing Pisco Porton’s standing at the top of its class and setting a precedent as the first premium mosto verde pisco brand in the United States. Among the 650 total entrants from more than

30 countries around the world, the panel of judges chose a mere 31 Chairman’s Trophy recipients, representing the best of the best. Judges included a who’s who of world-class journalists, influencers and mixologists, including USC Chairman Paul Pacult, Cocktail King Dale DeGroff and Cocktail Historian Dave Wondrich. The tastings were conducted over a four-day period, in small panels, until each entrant had been blind tasted by all sixteen judges. “The support of industry experts including the mixology community, retailers and our distributor partners has been key to our success here in the U.S.,” says Director of Marketing Mike Gilbert.

2012 BACARDI GLOBAL LEGACY COCKTAIL COMPETITION PART OF 150TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS Shingo Gokan from the USA is the winner of the 2012 Bacardi Global Legacy Cocktail Competition (BGLCC). Gokan from New York won with his drink ‘Speak Low’. Gokan was chosen from eight finalists from around the world after a spectacular finale which took place at the Bacardi distillery near San Juan, Puerto Rico. “This is the best week I’ve ever had, this is the best night I ever had, thank you so much,” said Gokan. Gokan was the final competitor of the night and he left the audience in tears as he shared his personal story of not being able to return to his friends and family at home in Japan when the earthquake struck in 2011. His drink and its presentation were inspired by his grandmother’s Japanese tea ceremony. “It was everything about Shingo, the simplicity of the drink, his abilities behind the bar and his emotional connection with the audience, he made us all cry,” said Bacardi Global brand ambassador David Cordoba.

The competition was judged by an international panel of the industry’s most influential including two Bacardi master blenders, Maestro de Ron, Jose Sanchez Gavito and Maestro de Ron, Luis Planas. They were joined by Bacardi Global Brand Ambassador David Cordoba, ‘Ambassador of Aloha’ Stanislav Vdrna and 2011 BGLCC winner, Marc Bonneton of France. The eight were whittled down from a group of 26 bartenders who spent a week in Puerto Rico learning about the history of BACARDI Rum, visiting the distillery in Catano where it is crafted, sharing their skills and techniques with fellow mixologists, and learning bartending philosophies and expertise from some of the industry’s most influential tastemakers. As part of his prize, Gokan will visit the Bacardi distillery in Mexico, as well as travelling to five different countries to present his drink.

Shingo Gokan

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EW N Y STR U D N al I n o i t a Intern BACARDI CELEBRATES 150 YEARS To commemorate the rum-making standards achieved by Bacardi 150 years ago, family-owned Bacardi Limited announces a first — the rarest Bacardi Rum ever released, as a celebration of the expertise and craftsmanship in every bottle of Bacardi Rum. An unprecedented number of Maestros de Ron Bacardi (Master Blenders), eight in total and each a Bacardi family member, have combined their extraordinary talents to create a very special and rare limited edition Bacardi Rum — Ron Bacardi, de Maestros de Ron, Vintage, MMXII. A blend of the finest Bacardi Rums laid to rest in oak barrels over the past 20 years and finished in 60-year-old cognac barrels, this vintage blend is presented in a hand-blown crystal decanter.

CHAMPAGNE REGAINS FIZZ The Champagne Bureau has reported increased shipments in 2011. Total shipments worldwide rose from 319.5 million bottles in 2010 to 323 million in 2011. The high from the last decade was 2007, with 338.8m and the low was 2002 with 287.7million. The UK remains the largest export market for champagne, taking 34.5 million bottles in 2011. 181.6 million bottles stayed in France and the US was the second largest export market at 19.4 million bottles. In the UK, nonvintage is still the largest in volume and value, representing 86.9% and 79.7% of the market respectively. Bruno Paillard, president of Champagne Bruno Paillard and CIVC chairman commission communication & appellation Champagne

spoke about protecting the Champagne appellation. He expressed frustration with the US and Russian markets, which do not recognize the name champagne as a geographical indication. He said in the US, the “problem” is only limited to three or four producers – including Constellation and Gallo. US law permits the use of the term champagne via grandfather rights, although the wines cannot be exported to the European Union. The Champagne Bureau has an informal joint declaration of wine places and origins, which many regions of the US have signed, including Napa Valley Vintners, Oregon Wine and Washington State.

BEAM COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF COOLEY DISTILLERY Earlier this year Beam Global, a leading global premium spirits company, completed the acquisition of Cooley Distillery, the award-winning Irish whiskey producer. The acquisition includes the Kilbeggan, Connemara, Tyrconnell and Greenore brands, as well as ageing inventory and Cooley’s malt and grain distilleries in Dundalk and Kilbeggan, Ireland. Cooley is one of only three sources for Irish whiskey and was the category’s only remaining independent producer. The purchase price was approximately $95 million on a debtfree basis. Beam expects the acquisition to be earnings neutral in 2012 reflecting substantial initial brand investment, and increasingly accretive in future years. “As one of the world’s fastest-growing spirits companies, Beam is excited to enter one of the world’s fastest-growing spirits categories,” said Matt Shattock, president and chief executive officer of Beam. “We look forward to combining our whiskey expertise, brand-building firepower and strong routes to market with the experience, talent and passion of the Teeling family and the Cooley team to help take these award-

winning brands to the next level. On behalf of the 3,200 Beam associates worldwide, we are delighted to welcome Cooley’s talented workforce to the Beam family.” Shattock added that Cooley’s flagship Kilbeggan brand will join the ranks of Beam’s Rising Star brands, which, along with the company’s global Power Brands, are a focus for brandbuilding investment. “Beam can do in 10 years what it would take Cooley, on its own, 30 years to do,” said John Teeling, chairman of Cooley Distillery. “The market opportunity for Irish whiskey is now and it is substantial. Beam has particular strengths in the main fast growing Irish whiskey markets and so will be well able to take advantage of this Irish renaissance. It is a bittersweet moment for myself and the other founders as we cede control but, having rebuffed many suitors, we were happy that Beam, which is a preeminent whiskey company, will build on the strong foundations laid down over 24 years. I want to thank the staff, shareholders, and close colleagues who have been on the journey. It is only the beginning.” The Irish whiskey category grew 11.5% in

2010 to 4.86 million cases according to Impact Databank. The leading markets for Irish whiskey, according to Impact, are the United States, Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, South Africa and Germany. Cooley currently sells approximately 250,000 9-liter cases per year – divided among its brands, private label products and bulk sales to third-party customers – and has production capacity to support substantial future growth.

Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18.

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EW N Y STR U D N al I n o i t a Intern

BALLANTINE’S WHISKY GOES FOR GOLF Chivas Brothers is to launch a limited edition golf pack for its Ballantine’s 17 and 21 year old blended whiskies. The launch is to reinforce the brand’s association with golf ahead of the fifth consecutive Ballantine’s Championship. This takes place from April 26-29 at the Blackstone Golf Club in Icheon, Korea. The 21 year old pack has an RRP of US$118 in Asia duty free and it doubles as a golf accessories bag, housing a 70cl bottle alongside six branded golf tees. The

design is inspired by the pattern of a traditional brogue golf shoe. Peter Moore, Ballantine’s global brand director, said: “We are delighted to be unveiling a Ballantine’s Golf Limited Edition pack for our 17 and 21 Year Old expressions. Commemorating the fifth year of the Ballantine’s Championship, the premium design of this unique keepsake echoes the high quality and attention to detail that underlines the brand, while the additional benefit of the pack functioning as a golf accessories bag will strongly appeal to consumers.” The brand is committed to the tournament until at least 2013.

RELEASE THE KRAKEN

Premium spirits producer Proximo announced today the launch of a new, multi-million dollar television advertising campaign for the Kraken Black Spiced Rum. Named for a legendary giant sea beast of myth and legend, The Kraken Rum features the giant squid on its label and a bottle with handles evocative of the squid’s eyes. The new advertisements were created by Proximo and Brooklyn, NY based agency Dead As We Know It. The campaign will mark the Kraken’s first television appearance. “The Kraken® Rum was launched internationally just over 18 months ago and has quickly risen to become the fastest growing rum brand in the United States,” said Elwyn Gladstone, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Proximo. “The new advertising will focus on the Kraken’s® unique bottle shape and legendary character in an exciting and motivating way that will be sure to grab

viewers’ attention.” The ads are part of a fully-integrated marketing program which has included the creation of an interactive website, a spirited social media presence, a national sampling program, a premium online merchandise store, and the Kraken iPhone App, titled “The Simulation Application for Nautical Manoeuvring.” This game challenges users to deliver a shipment of rum barrels across the treacherous sea while avoiding the ravenous Kraken and other hazards, and is free to download on iTunes. “The Kraken® Rum is undoubtedly one of the most creative brands to enter the spirits world in recent years,” said Gladstone. “We’re thrilled to bring such brilliant rum to a wider audience, and we anticipate it will continue its momentum as an emerging icon in the spirits world.”

DANNY DEVITO’S LIMONCELLO POISED FOR WORLD MARKETS Danny DeVito’s Limoncello is about to be rolled out to international markets, following its US launch in 2011. The Hollywood star-backed brand − which will make its UK debut imminently, once a distribution partner has been finalised − sold more than 50,000 cases in New York and California during its first year of sales. It is hoped the brand will then be launched to other “selected” international markets. Produced at the Fagema Distillery in Sorrento, Italy from organic lemons, sugar and grain alcohol, the liqueur carries an abv of 30%.

It is presented in a “lemon shaped” bottle with a “scratch and sniff label” which is said to offer consumers “the full flavour before tasting the product”. According to producers, Danny DeVito’s Limoncello has a “sweet lemon flavour” and is suitable for serving chilled and straight up, in a mixed drink or with a dessert.

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Hunter’s chinas enjoying the music

Ntando and Hlelo twins from Yfm Hunter’s took its consumers through an exciting musical journey in the form of the Urban Oasis Tour, by throwing the ultimate Music Festival experience at one of the coolest hotels in Cape Town – Lagoon Beach Hotel on the 17th, 18th and 19th February. The music festival saw an impressive lineup of artists such as Micasa, DJ Kent, AKA, Khuli Chana, Jax Panik and many local house and hip hop DJs joining the trio of musicians JR, Jack Parrow and Tumi on stage.

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RESERVE Brands, Diageo’s leading portfolio of luxury spirits, has launched the “World Class Program” – a global search for the world’s best cocktail bartender which is taking place in 46 countries, including South Africa. Owners, managers and head bartenders from selected participating outlets all over South Africa were flown to Johannesburg in mid January to attend the launch of this unique trade competition. The launch was hosted by World Class Program ambassador and international cocktail guru Spike Marchant. He has created all of the bartending challenges for the World Class Program competitions, which were first launched in 2009, and is passionate about growing global awareness of drinks creativity and brands.

Winning team

Anil Sabharwal Pete the Sock impressing the crowds

Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly

Gin s â&#x20AC;&#x2122; k c i endr

In February Lord and Lady Hendricks made a couple of appearances at The Grand Beach, Cape Town, gracing their constituents with their presence and plying them with a few Hedrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gininfused drinks. The perfect serve for this deliciously different gin is in a high ball glass with cucumber and tonic, and I must say, it went down perfectly.

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No need to be glum though, as there are plenty of good things to be had, even on a budget. If all the hipsters out there would be so kind as to avert your eyes, the economic logic on this page might be blinding to you.

S Y U B GET

In technology news, its been a volatile and fiery few months for the online community with both the “Stop Online Piracy” and “Protect IP” Acts, the U.S. government’s attempts to combat online piracy. The sentiment is good, but as with all things government, the practice is lacking forethought, foresight and seemingly any factual understanding of how the Internet works. The result of which would be the stripping of individual liberties and online privacy. In a twist of fate, or just good old fashioned irony, the protests by both Google and Facebook, the biggest invaders of privacy to date, appear to have aided in scuppering these acts for now. The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has come and gone, bringing with it new kinds of wizardry and juvenile tantrums of want, and Samsung has finally taken a bite, albeit a bit of a nibble, out of the Apple behemoth when it comes to sales. But let’s save the good stuff for another day and repeat the mantra, “nothing is cheap, only inexpensive”. For those in the industry there’s going to be less money and more free time to spend it. Here are some things to help pass the time...

“Winter is coming”. It rang with ominous tones when uttered by Ned Starke in Game of Thrones, but never so ominous as when heard in the service industry. It means the season of milk and honey has come to an end and the time has arrived to buckle down for the baron times ahead. It’s a new(ish) year and a new recession.

Samsung RV511-A05 15,6” laptop R3900-00

Sony BDP-S380 Blu ray player R999-00 The real Blu-ray deal is always going to be a PS3, but for those of you who don’t have gaming in your hearts this is the next best bet. It’s not going to win any awards, but it’s a solid player with two USB ports, HDMI and Ethernet slots. It plays Blu-rays. No frills, no fuss. (Slight downer is that it doesn’t play DivX, for those of you with Internet larceny on your minds)

It comes with an Intel i3 2.53 GHz processor, 2 GB of Ram and a 320 GB hard drive. Good enough at the price, but add to that Bluetooth 3.0, fast start technology, 3 USB ports and on HDMI port and it goes from good buy to must have. Unlike other entry level, high-end laptops this one looks the part with a stylish, well manufactured frame that can be whipped out proudly in any public scenario. www.kalahari.com

www.takealot.co.za

TomTom Start 20 GPS system R1599-00

DSTV Drifta and Walka R600-00 to R 650-00 Finally the mobile TV you always wanted in school/in the bar. Buy a Drifta for your tablet for the best experience or the mobile Walka, with a 3,5” screen, if you don’t have a tab yet. Offering a large array of DSTV channels, including all the sports coverage you’ll ever want, for just R36-00 a month. If however, you already have a Premium DSTV package at home, it comes free! So seriously! Do it! www.dstvmobile.co.za

You may have some nice navigation and map features on your smartphone, but nice is all they’re likely to be for some time to come. The Tom Tom Start 20 is the perfect entry level GPS. It comes with an 11 cm widescreen, user friendly large interface and all the quality maps associated with Tom Tom. There’s 4GB onboard memory and an SD card slot that will be operational in the near future. No Bluetooth unfortunately, so you’ll have to make do with pulling over or buying an automatic car to make phone calls. www.takealot.co.za

R2999-00

LG 32LK330 LCD TV R3499-00 You’re not going to find it on anyone’s top 10 list, but like sushi it’s about weighing up value and price. It has a 32-inch HD-ready LCD screen with enough slots to keep Ron Jeremy happy. Play movies, photos or music directly through the USB port, and connect both your HD-PVR and XBox up via the two HDMI slots. Yes, it’s not full HD and it isn’t a LED, but the picture quality is superb and it has plenty of features, and on a 32- inch you’re not going to notice the difference.

It looks more like Darth Vader’s helmet than a genuine iPhone/ iPod docking station, but the iKick proves looks can be deceiving. With a square-shaped sub-woofer, 2 fiveinch woofers and silk dome tweeters delivering rich, clear sound and an internal amp that’ll give you enough volume to carry a party. There are better docks out there, but none that’ll match the iKick for value, so hide it in a corner and enjoy. www.lookandlisten.co.za

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ28 digital camaraderie R4100-00 What I know about cameras can be written on a pinhead, in hieroglyphics, in capitals with caps-lock on and a picture of a small dog accompanying it. I am however, assured that this is both a solid piece of hardware containing solid software. A 10.1 megapixel, 720p video with on the move zoom, 18X optical zoom and automatic and manual exposure camera that is unlikely to win any NatGeo competitions, but perfect for capturing life’s better (or worse) moments without the customary, nervously twitching 5 second smiles.

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Kicker iKick iPod speaker dock

www.panasonic.com

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LG Optimus Black Red bull Mobile (Cell C) R250-00/month

Amazon Kindle Fire

It must be getting nippy downstairs. A budget Apple. You’d be forgiven for seeing a textbook example of an oxymoron, but the iPod Touch is so much more than a media player. What you have here is an iPhone 4 minus the calls, the 3G and the GPS. Connect via wi-fi or tether it to your phone to get FaceTime, iMessage and full access to the Apple app store and all its paraphernalia.

Blackberry, crackberry, crapberry. Whatever you want to call it now’s the time to throw it in the trash and get a real phone. Get an Android 2.2, LG Optimus Black on Cell C’s Redbull Mobile contract and get 200 free anytime minutes, 100 SMS’ and 500 MB online data for just R250-00/month. It’s no iPhone or HTC, but even without the phone you’re unlikely to find a better deal. There’s enough data to stay alwaysonline with Facebook and Whatsapp, and a Redbull portal to access all their extreme sports videos without incurring any data loss. It’s a no- brainer...

www.apple.com/za

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www.amazon.com

Apple iPod touch 8GB From R1890-00

R1500-00 to R1600-00 I might be jumping the gun with this tablet because it is, as yet, still unavailable in South Africa. But who can resist the self proclaimed “iPad killer”? As it turns out it’s not, but with such a healthy price tag it’s bound to have a large fan base. A stocky 7” pad, with an Amazon-curated Android market, access to the kindle bookstore and multiple movie streaming apps we can all hold thumbs and hope that the copyright red tape can be cut once and for all.

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1909 was a poignant year in many respects. It was the year the first subway car went into service in New York City, Columbia recognised Panama’s independence, British explorer Ernest Shakleton founded the magnetic South Pole, US forces left Cuba for a second time and we also saw the discovery of Hailey’s Comet. It was a landmark year for the world of alcohol too. Whilst the world was preparing for war, perfecting commercial flight and setting up economic forums, the French were doing what they do best - making the English language sound way cooler than it really is, producing wine in all of its guises, and founding a National Regulatory Bureau in the South West of France which would become responsible for regulating the production, exporting and sale of their very

own indigenous wine spirit; a spirit which would bare the very name of the region itself. Metropolitan France, a western European country spanning 551,695km squared, of which 1,230km squared is known to the rest of the world as the finest Au-de-vie brandy producing region on earth, Cognac. Located in South West France 400km from the nation’s capital, Paris, and built almost entirely on the left bank of the Charente Valley, Cognac is renowned for producing the finest brandies known to man. By the time the Appellation d’ Origine Controlee, the French certification granted for certain agricultural products like wine, butter and cheese, was founded in 1919, the BNIC had already been in place for an entire decade. Controlling origins of

appellation is not unique to the French. As a system, it has been in effect since the 1700s when it was first initiated by the Hungarians and the Portuguese. Protecting national heritage has always been high up on a county’s list of importance, especially with alcohol and moreover when there is money involved.

This system of control is actually quite a necessary evil, and many countries implement it with various kinds of products. To put it into perspective I’ll refer to a relative example in order to demonstrate the power of governance. About 7 years ago, a small Agave plant was in operation in the little Karoo town of Graaf Reinet. The

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company produced a whole host of cane sugar-free products which were exclusively made from the healthy derivatives of the Tequilana Weber Agave Lily plant, the raw product of tequila. What they decided to do as part of their product range was to begin to distil the sugars in an effort to produce the spirit of tequila. When the Mexican government caught wind of this, the said South African company obviously came under some considerable pressure, and when the Mexican government flexed its muscles the company had to concede, change the labels and start producing the product in a new ‘spirit aperitif’ category. This was strictly because the product itself was not produced in the town of Tequila, Mexico, under their specifications. Ultimately, they didn’t want anybody making money off of their national spirit

and the thought of losing market share in the tequila category didn’t exactly go down well with them. This system of control is actually quite a necessary evil, and many countries implement it with various kinds of products. If we look at the alcohol industry alone, countries such as Spain, Italy, France, Mexico and Portugal all have appellation control standards which are used to govern the production of their own respective national spirits. What does this mean to the global imbiber? Well everything really! Appellation control is not just merely a case of naming rights. It is a strict, comprehensive checklist which is used to identify qualities displayed in a resultant product which are brought about by complementary factors unique to a specific area of the world.

These factors can include terrior, plant types or species (such as a specific grape cultivar), climate, soil composition, underlying rock, orientation toward the sun, slope and in some cases human intervention. All of these factors combine in such a way that, if produced under certain imposed guidelines, will result in a specific product with unique qualities. Any deviation from this process suggests that an inferior result will be achieved. It is in this concept that lies the notion of superior quality which

Travis Kuhn

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At first glance, KAWS and Hennessy may seem an unlikely pairing, but as it turns out, the two have a similar creative approach starting with a distinctive signature. New York-based artist/designer and former graffiti phenomenon, KAWS, has paired up with Hennessy Cognac in a meeting of tradition and progressive, iconic aesthetics to create a limited edition VS bottle, which is now available in South Africa. Here are some photos of the Johannesburg launch at Hush nightclub.

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I S A EKTYLE BARS LE LOUNGE S

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’s th Africa ne of Sou o s. , w le e y N t s y and Sk x’s Life a C M B B y b n o g featured ot to swin Durban n stitution, and has g in it is v a KZN in ving in or it is truly anyone li f i, o d a s q is M m x e be r owner Ma It would . Run by s e u n e v t hottes

’S X A M

place has “Since the beginning, this e; my baby,” wif ond sec my like n bee extends to says Max, and his passion ple of SA peo the tomers and Umlazi and they’ll his cus t come tha ple peo e You can ask anyone in “Th le. the right direction, as a who in you They nt ue. poi ven to e this abl lt be have bui e of looking out for here choose Max’s m the of and then it’s just a cas lot A it. ed g lot and a venue forg y can easily an overflowing parkin Lifestyle even though the y. ivit act h the suburbs wit in g eat brimmin afford to drink and . Aside from pating in tre tici cen par e oy styl enj life y a is the e ly Max’s tru s, a becaus bar nships two of tow ed the pris In com . their community the lounge offering a spacious outside ress themselves and exp to tion e sec fre l VIP fee us y urio the lux anyama as you can without restriction. Here you’re deck, and as much shis se because e clothing stores tiqu encouraged to make a noi eat, it also has two bou d time!” en), a beauty goo wom a for ing hav one ’re and n you me ans (one for hold it me can It . tre cen e enc place fer salon and a con Lifestyle was the first the premises at any “Max’s on and ple tes whi peo 0 re 200 whe to up townships serves as many as in KZN he continues. y,” iall one time, and routinely soc ed mix cks n day, but it wasn’t bla e here and 6000 customers in a give “I want Mr Zuma to com ns . way this always self how all South Africa him for see doing well er.” ady eth tog alre ate was ebr Max cel 90s and can live In the late g driving school. as the owner of a thrivin est inv to d ide he dec Ever the entrepreneur, A lot of them choose Max’s Lifestyle , and soon it was in a string of butcheries y larl even though they can easily afford to ticu par ng doi obvious that one was drink and eat in the suburbs because they bantu (“help Siza ed nam ally gin well. Ori enjoy participating in their community. ry would attract people”), the butche In the townships they feel free to express who would bring e wid and far from people themselves without restriction. enjoy fresh braai their own drinks and the of one day meat (shisanyama). One ister of Sports Mr to look after regulars, a certain Min ieves that the best way that Max apply for Max bel ted ges clientele and his r afte k loo to Fikile Mbalula, sug is ss 2005 the business his busine e environment, and a a liquor licence, and by ondolo provide a comfortabl msh le litt a from y. From the ed had transform t of this lies in securit of celebrities and big par uous yet spic con the , ive arr into a firm favourite followed the moment you t tha t your rs tha yea ar the cle In it . socialites y doormen make lve, adding strings to friendl and entry of, e car en tak venue continued to evo is protection er Max’s guidance. is shabbily its bow and growing und is refused to anyone who ” on, visi my nd at place to fou gre lly a is rea I t lly tha rea 8 It 200 d. in sse dre “It was ss had grown and I bring your friends and enjoy some says Mqadi. “The busine ried wor not e r of food) wer sthebe (a shared platte realised my customers ewhere to som knows, o ted Wh wan ks. y drin The e. few over a about pric to celebrate and, ht even bump into mig you come and feel at home, good fortune and celebs like Julius Malema, yes, to show off their ut the lifestyle DJ abo all it’s e Zizi Kodwa, Zahara and prosperity. Her name to Max’s the d . nge few cha a I e why nam t’s to tha Tira and Lifestyle.”

MAGAZINE

or Max’s Finding Max’s Lifestyle, . for short is not difficult

MAGAZINE 35

Pink Mojito

MAURITIAN PREMIUM VANILLA RUM

Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly

l a n o i t a n r e W t E n I I V E R

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d llage you’ll fin York’s East Vi ew es, N nu in ve ay cktail Tucked aw lked-about co ta t os is m T s PD a’ ic u see, one of Amer re to look. Yo he w ow be kn n u ca r but only if yo e where liquo a discreet plac the paragraphs a speakeasy; ying eyes. In pr om fr ay the speakeasy consumed aw closer look at a ke ta ll e’ w crets of PDT. that follow as share the se l el w as , on phenomen Tell. Please Don’t

A speakeasy is an old American term for unlicensed Prohibition-era establishments where illicit alcohol was sold, not unlike shebeens here in South Africa, and they’re making a comeback. According to an 1891 article in the New York Times, the “speakeasy” has its roots in McKeesport Pennsylvania. In an attempt to curb alcohol abuse and generate revenue, the government raised saloon taxes from $50 to $500 overnight, an exorbitant amount at the time. Predictably, many bars were forced to close, but some continued to operate illegally. One such saloon was run by a lady called Kate Hester. She refused to pay the license fee and was therefore very keen for her venue to remain as inconspicuous to the authorities as possible, so whenever her clientele got a bit boisterous she was known to say “Speak easy, boys! Speak easy!” The expression became common locally, and soon spread to Pittsburgh and beyond. By the time Prohibition was in place in the US in the early 1920s, the speakeasy was ready to flourish. Of course, today there is no need to evade the law, but illegality aside, the speakeasy is experiencing somewhat of a revival. A number of upmarket examples have emerged in America, and none capture the charm and intrigue better than PDT.

There is a unique way to enter this bar. You enter a small hot dog place called Crif Dogs and look for a phone booth. Step in and call the PDT operator with an old spin dial phone to open the secret door.

The most memorable and novel thing about PDT is the entrance. From the street there is no indication that it’s there at all, just a large sign outside a hotdog shop called Crif Dogs. You walk through the store to the back and step into a wooden 1940s phone booth and dial and, if you are granted access, a back door opens to reveal a rectangular taxidermy-adorned cocktail lounge.

Jim is highly regarded on the New York cocktail scene. Having previously worked at Gramercy Tavern and Pegu Club, his experience and work ethic made him perfectly suited to oversee the launch and management of PDT. “The Get Smart phone booth was in keeping with Crif Style,” he continues. “The only question was how the hot dog stand’s loyalists would feel about a fancy cocktail bar next door. The simple solution was to serve hot dogs; so a portal was built between the counter at Crif Dogs and the back bar… The décor retained elements of Crif Dogs’ punk East Village vibe, and the spacious booths, natural woods, and exposed brick wall gave the place a luxurious fell that made you want to stay for another drink.” Over the past five years, Brian, Jim and their team have continually looked at ways to improve the customer experience, while ensuring that form follows function. “Good bar design is evolutionary,” explains Jim.

“The backlit glass bar top that we opened with leaked, so we covered it with copper. A couple months after we opened, the bar station near the entrance was repositioned to face the wall and the refrigerator was downsized to make room for a glass chiller. In year two, the bright green floor was stained mahogany, the veneered tables were replaced with solid silver maple, antique lights replaced custom light boxes, and a sink was installed in the service bar. Every day, Brian and I think about how the space could be improved, and we encourage our staff to do the same. Little things like how we store glassware and where we situate our shakers affect the bottom line.” In everything about PDT there is an unapologetic tribute to the past. The antique-style phone booth, timeless leather upholstery, taxidermy and old-school music combine beautifully with burgers and deepfried dogs that are as American as apple pie. Even the frequently updated cocktail menu has a strong presence of classics such as Aviations and G&Ts in amongst more contemporary creations. What’s great about PDT is that, aside from quality service and a comfortable atmosphere, it captures the appeal of being privy to a secret and the excitement of doing something forbidden. So if you can find it, and if you can get a coveted reservation, step into the phone booth next time you’re in the East Village. Just please don’t tell.

MAGAZINE

As Jim Meehan, the manager and head mixologist, describes in his book The PDT Cocktail Book, “The effect of walking into a raucous hot dog stand, stepping into a phone booth, and emerging into a quiet, dimly lit cocktail lounge is the bar’s most talked-about feature, and it was designed that way by necessity. In 2003, before the Lower East Side swelled with bars and restaurants, Brian [the owner] acquired a liquor license for Crif Dogs that was used for a brief time to purchase spirits to serve in a frozen drink machine. As more bars opened in the neighborhood, the community board, whose blessing is needed to acquire a liquor license, began halting new applications. To capitalize upon his underutilized license, Brian leased the space next door, gutted it, and built the bar. He avoided having to apply for a new license by forgoing a street entrance in favor of a hidden door in Crif Dogs.”

N’S O T N E B D E N O I H S OLD FA

Created by:

Don Lee, Winter 2007

Glass: Rocks

Method:

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with one large cube

Ingredients:

60 ml Benton’s Bacon Infused Four Roses Bourbon (see below) 7.5 ml Deep Mountain Grade B Maple Syrup 2 Dashes of Angostura Bitters

Garnish:

Garnish with an orange twist

BENTON’S BACON IN FUSED BOURBON

• 45 ml Benton’s Bacon Fat • 750 ml bottle of Four Roses Bourbon On low heat, warm bacon fat in a small saucepan. Stir until it becomes molten, about 5 minutes. Pour liquid fat into a large, non-reactive conta iner. Pour bourbon into the container with the fat. Stir. Cove r and let stand for 4 hours . After 4 hours, pla ce the container in the fre ezer for two hours . After 2 hours, remove solid fat. Strain through a terry cloth or cheeseclot h. Pour contents ba ck into the original bottle and label. Yield: 72 0ml.

Y R O T G S I N I H D N E E T TH R A B F O

BY ET

TER

LECH

SCH IENNE

There is surely only one man that can be credited as being the original bartender. The first man to use his skill to demonstrate the art of bartending and mixology: he was none other than the “Professor” Jerry Thomas.

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Jerry Thomas was way ahead of the rest of the world when it came to mixing drinks and being a showman. Thomas was born in the 1830s at a time when most cocktails were either slings, toddies or punches which, as we all know, were little more than brandy, gin or whisky sweetened with sugar. By the time he started making his creations there was an explosion amongst bartenders who were trying an array of new styles and tastes. This allowed him to experiment with his own unique cocktails.

He truly was a bartending legend and set the stage for showmanship in our trade. Jerry Thomas was born in Sackets harbour new York in 1830, and learnt to be a bartender in Connecticut before travelling to California where he had various jobs, including a minstrel show manager and a gold rush prospector, before finding his true calling. As a young traveller and showman, Thomas picked up lots of experience learning from bartenders in California, most of whom were making punches with an array of flavours in them, and mostly served hot. These began to make way for individual drinks such as The Cooler, The Cobbler, The Collins, The Fizz and The Daisy. The Daisy is worth mentioning as this was a sour cocktail sweetened with orange cordial or grenadine. In Mexico this style was eventually Thomas played to the crowd, dressing in applied to tequila, and the style with diamond rings, cufflinks and Mexican name for Daisy is pendants while doing his shows and making Margarita. Thomas also his signature drink and his most famous took these drinks and made cocktail, The Blue Blazer. his own versions, such as the improved take on the sling which was made with brandy, bitters and gum syrup (most bartenders in the 1800s used gum Arabic an emulsifier in their simple syrup to add a velvety texture to their cocktails) put into a wine glass, rimmed with lemon and garnished with a lemon twist.

Making cocktails in those days was not as easy as we have it today. There were no ice blocks, for instance, and bartenders would have to shave the ice of a large chunk before using two mixing glasses to mix the drinks. Just imagine the look of these bars compared to what we have today with ice shavers, electric ice crushers and specially designed cocktail stations. There were many innovations in the bartending world we can accredit to “The professor”, none more important than the first drinks book to appear in print, known as the Bon Vivants Companion, or The BarTenders Guide. The final version of this book was actually published two years after Thomas’ death and he never got to see many of the drinks in the book. The cocktail The Martinez appeared in the 1887 guide and caused much confusion as it looked like a Martini except that it called for maraschino, sweet vermouth and a sweetened gin know as Old Tom. There was also a version of the original Martini made with a 50/50 ration of gin and vermouth, and almost always contained orange bitters. Although he never lived to see some of the drinks, many of his cocktails formed the foundations of the variants we know today. Thomas played to the crowd, dressing in style with diamond rings, cufflinks and pendants while doing his shows and making his signature drink and his most famous cocktail, The Blue Blazer. The Blue Blazer could probably be labelled as the first flame show as it involved pouring ignited whisky from one mixing glass to the other. A larger than life character, he regularly attended bare knuckle fist fights, was an avid art collector and often carried around a big wad of cash. At one stage while working at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, Thomas was earning $100 per week, which was more than the vice president of the United States. He truly was a bartending legend and set the stage for showmanship in our trade. Upon his death in 1885 the New York Times was littered with obituaries from many different people, from many different walks of life. Professor Jerry Thomas was a true pioneer and, by all accounts, a friend to all.

Etienne Schlechter

no e g i Pink P and r G e h T

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This summer the beautiful setting of The Grand Beach in Cape Town played host to a series of Pink Pigeon lifestyle events. The brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature drink is the Pink Mojito, and it went down a treat as patrons relaxed on the beach and admired the view.

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FOUR FLOORS MARGARITA Method: Shake and fine strain Glass: Chilled Martini Ingredients:

SPIKE

50ml 10ml 15ml 15ml 10ml

MARCHANT

Garnish: A pinch of orange zested sugar-salt on the rim

THE WORLD CLASS

GLOBAL BRAND AMBASSADOR Spike Marchant started working in bars and restaurants over twenty years ago. After surviving his start in the kitchen as a dishwasher he has since worked his way up in the industry from bartender through to bar owner, and onto consultant to some of the biggest companies in the drinks industry. He has an extensive professional background working in some of London’s top bars since the early1990s. Spike was part of the opening management teams of the seminal institutions of the nineties like London’s Atlantic Bar & Grill and Mezzo. The Atlantic was a touchstone of contemporary cocktail culture and marked a renaissance in modern bar life. For several years he worked on a wide variety of openings of new operations throughout the West End. In1997 he opened his own venture, awardwinning venue Alphabet, which was part of the class of new-wave bars that continued the transformation of cocktail culture in

London. He followed this three years later with his second venue, Amber, an IberianBrazilian fusion operation. He has worked as a spirit ambassador for several major spirit companies since the nineties. He was also part of the highly awarded Gorgeous Group consultancy for several years, working on international projects like the Bar at the Dorchester, Cloud 23 in Manchester and the 5 star Molino Stucky Hilton in Venice. Spike travels extensively and, for the last few years, has been centrally involved with the ‘Inspired Luxury’ and ‘World Class’ programmes for Diageo. These are global platforms for brands, cocktail and spirit education. Spike has been to Shanghai, Tokyo, Singapore, Taipei, Singapore, Caracas, Bogotá, Mexico City, New York and Los Angeles, Johannesburg and most major European capitals in the last two and a half years.

Don Julio Reposado Campari Pink Grapefruit Agave nectar Lime juice

Over the last three years the ‘World Class’ activity has brought the world’s finest bartenders together for a week-long contest, and Spike has created all of the bartending challenges for the competition. As a roving Ambassador for World Class, he activity coordinated the running of the 2009 event in London and 2010 in Athens where the competition included twentyfour countries. Spike is passionate about the growing global awareness of drinks creativity and brands. He is proud that World Class is developing great centres of cocktail excellence around the world and believes that a well-made cocktail is one of life’s great pleasures.

Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly

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Q Hi Spike, that is an interesting nickname

with, I’m sure, an interesting story behind it. Care to share?

A I claim allegiance to the noble heritage of the English Punk. I was travelling in North America many years ago (it was the 80s which dates me) with a friend and while partying got labelled with it as a pet name. I came back to England and the name stuck. So yes, there are peroxide mohawks, ear and nose pierced Spike mugshots around, but trust me, they are under lock and key. Q

You’ve been involved with World Class for a while now. Talk us through its beginnings and the growth the programmeme has enjoyed:

A I’ve been with the programme from the moment it went global. I had several years background working on other projects for Diageo in the mid-noughties and had the expertise to help out. The first World Class was actually run as a UK only event where the bartenders went through three rounds; the first elimination saw the losers dumped and the rest get on a plane to Dublin for the the next round, and then from that, the final group of four who survived got tickets to compete in NYC. One bartender came back with the trophy. The other three are still there probably, executed gangland style and buried in the foundations of a building somewhere. The global finals started three years ago in 2009 when we had 18 countries competing in London, and Telis Papadopolous from Greece won. The following year we took 24 national finalists to Athens and Erik Lorincz (current head bartender at the Savoy Hotel) won. Last year in Delhi the Japanese master bartender Manabu Ohtake beat a field of 32 of the world’s finest mixologists, and this year we will have almost 50 national finalists heading to Rio de Janeiro for the World Class cocktail shoot-out. It gets bigger and better. Q

In your extensive travels, what city would you say is leading the way as far as mixology trends are concerned?

A It ebbs and flows so much now. As a Londoner I felt around six or seven years ago there was an incredible vibrancy to the scene and there was a lot of chatter about how strong London bar culture was, but maybe

there’s a little home-grown loyalty swaying my judgement. The industry is much better connected now and the bartending community disseminates the ideas from any one place or person into global memes. Maybe what we think of as a city ‘leading the way’ is actually’ growth spurts; you get a critical mass of bartending talent in a city or area and that community becomes self-aware (to sound pretentious) and exchanges ideas ever-quicker, and the pace of creativity explodes. It’s amplified by people blogging and writing and so the word spreads that City X is ‘hot’.

Q And from developing regions, which country is forging ahead the fastest, in your opinion, and how is South Africa faring? A Asia is enjoying astonishing growth, the

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evening, you’ve just opened, a guys strolls straight to the first available barstool and says with absolute certainty, “Negroni”. There’s a 99% chance you’re looking at a bartender. I’m right there ordering it.

Q Of your own personal creations, of which cocktail are you most proud?

A More than the cocktails, I’m really proud of my work on World Class. Honestly. It’s created a great platform for us all to share our knowledge, get recognition and elevate the craft and respect for what we do. If I was stuck on a desert island and, tragically, the only thing that washed up was a case of the ingredients for one of my cocktails, I could drink my Four Floors Margarita for quite a while.

Q When you’re not charging around the world spreading the gospel of mixology and educating pallets, what do you like to get up to in your down time?

influence of Japanese techniques across the region allied to a real commitment to innovation means they are progressing A The things I can admit to? I love water: incredibly quickly. There are also a lot of overseas bartenders helping to drive this powdery on mountains, tropical on reefs. development. Lots of talented Australian, I’m a bit of a silicon-head; I build ridiculous European and American bar trainers, water-cooled monster computers and waste managers and consultants are working endless hours on them. I was a half-decent across the region pushing new bar concepts. cricketer back in the day and still love the game, although I only play the odd charity I’ve just left Singapore which, based on my match nowadays. I play a so-so game of experience there over five years ago, has backgammon but I have really progressed. The pioneers there like a competitive streak Matthew Bax and his crew at Tippling Club that’s not pleasant, educated bartenders and customers alike so I often back in the city and showed what could be done. away from that One of my favourite new bars is there, nowadays. My opened last November by a very crafty San heart can’t take Franciscan cocktailian, Michael Callaghan. the red-mist His place 28HK has all you want. Great stress levels. drinks, top staff and funky, chatty people in a pocket-sized surprise of a hideaway And I try to sleep. spot downtown. That’s precious I worked with some legendary South stuff and there’s African bartenders back in the UK for often not enough many years and the love and respect is of it around. there forever. I miss those Soho London nights with the crew who There are peroxide mohawks, ear were mainly Aussies, Saffers and a handful of Brits. Honestly it’s and nose pierced Spike mug-shots hard to comment on the South around, but trust me, they are African scene since I’ve only been under lock and key. out in Gauteng a little bit and the wonders of the coast have escaped my gaze entirely; it’s a situation I have to remedy. The guys at the launch for World Class were a talented bunch and I have absolutely no doubt South Africa will send over a serious challenger.

Q What is your favourite classic cocktail? A You have seasonal favourites and

at the moment I’m a little obsessed with the Last Word, but deep down it’s an obvious choice… I’m sure we all know this scenario: it’s early

Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly

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I’m sure many of you might have seen the latest video doing the rounds on Youtube - Shit Bartenders Say. If you haven’t, look it up [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB2aVzmPxxM]; it’s a satirical and funny look at the pretentious and ridiculous side of the modern cocktail renaissance that many of us are, at least in part, guilty of.

MAGAZINE

It features a hipster-esque ‘mixologist’ saying and doing an assortment of wanky cocktail-nerd things that perfectly highlight the problem a lot of us face. We get so caught up in crafting ever more complex cocktails with the most obscure ingredients and latest techniques that we forget the single most important reason behind our job – to look after our guests.

1Welcome your guests: Good service starts from the second a guest walks through your door, and nothing ruins a first impression like being left wondering where to sit or who to ask. While this is often not the primary job of the bartender, you can keep an eye on the door and ensure that new customers are attended to. When someone does approach the bar however, make sure to always acknowledge them within a few seconds of them arriving. Even if you’re busy with another guest, a nod of the head or quick greeting will go a long way to helping them feel relaxed and confident in the knowledge that you’ll be with them as soon as you can.

2Body Language:

Molecular Mixology, small batch bitters, the Japanese Hard Shake – all the buzz words of our industry at the moment are focussed on ‘perfecting’ our drinks but another trend is slowly coming to the fore, led by some of the bartending world’s leading lights. It’s not only about the drinks. Sure they’re important, but in the words of Gary Regan, author of The Joy of Mixology and guru of what he calls mindful bartending, “People might remember how good your drinks are for a few days, but they’ll remember how good your service is for a lifetime.” The role of the bartender is an ambiguous and multi-faceted one at the best of times. In the most fundamental sense we pour drinks for our guests, but anyone who believes that this is the extent of the job has either never been behind a bar or never seen a really good bartender working. From mixologist to matchmaker, bouncer to best friend, a bartender fills so many sets of shoes it would leave your average centipede looking confused, and that’s the way we like it! If you don’t enjoy dealing with people, don’t multi-task well or don’t cope under pressure, bartending is not for you. However, for those of us that feel at home behind the stick and (to borrow another phrase from Gaz Regan) love the sense of power we get behind that waist high piece of mahogany, there is an art to juggling not only drinks but people, and it only comes with time and practice. Making guests feel special and welcome while still turning out great drinks and (in the case of the best bartenders) somehow making it look effortless is a skill far more important than many rookies believe and is, in my opinion, what seperates great bartenders from merely adequate ones. The old adage goes that a bartender should be like a swan; calm and graceful on the surface but paddling like crazy under water. In the rest of this article we’re going to look at a few tips and techniques to make your guests feel more at home in your bar. After all, that’s right where you want them – sitting at your bar, spending money with you and enjoying the experience enough to come back and do it again. It’s called hospitality and it’s the reason we’re in business! While some of these might be difficult to do if you work in a busy nightclub for example, most can at least be adapted to best suit the environment you work in. People, after all, pretty much want the same thing no matter where they are, which is to relax, have a good time and feel like you are looking after them.

“People might remember how good your drinks are for a few days, but they’ll remember how good your service is for a lifetime.” Gary Regan

Studies vary but conservative estimates indicate that around 50%-65% of what we communicate is non-verbal. Put simply, that means more than half of what you are communicating to a guest is completely unrelated to the words coming out of your mouth! This is obviously a very important factor when trying to make someone feel relaxed and sociable, and means that simply being polite and reciting the ‘yes sir’ ‘no sir’ lines is just not enough. Open body posture, direct eye contact (but not too much as this will leave people feeling uncomfortable), open friendly gestures with hands and arms and standing up straight are all good habits to cultivate, and surprisingly uncommon once you start paying attention to them. Andrew Nicholls has written an excellent article on the Barchaeology network (www.barchaeology.net) examing body language as it specifically relates to bartending, and I highly recomend that as a starting point for anyone wanting to learn more about it.

3Memory: A good memory is probably one of the most vital bartending skills you can learn. Obviously remembering orders and pricing is useful, but far more important is a memory for names, faces, regular drinks and all the other hallmarks of recognition that create regular customers. People will feel far more at home in a bar where the bartender knows their name, greets them with a warm smile and goes about getting their favourite drink. Interestingly, in the gentlemen’s clubs of days gone by, the rules for the way a bartender interacted with a member were strictly regulated. If a club member was at the bar by himself it was acceptable for the bartender to greet him by name and remember what he drank. If however he was accompanied by friends or guests, the bartender should only address him as ‘Sir’ and politely enquire as to his drink preference (even if he knew it well) as a degree of familiarity would imply that said gentleman spent a lot of time at the bar! To this day it is still considered impolite for a bartender to refer to a guest’s previous visits to the bar although familiarity with regular customers is generally welcomed.

4Comfort: This is an often-overlooked part of the bartender’s job as we tend to think of it as the responsibility of management, cleaning staff and so on. As a bartender however, you are far more intimately aware of a guests’ needs and, as such, ensuring they are comfortable should be one of your top priorities. Is the music blasting over people desperately trying to have a conversation? Is it too hot? Too cold? Too bright? Too Dark? Pay attention to your guests’ reactions and interactions with each other and you’ll quickly figure out what you need to do. Pay attention to temperature, music volume, lighting, odd smells (bars are full of them) as well as cleanliness of the bar and seating area. Remember, it all comes back to the simple fact that you want your guests as comfortable as possible at your bar. The more they enjoy their experience, the longer they’ll stay and the more likely the chance that they’ll come back.

From mixologist to matchmaker, bouncer to best friend, a bartender fills so many sets of shoes it would leave your average centipede looking confused, AND THAT’S THE WAY WE LIKE IT!

Name: Ryan Duvenage Age: 27 Years behind the bar: 9 From: Durban, South Africa

People talk to their bartenders. It’s a simple fact of the industry that people will treat you as a friend, confidant, wing-man and sounding board. It’s important that you develop conversational skills to cover a broad range of topics. Read a newspaper, remember a few jokes and stay away from topics like religion and politics. Also play to your strengths. If you’re good at telling jokes, are a walking encyclopaedia of sports trivia or fancy yourself a whisky or wine connoiseur, learn to use those topics to your advantage and the entertainment of your guests.

6Anticipation and attention to detail: Probably the two most important aspects of good service. Anticipating what your guests are going to need or want before they have to consciously think about it or ask you for it is one of the most impressive hospitality skills, and will almost without fail leave a lasting and postive impression. It is also one of the most tricky to master as it requires expert situational awareness and people-reading skills, both of which usually only come with time and practice. If you are consciously trying to anticipate the needs of your guests however, you will spot those opportunities far quicker than the bartender with his head down, only worried about pumping out drinks. The follow through of good service is of course in the implementation and this is where attention to detail comes in. Obviously attention to detail in your drinks is vital – perfect consitency, technique, presentation and taste are all about the details, but everything from the way you’re dressed to the quality of the soap in the bathrooms contributes to an overall impression of you and your bar, one that will greatly influence how your customers feel and act. This once again brings us back to the fact that you want your guests enjoying their time with you as much as possible so that they stay longer and return often.

All of these tips should help you realise that there is far more to bartending than simply pouring drinks. There is an art to working the bar, to balancing the needs of people that far exceeds the technicalities of simply dispensing drinks. The people, both bartenders and guests, are after all what give a bar its ‘soul’. Without them it is simply a room with some chairs, a counter and some dusty bottles, it is your job to nurture the relationship with your guests so that they become loyal customers and sometimes even friends. Without that human interaction there may as well be a vending machine in your place. Enjoy the privelage of not being replacable by a machine. There is soul, and there are things. Imagine a world made up only of objects, A world of idle tools, A restaurant of nothing but tables and chairs, A large empty theater or a deserted plaza in summer. ...They cry out for the service of man, The service to give them life. We call on man to display his splendid capabilities. And We observe with undivided attention, Because The little nuances in the quality of his service Give a flawless measure of his mind They tell us frankly what his soul is worth, Because, To serve is first to love”. Quote from Harry’s Bar by Arrigo Cipriani

Ryan Duvenage

Ryan is a Durban based bartender, trainer and consultant for the Barcode Bar Academy and an enthusiastic ambassador of good drinks. His areas of interests include classic cocktails, cocktail history, wine, spirits and beer. Occasionally coffee too but only at a civilised hour...he is not interested in early mornings. Ryan is a 2 x South African National Cocktail Champion and represented South Africa at the IBA World Championships in Singapore 2010 and Berlin 2009 where he placed 7th in the World Finals, the highest placing by a South African to date. He was also selected as one of the world’s 12 finest Gin bartenders in the G’Vine Gin Connoisseurs Program, held in France in June 2010 and was ranked amongst Belvedere Vodka’s 30, worldwide Semi-Finalists in their Global Brand Ambassador Search. Locally, Ryan is the Durban representative of the South African Bartenders Association and regularly organises, judges and MC’s both regional and national competitions including the SA National Cocktail Competition, Design Durban’s Drink Competition, Skyy Global Flair Challenge, Franki Bananaz Untouchables and Oyster Box Bartender of the Year Competition. International travels include Singapore, Mexico, The Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy, Mozambique and Kenya as well as extensive local travels around South Africa. He regularly writes about drinks, bars and cocktail culture for several blogs and websites and has contributed to numerous magazines and newspapers including the Independent on Saturday, SA Chef!, Food and Home and Men’s Health and been featured on several television shows.

Highest Awards: • 2 X South African National Cocktail Champion (2009, 2010), 3rd place 2006. • 7th Place – IBA World Cocktail Competition-Berlin 2009 • International Finalist in the G’Vine Gin Connoisseurs Program-France, June 2010

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UN D Y SHA

ss succe r e h t n Tou -caps he re uth Africa eca. s a t o e lm n Duv admau5 S ind it - O Shau h e e D n b i e o J as th brand that w and the

Most recently Anything Goes toured the world’s biggest electronic dance act, Deadmau5. Deadmau5 is ranked in the top live performances in touring globally and has a fan base of millions across the planet. Deadmau5 stands for what many partygoers believe in; he is a free spirit that helped shape EDM (Electronic Dance Music) into what it is today. The partygoer out in the clubs knows, loves and respects Deadmau5 and his music, and what he has achieved. Having secured the artist, our strategy was to find the brand that would match, and want to borrow and work with that equity. From the first step in the artist negotiation process, I had one particular brand in mind that I knew would be the perfect fit for this tour, Olmeca. We were behind creating the Olmeca Dimension brand in 2007, which is an extension of Olmeca. The Dimensions project is also focused on electronic dance music and DJs and, as such, I knew that the fit for Deadmau5 was perfect. Luckily for both, Olmeca saw the potential and agreed. After many months of negotiations and planning, the contract was signed and the Deadmau5 South African tour confirmed. Anything Goes and the SA Tour team put together a three-city tour including JHB, CT and DBN that eventually attracted in excess of 30 000 people over the 3 dates in December 2011. The marketing strategy that was created for the tour had the artist and Olmeca first in mind, and in a slick and strategised sponsorship, AG and Olmeca set out to market the tour nationally with only 2 months before the actual events.

Within this time frame the following happened: a dedicated BBM network was grown (2000 people), a tour fan page reached 8900 likes, the Twitter account grew to 3850 followers and the YouTube Channel had over 50 000 views in day 1. The microsite, radio advert and all channels linked through to the Olmeca brand and grew its Facebook fan page from 420 to 8000 in 2 months. The resulting dedicated fan base of Olmeca consumers – new and old –grew sales in the process; 30 000 people drinking Olmeca… Winning ;). This also turned out to be the biggest dance music tour in SA history.

The resulting dedicated fan base of Olmeca consumers – new and old – grew sales in the process; 30 000 people drinking Olmeca… Winning ;) Once the tour was complete our media department produced a 2:30 minute video (view it at youtube.com/anythinggoesct) that captured the magic of the tour, and here are some of the comments from YouTube:

• GOOSEBUMPS!!!_ All over again!!! 14FeZ14 • best night of my_ life!!! MrLuvrLuan • FML! hahah This Night_ Was Epic!! applemcos • FUUUUCK!!! Watching this makes me wish_ I could go back to that fucken night! BoomBoxBiZ

• Deadmau5 Jhb was the best weekend of my LIFE <3 PLEASE come_ back soon!!! Yovanie1406 was there, best show ever! funkyzeitness yashzn1234 • ‘Deadmau5_ i love youuu’ haha! Such a epic tour, come back soon joel alexmarais1 yashzn1234 • 2012 - Lets do it_ again! harold1261 • What_ a show! applekoos

• I_

Shaun Duvet is the Managing Director of entertainment-based marketing agency, Anything Goes. Anything Goes has been operating for close on ten years with the business focusing on large-scale events, international DJs, live acts and touring. Anything Goes also has an incredible media and marketing department that produces all the collateral for the shows.

My team and I have been involved with some pretty amazing acts and tours over the years including the likes of Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, 50 Cent and G-Unit, Janet Jackson, Fatboy Slim, Kaskade, Martin Solveig, Gilles Peterson, Todd Terry, Mowgli and many more. The next act on the cards is none other than The Bingo Players (Hits like ‘Cry Just a little’, ‘Devotion’, ‘You’re Not Alone’ among others) and of course the big one - Grammy nominated artist Avicii over a 3 city tour in March 2012. Ticket sales for Avicii have been phenomenal and we are looking for the same turn out as Deadmau5. Anything Goes’ primary focus is dance, urban and live music acts, and connecting through these with the masses. We understand the culture of what people between the ages of 18–35 want, and we know how to give it to them using strategic through-the-line marketing campaigns that grow brands’ sales, market share and perception. We work very close with media giants 5FM, Metro FM and SA’s DJ elite, and already have a long list of international acts coming out to tour South Africa in 2012 and beyond, as well as some huge festival plans in place. Make sure you stay locked onto www.anythinggoes.co.za, www.facebook. com/anythinggoesCT, www.twitter.com/ anythinggoes_ct for the latest news. Should you or your brand be interested in growing your market share through music, email me at shaun@anythinggoes.co.za and follow me on Twitter(@shaunduvet) and Facebook (@shaunduvet).

Shaun Duvet

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Handmade. By actual hands.

Not for sale to persoNs uNder the age of 18 years.

Y R U ENT FE

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Louis XIII is an encounter. With the land, with history, with time itself. For more than a century, LOUIS XIII has been synonymous with brilliance and perfection in all four corners of the world. Originating in the most exclusive vineyards in Grande Champagne, an exceptional wine-growing region due to its chalky soil, LOUIS XIII was produced for the first time in 1874, and was soon travelling the globe, becoming the perfect ambassador of the French art of living. It amazed connoisseurs at the universal exhibitions, it won them over aboard the Orient-Express, and it captivated the royal courts of Europe before crossing the Atlantic at the end of the 19th Century.

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From Osaka to San Francisco, from Saint Petersburg to Cape Town, from Paris to Beijing, Louis XIII, knowing no borders, transcending all notions of time, became the cognac of kings and the king of cognacs. The LOUIS XIII journey – a story imbued with instinct, genius, and passion – has roots that stretch back to 1569, when Europe was being ravaged by the Wars of Religion. That year, the Catholic armies of the Duke of Anjou and the Protestant forces of the Prince de Condé fought a battle around the town of Jarnac in the foggy Charente region. In 1850, a peasant in Jarnac found a relic from the war: a metal gourd decorated with lilies. Paul-Émile Rémy Martin, a history buff, was fascinated by his discovery, and bought the gourd.

Paul-Émile, the fifth generation of the Rémy Martin family, had been carefully preserving eaux-de-vie for more than half a century, thus perpetuating a family tradition. Inspired by his discovery, he decided to blend his oldest and most delicate Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie in this gourd, which he commissioned someone to copy out of glass, turning it into a carafe. He named it “LOUIS XIII” in honour of the king who had encouraged the production and trade in eaux-de-vie in the Charente area at the start of the 17th century, and under whose reign the Rémy Martin family had settled in the region. Since its inception, the knowledge and expertise of Rémy Martin has gone into making LOUIS XIII into an outstanding cognac. The choice of the best soil, the watchfulness of the wine growers, the distillation over lees in small pot stills: all these elements combine to achieve excellence. In the ages-old Limousin oak wood casks in which it matures, LOUIS XIII acquires the renowned character which has made its reputation. There is a mysterious communion between the air, the wood and the eaux-de-vie, culminating in a magical and magnificent intensity of flavours and aromas. LOUIS XIII spends most of its life in the cool shade cast by the thick protective walls of the cellars and has been carefully looked after by four successive generations of fine master craftsmen, thus maintaining the memory of the ages-old taste by blending more than a thousand eaux-de-vie together.

The LOUIS XIII journey – a story imbued with instinct, genius, and passion – has roots that stretch back to 1569...

“I am just here to carry and transmit the knowledge,” says the current cellar master, Pierrette Trichet, the present repository of an unchanging body of knowledge and expertise. LOUIS XIII represents a remarkable concentration of time, which makes each tasting session unique and evocative. All the genius of the House of Rémy Martin is distilled into this carafe, from where it has been shining for over a hundred years.

“Louis XIII is best enjoyed neat at room temperature, and not paired A single glass of LOUIS XIII spans several generations, with each cellar playing their part in the unique phenomenon of LOUIS XIII. “We are here to prepare it, to guide it towards a future in which we will be long gone. We are simply its chaperones,” says Dominique Hériard Dubreuil, Chairman of the House of Rémy Martin.

with food or a cigar, or anything that could interfere with the experience.”

In January 2012 Guillaume Cadilhac, the Global Louis XIII Ambassador, visited South Africa to conduct tastings at the Saxon Hotel and to share his passion for the brand. MUDL was lucky enough to be invited to sample some of the fine cognac, and learn more about Louis VIII. Afterwards we had a chance to sit down with Guillaume (pronounced Ghee-yum) and chat with him one on one.

A Yes thank you, it’s good to be here. Before I came here I had actually tried some South African food in Taiwan where I live; I had biltong and poitjiekos at a restaurant called Fooba.

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Q Hi Guillaume, thanks for taking the time to chat to us. Are you enjoying your time in SA?

A Two of my early passions were radio and Chinese martial arts so, when I finished my military service in France, I travelled to Shanghai were I could pursue them both. I spent 10 years there as a radio host, programmer and public speaker.

Q Oh good, well I hope they did it justice! How did you come to live in the Far East?

Q And how did you get involved with Remy Martin? A Before long I recognised I could use my foothold in China to

promote French products. By chance I came across people from Remy Martin, a brand I have always admired, and was invited to represent them exclusively in the region. As the flagship Remy Martin Cognac and, in my opinion, the best cognac in the world, Louis XIII soon became my focus and I started the first club in its honour in Asia. In 2009 I was given the title of “Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres” for service done in Asia & China on the “made in France” brand. Coincidentally my father also earned this honour.

Q For the benefit of the many people who will never have the privilege of trying it, how would you describe Louis XIII on the palate? A Simply put, it is fireworks of aroma and emotions. Exquisite. Q And the perfect serve? A Louis XIII is best enjoyed neat at room temperature, and not

paired with food or a cigar, or anything that could interfere with the experience.

Q Aside from its unquestionable quality, what sets Louis XIII apart? A A lot of it has to do with its heritage and the fact that it is a

celebration of 100 years of work and passion, The people making the liquid now will not see it to the finish, thus offering it up for the next generation.

Q Not to suggest that Louis XIII should ever be mixed, but what is

your favourite cocktail?

A It would have to be the Stinger - 3 parts Remy Martin Cognac, 1 part Crème de Menthe, shaken and strained into a chilled martini glass. My other favourite is the Sidecar – Remy Martin Cognac, Cointreau and lemon juice. The fact that these are all ingredients from Remy Cointreau portfolio has nothing to do with it. [laughs]

Guillaume Cadilhac is the global Louis XIII Ambassador. He was honoured as “Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres” (Arts & Letters Knight) by the French government in 2009. He has been a Louis XIII Ambassador since 2009 and represents Louis XIII in major events, dinners and tastings around the world. He also manages the first Louis XIII VIP Club. From 2003 to 2008 he was the Ambassador for Sopexa Greater China where he represented Sopexa in events in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

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Cognac & Chocolate, both perfected by the human hand. With their tastes developed by careful blending, they are made for each other.

The assistants

What is Hennessy & Chocolates? Hennessy Cognac, the world’s leading and most established of all luxury cognac houses, has set out to achieve an exquisite tasting experience which innovatively showcases the unique relationship between cognac, chocolate and gourmet food. Five leading South African chefs, with assistance of a few celebrities and media personalities, were invited to develop a signature dish or delicacy which elegantly showcases the meeting of these fine ingredients. Each chef had to create their own menu item – be it an entrée, main, aperitif or dessert – as long as it included the two core ingredients. The dish also needed to successfully pair with either Hennessy VS, Hennessy VSOP or Hennessy XO.

The judges

The Chefs and the dishes they made:

Patrick Moreau of Cassis Paris Patisserie created Paradis Nkosikhona Manqele of Three Chefs Bistro created African Footprint

Riaan Gould of Slow in the City created grilled venison loin with vanilla pod mash, asparagus & Hennessy V.S.O.P plums

Scott Kirton of La Colombe created Chocolate Torte Spencer Sykes of Kream created Trio of Springbok, chocolate and Hennessy XO

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CO EASE L E R

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In this article, Cognac-Expert.com tells the unique history of the world’s most precious spirit, appreciated today everywhere around the globe. One of the last things most people are thinking about as they lift a glass of cognac to their lips is about the story behind the taste. Quality, aroma, taste, and yes, even how much these few seconds of pleasure are costing. But the history of cognac? It’s not the first thought that springs to mind. The tale behind our beloved eaux-devie is a long and fascinating one that can be traced all the way back to the third century. At a time when the mighty Roman Empire was plunged into civil war and the Mayan civilisation entered its Classic Era, events were taking place that would begin the journey to cognac as we know it today. THE POWER OF THE EMPIRE Following the ban of wine cultivation in the 1st century by Emperor Titus Flavius Domitianus, the latter part of the 3rd century saw Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius Probus rescinding this. He granted the Gallic people the right to once again own and cultivate vineyards to produce wine.

The next big change didn’t occur until the 12th century, when the Duke of Guyenne and Poitiers, Guillaume X, gave orders for vineyards to be planted in the region of Poitou Charente, where the town of Cognac is located. This century also saw the very beginnings of the trade in both wine and salt. 1270, for example, saw the Frapin family (of Frapin Cognac) settle in the Charente region of France. The area was especially attractive to the entrepreneurs of that time, not only because of the vineyards, but because the Charente River and port of La Rochelle offered excellent transportation access. King Francois I of France gave permission for salt to be traded and transported using boats along the river. THIRSTY SAILORS AND AN ACCIDENTAL DISCOVERY By the 14th century, Dutch merchants were arriving by the shipload and purchasing wines to take back to the Netherlands. However, they discovered that wine really didn’t travel well, not to mention that it tookup

a lot of room on the ships. Thus distilling became normal practice and, stored in oak barrels, they were able to transport the wine via the waterways and seas, simply adding water to the product once they got to their destination. The process of double distillation reduced the volume of the wine even further, saving even more money for the merchants. They named this distilled wine brandewijn, literally translated: burnt wine. It didn’t take long for them to realise that this distilled wine actually improved with age, and could be drunk without adding the water at the end of its journey. The word brandewijn became shortened over the years, becoming the familiar ‘brandy’ that is commonly used today. The wine merchants and producers in and around Cognac gradually began to take advantage of these discoveries. Double distillation and ageing in oak barrels was soon seen as typical to the region, and therefore the brandy produced here began to be referred to as cognac.

The 18th century saw the beginnings of the first cognac trading houses. With a transportation network already in place thanks to the thriving salt trade, the region’s brandy began to be exported to countries around the globe. It was also during this century that some of the most famous names in the world of cognac were created – including the house of Martell, Remy Martin and Hennessy.

of Cognac (Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois, Bois Ordinaires) became officially recognised. However, it took until 1936 for the area to be given its own Appellation d’origine controlee – or AOC – making it a legal requirement that only brandy produced from these areas could be labelled as cognac. COGNAC, HIP HOP AND EASTERN DESIRES

FROM BARREL TO BOTTLE – AND A DEVASTATING CATASTROPHE

Towards the end of the 20th century, cognac was beginning to fall somewhat out of fashion. Seen by many as an ‘old man’s tipple,’ the lure of other spirits such as whisky and vodka were proving highly competitive to the cognac producers. But what were they to do about it? How could they tempt younger drinkers that it was cool to drink cognac?

It wasn’t until the 19th century that it became common to sell cognac in bottles, rather than by the barrel. By now, cognac was being exported and sold throughout the world, including the USA, Australia, India and China. The demand for cognac was high and was providing a booming trade for the region. But it was in the second part of this century that disaster struck. Phylloxera – a microscopic insect – ravaged the vineyards, not only of Cognac, but the whole country. 300 000 hectares of vineyards were reduced to a mere 40 000. Wine merchants simply couldn’t keep up with the demand for cognac, and hence whisky began to take over as the world’s leading spirit. This disaster changed cognac production forever. Tougher, more phylloxera resistant vines from the USA were imported and planted, and the Ugni Blanc grape became almost universal in the region. Not long after this, in 1909, the six growing regions

Cognac-Expert.com

It was in 2001 that American rapper Busta Rhymes had a smash hit with his song ‘Pass the Courvoisier’. This spawned a literal plethora of other hip hop artists making references to high profile cognac brands in their songs as well. Not to mention various pairings of top artists and cognac houses. Once you added in media coverage of how the rich and famous loved their expensive cognac habits, suddenly the drink became cool again. And of course, it didn’t take long for the cognac industry to realise it had been handed a virtual lifeline. Suddenly, the industry entered the 21st century and began to target a younger audience.

Cognac cocktails became popular, along with cognac on the rocks, cognac with soda and even cognac with Coke. At last people were not being told that the only way to enjoy cognac was to drink it neat. Suddenly they were being given choices. Cognac sales began to rise, and merchants had to up production to keep up with demands. And then the global crisis of 2007/8 struck, and sales plummeted. But since then the industry has seen what is almost a miraculous turnaround. Boosted no end by the popularity in China of the older XO-and-above cognacs, 2011 was a year that broke all records. And whilst export markets such as the USA still lead in terms of volume and the younger VS and VSOP cognacs, China is now worth more in terms of older cognacs and monetary value. Other growing markets include Russia, Eastern Europe, India and Australia. Cognac is definitely the drink of the ‘here and now’ and the industry remains nervously hopeful about the future. What will happen from now on only remains to be seen. Obviously the global economy will play a big part, along with the industry continuing to tempt and woo the younger drinkers to enjoy their products. One thing is for sure – the story of cognac is set to continue, so settle back and enjoy the ride - and enjoy a glass or two along the way! Read all about cognac on http://www.cognac-expert.com

Cognac-Expert.com is the leading Internet platform for cognac worldwide. It was initiated by a family that has been living in the Charente region for over 50 years. Starting out as a blog to distribute news about cognac to the world, the website today boasts more than 100.000 visitors a month. Cognac-Expert.com constantly delivers articles about the cognac industry, products, news about the Cognac region and everything related to the famous French brandy. The website also features the most encompassing list of cognac houses and bottles on the web, adding to its vast list on a regular basis. By now, it offers in-depth information about 100 cognac brands and over 500 products for both cognac professionals and enthusiasts.

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Once you added in media coverage of how the rich and famous loved their expensive cognac habits, suddenly the drink became cool again.

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UNDENIABLY SOPHISTICATED, BISQUIT IS A COGNAC WITH NEARLY 200 YEARS OF HISTORY AND A FINE TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE.

French law dictates that a brandy can only be labelled a cognac if it has been distilled from grapes grown in a delimited area comprising 160 000 ha around the town of Cognac. The Cognac area can be divided into a number of districts, including Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires, and Bisquit is produced in the very heart of the region. The Bisquit family of Cognacs consists of the Classique, VSOP and Excellence XO varieties. Every part of its creation, from grape-growing to blending, must take place within the vicinity of the Cognac region. The rich soil of the Cognac region has high chalk content and it is close to the ocean, resulting in mild winters and sunshine that

allows grapes to gently ripen. Cognac may only be aged in casks made from oak, and years of careful maturation are required for it to become a quality spirit. The highly anticipated harvesting of the grapes takes place from September to October. These precious grapes are immediately pressed to preserve their fresh and au naturel state. Fermentation takes 4-8 days, creating a low alcohol level that greatly enhances the distinctive aromas. These aromas are then concentrated through the unique double distillation process. Bisquit has a longer distillation time which has made the Cognac richer with a more generous bouquet of aromas, suppler and smoother, than any other Cognac.

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BRAND HISTORY

HERITAGE OF

In 1819, at just 20 years of age, Alexandre Bisquit founded his own cognac house in the French city of Jarnac. As the first Frenchman to have a cognac house without any funding, Alaxandre was always confident in the superior quality of his cognacs. He was a passionate entrepreneur and took Bisquit Cognac to all corners of the globe. Through his travels, he gained an understanding of how important it is to give things time and to cultivate privileged moments. Adrien Dubuoche, Alexandre Bisquit’s sonin-law, joined the family company in 1846. He expanded the company and introduced Saint Martial (first bishop of Limoges church in France) into the logotype, flagged by two griffins, which is a guardian of secret treasures. Maurice Laporte, Adrien

BISQUIT COGNAC

Dubouche’s son-in-law, boosted business by creating export markets in the Far East and Africa. He also supervised the construction of the bigger cellar in the region and built a larger distillery for the company.

In 1819, at just 20 years of age, Alexandre Bisquit founded his own cognac house in the French city of Jarnac. The company was led by the three subsequent generations of LaporteBisquit, as it continued to grow into an internationally recognised brand. In 1966, Francois Laporte-Bisquit sold the company and the family estate, Domaine le Ligneres, to Paul Ricard, famous founder of the Pernod-Ricard Group, and in 2009 Bisquit,

Distell Ltd acquired the license to distribute the Cognac. Alexandre Bisquit had a life philosophy which he implemented for the elaboration of his cognacs through a unique and authentic savoir-faire (know how) passed down from one generation to another of Maitre de Chai. Over the centuries his high standards have endured, and today, almost 200 years later, Bisquit’s fine tradition of cognac-making is enjoyed around the world. Bisquit spends more time in the barrel – 20% longer – than any other cognac, hence the more rounded flavours and aromas. As such, time is an important theme for Bisquit. The brand is classical, luxurious and caters to the upmarket.

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THE BISQUIT COGNAC VARIANTS Bisquit has three ranges, each with a different character that celebrates art de vivre, which is an art of living.

BISQUIT COGNAC VS CLASSIQUE

BISQUIT COGNAC VSOP

BISQUIT COGNAC XO

Has a soft, fresh character.

Smooth and mellow, with a longer satisfying finish.

Incredible richness and aromas, fully body and smoothness

Colour: Golden amber Nose: A fruity bouquet Taste: A fusion of vanilla and dried fruit Serve: In long refreshing drinks or neat • Bisquit VS Classique has achieved consistent accolades at international wine & spirit competitions. • The new colour tones of the pack are warmer than before with a more comfortable and contemporary feel. • Bisquit VS Classique has much better shelf legibility than its predecessor. • The bottle should be found in the run on the outlet’s shelf. • It is always sold with the gift box. Recommended retail price is between: R260 – R299 Bisquit VS Classique won a silver medal award in the 2009 International Wine and Spirit Competition.

Colour: Old gold Nose: A strong, character with subtle undertones of wood, flowers and spices Taste: Subtle with floral and woody flavours Serve: Neat or over ice

• Bisquit VSOP has achieved consistent

accolades at various international wine & spirit competitions. • The branding for Bisquit VSOP is very strong. This is to catch the eye of consumers and provide assurance of superior quality to other products in a similar price range. • The bottle should be found in the run on the outlet’s shelf. • It is always sold with the gift box. Recommended retail price is between: R440 – R540 Bisquit VSOP won a Gold medal for the Best in Class in the 2009 International Wine and Spirit Competition.

Colour: Dark amber Nose: Aromas of jasmine, saffron, sandalwood, with spicy nuances and hints of candied fruit Taste: Generous with a lingering after taste Serve: Best enjoyed neat • Bisquit XO Excellence has achieved consistent accolades at international wine & spirit competitions. • Drinkers of Bisquit XO Excellence tend to be cognac connoisseurs. • The new bottle is handcrafted, and its ornate design is akin to premium French perfume bottles. • XO is to always be merchandised somewhere in the outlet where there is high visibility. • The bottle should be kept outside of the gift box. Recommended retail price is between: R1, 300 to R1, 600. Bisquit XO Excellence won a Gold medal in the 2009 International Wine and Spirit Competition

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BISQUIT COGNAC

AFROTAINMENT MEERENDAL ESTATE

BISQUIT COGNAC

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

WITH GOOD COMPANY AND GOOD VIBES

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MIXING UP BISQUIT AND TASTE Bisquit can be enjoyed with haute cuisine or after an a la carte meal. However, in order to fully appreciate this magnificent cognac it is highly recommended that you enjoy it slowly, allowing your senses time to properly savour the experience.

Sight: Raise the glass to eye level and critique the transparency, colour and viscosity. Different hues reflect different ages. Tilt your glass slightly. Notice tears running slowly down the side of the glass? These are a sign of good age and are also known as ‘the legs’.

Scent: Place your nose above the glass to smell the delicately fleeting volatile elements. You should then detect a repertoire of floral, fruity and spicy aromas such as dry vines, vanilla, freshly crushed grapes and violets.

Taste: First take a small sip and suck in a little air over the liquid in your mouth. This brings the cognac into contact with a higher number of taste receptors. Then take a larger sip that engulfs your mouth to bring the mélange of flavours and notes into full bloom.

All these steps are vitally important to appreciating Bisquit, yet the tasting of a cognac with such a cachet should never be rushed; only savoured as art de vrivre.

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Q Let’s

set the record straight – how is cognac different to a brandy?

A In a nutshell, cognac is produced in the

Cognac region in France, any product made outside this region may not be regarded as a cognac. Even though some of the world’s finest brandies are produced in a similar method to how cognac is produced, they are different to cognac because of the landscape, soil, rainfall and other natural influences of the Cognac region. In layman’s terms, cognac is to brandy what champagne is to sparkling wine.

Q What are your views on the global sales trends in the cognac category?

A I have a positive outlook for the global

cognac trade. In volume, cognac shipments reached an all-time high in 2011 of 12.65 Million 9 litre cases (+6,3%) according to the IWSR/justdrinks Global market review of brandy and Cognac – forecasts to 2016. Even though the category was impacted in 2008 by global turmoil, it seems to have rebounded spectacularly thanks mainly to China, but also due to the US and Europe now slowly stabilising. In value, the sales generated from shipments out of Cognac have exceeded €2 Billion for the first time ever. Cognac seems to be giving whisky a tough time globally and locally in South Africa.

Q And why is demand rocketing, especially in Asia?

A With the massive growth of the middle

class in Asia year on year, research suggests that consumers have more disposable income to spend on cognacs to show their new status. Drinking cognac is seen as a status symbol in Asia and is therefore highly aspirational.

Q Why

is Bisquit Cognac taking the SA market by storm?

A Bisquit Cognac is taking South Africa by

storm because of its superior quality. Distilled for longer, Bisquit Cognac delivers a subtler taste on the palate which is preferred by the South African palate.

Q How

important is it to adhere to convention when drinking Bisquit Cognac, or is it up to the individual?

A It

is important to respect convention, however we appreciate that cognac is consumed differently all over the world. We acknowledge that Bisquit consumers are not limited to specific occasions, time of day or way of drinking cognac. Bisquit Cognac with tonic or soda is ideal in our warmer climate.

Q Cognac

is not synonymous with cocktails – is Bisquit Cognac about to change all that?

A No,

by no means are we diluting the image of cognac in any form. We are merely exploring additional avenues to appreciate this premium category. Varied drinking occasions call for different ways to enjoy cognac; it doesn’t always have to be drunk neat. Our suggestion is to explore the mixability of the younger Bisquit VS Classique in a long drink or Summit Cocktail because its flavours are still fresh and explosive.

Q What

is the story behind the Bisquit Cognac branding and the griffon in particular.

A Bisquit Cognac is about taking time out

to savour what is most important to you in life. It is about enjoying a moment of greatness. Founder Alexander Bisquit took a moment in 1819 to envisage crafting a world class cognac. “Greatness only takes a moment”. His signature appears on every bottle as a sign of craftsmanship, proof of quality and legitimacy. The griffon is the brand guardian and keeper of the cellars at the Bisquit Chatue. It symbolises power, wisdom, virility and majesty.

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NF I N E A AZIN H G T I A M W QUE W A E L I B RV R OF E O T T I N I ED THE: I ABIS W N O

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Q When and how were you introduced to Bisquit? A I was introduced to Bisquit around two years ago and

it was quite by chance really. I was at a Cape Town restaurant and the person I was with extended an invite for me to try the cognac they were drinking. I’ve been a convert ever since.

Q How do you drink Bisquit? A It

really depends on what I’m doing or eating at that time. With the VS, I love it with ginger ale and also with cocktails. I enjoy the VSOP neat or with ice, and when I’m feeling lucky or on top of the world I have the XO neat.

Blaque Magazine is an urban lifestyle magazine aimed at a diverse group of upwardly mobile black men aged between 24 & 40 years old. Blaque offers its readers insightful discussions on business, music, fashion and entertainment.

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Q Why do you love Bisquit? A The

brand is about quality. A long history and great passion distinguishes Bisquit. They’ve got it right and it satisfies me at all times. It just does the trick for me. I feel it sells itself.

Q Is Bisquit reserved for special occasions? A I feel it’s more for celebrating moments. I just want to

have fun with good people when having Bisquit. But I must say, when it comes to XO, this variant is all about celebrating key milestones one reaches in life – be it with family or in business.

Q How

does the quality of Bisquit differ from other cognacs you’ve had?

A I’ve

had the privilege of visiting Cognac in France to taste and to learn about the history of cognac and what it symbolises. During this six month period I learned about Bisquit, and the taste is exceptional; it’s consistently of the highest quality.

Q Talk to us about the association Blaque Magazine has with Bisquit.

A Blaque Magazine celebrated its third birthday recently and we selected Bisquit as our partner to mark this milestone. For me, it was about letting people into our world, and introducing them to Blaque and what it represents. Bisquit captured this perfectly! I still cherish and remember that moment very well.

“

The brand is about quality. A long history and great passion distinguishes Bisquit. They’ve got it right and it satisfies me at all times. It just does the trick for me. I feel it sells itself.

”

Y T I L I ILAB

VA A C A GN

s Here is your guide to the cognac ca. Afri th available in Sou

VS CLASSIQUE BISQUIT COGNAC s at international wine & spirit

consistent accolade Bisquit VS Classique has achieved re with a more s of the pack are warmer than befo tone r colou new competitions. The has much better shelf legibility than ique Class VS it Bisqu feel. its predecessor. comfortable and contemporary

VSOP ns. BISQUIT COGNAC national wine & spirit competitio consistent accolades at various inter Bisquit VSOP has achieved eye of consumers and provide very strong. This is to catch the The branding for Bisquit VSOP is range. price ar simil a in ucts prod r othe assurance of superior quality to

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BISQUIT COGNAC XO

nal wine & spirit consistent accolades at internatio Bisquit XO Excellence has achieved be cognac connoisseurs. to tend e llenc Exce XO it Bisqu competitions. Drinkers of ium French perfume its ornate design is akin to prem The new bottle is handcrafted, and where there is high t outle the in e wher some handised bottles. XO is to always be merc de of the gift box. outsi kept be ld shou e visibility. The bottl

COURVOISIER VSa majority of Fins Bois with some Petite Champagne and has been aged 60

Courvoisier VS is made from four to seven years.

GNE OP FINE CHAMPAblen COURVOISIER VS ded Pale is a Fine Champagne cognac

Very Superior Old Launched 1920s-30s, Courvoiser’s ac is aged between 6 and 45% Petite Champagne, this cogn 10 years. from an average of 55% Grande and

IMPERIAL d COURVOISIER XO thing special to create a new blen ng committee were looking for some

ucer which they had dealt In 1984 Courvoisier’s tasti et. Coincidently a small family prod a touch of this with Fine particularly aimed at the Asian mark ding Blen ie. de-v eaueries Bord sample of A blend of Grande rial. with for many years sent them a Impe XO was t resul the a revelation and ately 12 to 18% oxim appr Champagne proved something of with s) year 30 and 15 e (aged between Champagne and Petite Champagn Borderies at over 30 years old.

HENNESSY VS

Illustrating the consistency of reference cognac the world over. Hennessy VS ‘Very Special’ is the r and elegance has made powe a century, its fine balance between the Hennessy style for more than g character have the compelling stron and tility versa Its urs. it popular with millions of connoisse different eaux-de-vie carefully VS is a fine blend of more than 40 appeal of something ‘very special’. and chosen for their vivacious n regio ac Cogn the of s area selected from the premier growing Limousin French oak casks new in rity matu to ght cognacs are brou a bold aromatic cognac. to qualities. Aged up to 8 years, the birth give to ins tann that yield the power of their first

HENNESSY VSOPge IV of England asked Hennessy to supply him with a ‘very superior,

In 1817, the future King Geor Old Pale VSOP, as it had become of the 19th century, Very Superior old and pale cognac’. By the end product of a gradual blend of The lity. nobi reputation among the ac region, VSOP is slowly known, had firmly established its Cogn the in s the four first growing area . A delicate blend of wood about 60 eaux-de-vie taken from cted extra h most of the tannin has been matured in old barrels from whic mon. Sophisticated, sensual and cinna and s clove of t scen the notes and spices, punctuated by estion of liquorice. the fragrance of honey and a sugg harmonious, it is characterised by

HENNESSY XO

ial ice Hennessy requested a very spec a more distinguished cognac, Maur red that decla and Old’) ra In 1870, while looking to create (‘eXt XO essy and family. He dubbed it Henn blend – one reserved for friends ding. Thus Hennessy XO, the first -de-vie be used in its master blen d over 100 of Cognac’s finest eaux cognacs across the globe. Considere for k hmar benc the me beca , ‘eXtra Old’ cognac ever produced y years and is distinguished thirt to up for aged is XO essy e, Henn the flagship of the Hennessy rang r. by its masculine, powerful characte

HENNESSY PARADIS

one of Hennessy’s most peppery notes of Hennessy Paradis, Savour the distinctive spices and and aged for up to 130 ie -de-v eaux t rares s essy’ 100 of Henn slowly softened to prized cognacs. A blend of over ers, mast r cella t fines d’s rity by the worl force and finesse. years, Paradis is nurtured to matu een betw ce balan ct create the perfe

MARTELL VS

under the ‘Three Star’ name (***) was created over 150 years ago Martell VS (‘Very Special’) cognac d makes it the ideal cognac for blen ced balan y Its harmonious, finel and is enjoyed all over the world. long drinks and cocktails.

MARTELL XO

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MARTELL VSOP

n engraved with the rior Old Pale’) bears a gold medallio of the Sun King’s Martell VSOP Médaillon (‘Very Supe end the saw h whic , rates the year 1715 ded, mature blen portrait of Louis XIV and commemo lly skilfu with e of Martell. This cognac is mad reign and the birth of the House growths of the Cognac region. eaux-de-vie from the four finest

to symbol of inspiration, testimony bottle, Martell XO is a powerful power of the Grande the With its distinctive, arch-shaped with eries Bord the of nce bining the elega Jean Martell’s visionary spirit. Com hallmark of the Martell style. outstanding XO which bears the Champagne growth, Martell is an

RTELL CORDON BLEU

MA ired legendary status for true connoisseurs and has acqu Martell Cordon Bleu is the cognac e taste, characterised by a nctiv disti Its . 1912 in ell Mart since its creation by Edouard less bottle design make it the Borderies growth, and its time of cognac. predominance of eaux-de-vie from a classic unequalled in the world

REMY VS

pagne. Easily mixable, VS is ac as it contains 100% Petite Cham ent. Thanks to its Petite VS is the higher standard in V.S cogn mom any at yed cognac, ideal to be enjo tails. the distinctive and flavour-some cock and s drink suits a wide range of long Champagne origin, its versatility

REMY VSOP

gree and smooth taste, Remy the market leader due to its pedi The world’s favourite VSOP and pagne will lift your drink Cham fine the of ity qual the and tility, to new heights. VSOP is an embodiment of versa

REMY XO

ess and the myriad aromas of true pleasure of its supreme richn ity gives a superior mellow The taste of excellence. Enjoy the dens ent velvet-smooth texture and opul floral, fruity and spicy tones. Its finish.

stated in this Please note that views and opinions Magazine. L MUD section may not be those of

Emile Giffard created the Menthe Pastille in 1885 when he was a pharmacist. Since then Giffard has always aimed to source the finest ingredients, tastiest fruits and aromatic plants, providing bartenders everywhere with the perfect ingredients for the creation of unique and delicious cocktails.

- RCS ANGERS 054 200 217 - Photo: B. Rébillard

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Giffard ˉ Avrillé ˉ Angers ˉ France ˉ IBA Official Associate Member

www.giffard.com

Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18.

Your tear-out & shake up cognac cocktail guide

Cocktails Barfly

Cocktail Name

Barback

Created by Travis Kuhn specifically for Bisquit Cognac Glass:

Old Fashioned

Waiter

Method:

Muddle, Build

Bartender Mixologist

Glass Method

Mixology terms and drink making methods.

Grade

Drinks are graded by their level of difficulty

Origin

SUMMIT

How the cocktail came to be

Ingredients: 1 slice Fresh lime peel 4 thin slices Fresh ginger 60ml Bisquit Cognac VSOP 120ml Schweppes Lemonade

Ingredients

Ingredients and pouring order.

Garnish: 1 long thin slice of cucumber Fantastic aromatic complexity is created by the freshness of the sliced cucumber and the zested oils of the lime rind. Spicy root ginger carries the flavour profile of Bisquit VS Cognac through the sip and mouth feel.

Garnish Notes

Extra information or suggestions

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DIFFICULTY RATING

Our cocktail explained BISQUIT COGNAC breakdowns

BISQUIT COGNAC A LA VORTE Glass: Tumbler Method: Build Ingredients: 50ml Bisquit Cognac VS 40ml Sir Juice Cranberry Juice 40ml Appletizer Garnish: Apple slices

BISQUIT COGNAC SUMMIT Glass: Old Fashioned Method: Muddle, Build Ingredients: 1 slice Fresh lime peel 4 slices Fresh ginger 60ml Bisquit Cognac VSOP 120ml Schweppes Lemonade Garnish: 1 long thin slice of cucumber Fantastic aromatic complexity is created by the freshness of the sliced cucumber and the zested oils of the lime rind. Spicy root ginger carries the flavour profile of Bisquit VS Cognac through the sip and mouth feel.

BISQUIT COGNAC AUX DE VIE Glass: Old Fashioned Method: Muddle, Build Ingredients: 50ml Bisquit Cognac Crushed Ice Top up Freshly squeezed white grapes Garnish: Fresh grapes

Cocktails BISQUIT COGNAC MULE

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Glass: Collins Method: Build Ingredients: 50ml Bisquit Cognac VS 20ml Kola Tonic 40ml Schweppes Soda Water 6 dashes Fee Brothers Bitters 40ml Schweppes Ginger Ale Garnish: Maraschino cherry & lime wedge Fresh Lemon Juice and sugar syrup combine beautifully to create tasteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ultimate balance. The spiciness of the ginger beer accentuates the full bodied flavor unique to Bisquit VS Cognac.

BISQUIT COGNAC TALL DARK & HANSOME Glass: Shetland Method: Build Ingredients: 37.5ml Bisquit Cognac VS 6 dashes Fee Brothers Bitters 60ml Cola Squeeze fresh lime juice Garnish: Lemon wedges The sweetness of the refreshing cola combine with the tarte flavours of the lime juice while the angostura bitters accompanies the high aromaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and full flavor of Bisquit VS Cognac.

BISQUIT COGNAC BULL Glass: Catalina Method: Layer Ingredients: 37.5ml Bisquit Cognac VS 60ml Sir Juice Cranberry Juice 30ml Red Bull Garnish: Lemon wheel The Cognac Bull once again bases its strength in the balance of the sum of all of its parts. The more mellow flavours of Almond, gingerbread and dates are brought out by the crisp, dry cranberry juice while being cut by the sweetness of the Red Bull energy drink.

A.B.C. COCKTAIL

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Glass: Chilled Martini Method: Shake and fine strain Ingredients: 5 Torn mint leaves 25ml Bisquit Cognac 25ml Cockburns Fine Tawny Port 2 dashes Fee Brothers Aromatic Bitters 12,5ml Giffard Maraschino Liqueur 6,25ml Giffard Gomme (sugar cane) Syrup Garnish: Maraschino cherry

BETWEEN THE SHEETS Created in the early 1930s (during prohibition) by Harry MacElhone of Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, and derived from the Sidecar Glass: Chilled Martini Method: Shake and fine strain Ingredients: 20ml Bisquit Cognac 20ml Bacardi Superior Rum 20ml Cointreau 25ml Freshly squeezed lemon juice 12,5ml Giffard Gomme (sugar cane) Syrup Garnish: Lemon zest and half sugar rim Classic proportions of this drink are: 1 rum, 1 cognac, 1 triple sec and ¼ lemon juice but 3 shots of 40% alcohol and a splash of lemon juice. This makes for a very tart drink. The formula above maintains the essential flavour and ingredients of the classic recipe but is a little more approachabe.

BRANDY ALEXANDER Created prior to 1930, this classic blend of brandy and chocolate smoothed with cream is based on the original Alexander which calls for gin at its base. Glass: Chilled Martini Method: Shake and fine strain Ingredients 37,5ml Bisquit Cognac 12,5ml Giffard White Cacao Liqueur 12,5ml Giffard Dark Cacao Liqueur 25ml Half and half (half milk, half cream) Garnish: Grated nutmeg This after dinner classic is rich, creamy and spicy.

BRANDY BLAZER A variation on ‘Professor’ Jerry Thomas’ Blue Blazer which involved theatrically pouring ignited brandy between two mugs. Glass: Snifter and Old Fashioned Method: Pour cognac into a warmed glass and rest the bowl of the glass on an old-fashioned glass so it lies on its side supported by the rim. Flame the cognac and carefully move the glass back to an upright position sitting normally on your work surface. Pour in hot water (this will extinguish any remaining flame) and sugar. Stir, garnish and serve. Ingredients: 60ml Bisquit Cognac 60ml Hot water 7,5ml Giffard Sugar Cane Syrup Garnish: Lemon and orange zest twists

Cocktails CORPSE REVIVER

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One of Harry Craddock’s 1930’s cocktails. Taken from ‘The Savoy Cocktail Book’ Harry writes “To be taken before 11am or whenever steam and energy are needed”. Glass: Chilled Martini Method: Stir and strain into chilled glass Ingredients: 37,5ml Bisquit Cognac 25ml Calvados 25ml Martini Rosso Sweet Vermouth Garnish: Orange zest

SIDECAR Created in 1948 during World War I, this drink was named after the motorcycle sidecar. Glass: Chilled Martini Method: Shake and fine strain Ingredients: 37,5ml Bisquit Cognac 25ml Cointreau 25ml Freshly squeezed lemon juice 12,5ml Chilled mineral water Garnish: Half a sugar rim and lemon zest

CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL First recorded in Jerry Thomas’ 1862 book ‘How To Mix Drinks’, or ‘The Bon Vivants Companion’, where he specifies that they drink must be shaken - this would cause the drink to spray everywhere! Perhaps don’t try that piece of advise. Glass: Flute Method: Drench sugar cube with bitters and drop into flute. Pour Cognac and charge with Champagne. Ingredients: 1 Brown sugar cube 5 dashes Fee Brothers Aromatic Bitters 25ml Bisquit Cognac Charge Piper Heidsieck Champagne Garnish: Orange zest An overhyped classic cocktail that gets sweeter as you reach the dissolving cube at the bottom.

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MIXOLOGYRELEASED

T C U D O R Y P R SSA

With all the skill and know-how in the world, you’re not going to make a great cocktail without great ingredients. Below is an introduction to all the brands that were used in making our 7 cognac cocktails. Use these products, stick to the recipes and you can’t go wrong!

ARCOROC GLASSWARE Whether you’re serving spirits, soft drinks of simply water, Arcoroc has a stemmed glass or tumbler to suit you. Arcoroc also produces a range of fully toughened glassware, which is five times stronger than normal glass. This range is available through Cape Importers (see Directory for details).

APPLETISER 100% pure Appletiser is utterly delicious, made from concentrated apple juice, pure water and carbonation. Appletiser contains no added sugar or colourants, making it the perfect anywhere, anytime treat. With its clear, sparkling, golden appearance this deliciously refreshing sparkling fruit juice is perfect enjoyed on its own or as a mixer for a sophisticated cocktail. Appletiser is also Kosher and Halaal Website: www.appletiser.co.za Producer: SAB Miller ??? Recommended cocktail: Bisquit Cognac A La Vorte

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67 BACARDI Over the past 150 years, Bacardi has won over 190 medals for product quality and technical innovation. Its charcoal filter process makes for a unique balanced taste - a blend of mild, soft and aromatic notes, with subtle hints of vanilla and a dry, crisp and clean finish. This makes it the ideal rum to mix with almost anything. Bacardi’s signature taste has inspired some of the world’s most famous cocktails, including the Mojito, the Daiquiri and the Cuba Libre. ABV: 43% Website: www.bacardi.com Producer: Bacardi Recommended cocktail: Between the Sheets

BISQUIT COGNAC VS CLASSIQUE Bisquit VS Classique has achieved consistent accolades at international wine & spirit competitions. The new colour tones of the pack are warmer than before with a more comfortable and contemporary feel. Bisquit VS Classique has much better shelf legibility than its predecessor. The bottle should be found in the run on the outlet’s shelf. It is always sold with the gift box. ABV: 40% Website: www.bisquit.com Producer: Bisquit Cognac Recommended cocktail: ???

BISQUIT COGNAC VSOP Bisquit VSOP has achieved consistent accolades at various international wine & spirit competitions. The branding for Bisquit VSOP is very strong. This is to catch the eye of consumers and provide assurance of superior quality to other products in a similar price range. The bottle should be found in the run on the outlet’s shelf. It is always sold with the gift box. ABV: 40% Website: www.bisquit.com Producer: Bisquit Cognac Recommended cocktail: Bisquit Cognac Summit

COCKBURNS FINE TAWNY PORT Cockburn’s Fine Tawny is produced from grapes grown in the Lower Douro, lighter skinned and perfectly suited for tawny wine. During its time in wood, Cockburn’s Fine Tawny loses some of its colour and rich texture and acquires instead a classic nutty/butterscotch flavour. It has a smooth full flavour with a toffee nose. As a dessert wine, Fine Tawny pairs brilliantly with cream-based desserts such as cheesecake or creme brulee. It may also be enjoyed chilled, and served with almonds or pecans. ABV: 20% Website: www.cockburns.com Producer: Cockburn’s Recommended cocktail: A.B.C. Cocktail

T C U D O R Y P R A S S

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COINTREAU Cointreau is the authentic, premium orange liqueur and one of the most copied brands in the world. The House of Cointreau was founded by Edouard Cointreau in 1849 in Angers, France, by combining crystal clear purity with the perfect harmony of sweet and bitter orange peels. The recipe remains unchanged since its invention, using only natural ingredients and traditional distillation methods. Cointreau is used by many bartenders around the world, not only because it is the essential ingredient for numerous cocktails, but primarily because of its superior quality that makes the drinks taste better. ABV: 40% Website: www.cointreau.com Producer: Rémy Cointreau Recommended cocktail: Side Car

FEE BROTHERS Fee Brothers, also known as “The House of Fee by the Genesee since eighteen hundred and sixty-three”, is a four generation old manufacturer of cocktail mixes, bitters, flavouring syrups, iced cappuccino mix and other beverage ingredients. The company is currently run by Jack Fee and his children Ellen Fee and Joe Fee. Fee Brothers creates over 100 different products. Many of their products have applications in cooking as well. ABV: 14% Website: www.feebrothers.com Producer: Fee Brothers Recommended cocktail: Champagne Cocktail

MARTINI ROSSO SWEET VERMOUTH Martini is a true Italian icon. Established in 1863, Martini has a strong family heritage and has become one of the most acclaimed and cosmopolitan Italian drinks brands in the world. Dry vermouth is one of the three variations of vermouth and is often used in mixing Martinis. It is unsweetened and has a bitter, medicinal flavour. Vermouth is a fortified wine originally brewed in Italy, created by adding herbs, spices and alcohol. ABV: 15% Website: www.martini.com Producer: Martini & Rossi Recommended cocktail: Corpse Reviver

PIPER HEIDSIECK CHAMPAGNE Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée brut is an exceptionally well balanced champagne fresh and lively, with light aromas of citrus fruits and spring flowers. Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut champagne brings its own lively, vivacious and exuberant character to dry champagne’s traditional elegance and finesse. Piper-Heidsieck’s Cuvée Brut combines 50 rigorously selected growths. ABV: 12% Website: www.piper-heidsieck.com Producer: Piper Heidsieck Recommended cocktail: Champagne Cocktail

RED BULL Red Bull Energy Drink is a functional beverage. Thanks to a unique combination of high quality ingredients Red Bull Energy Drink vitalizes body and mind. Red Bull Energy Drink has been developed for people who want to have a clear and focused mind, perform physically, are dynamic and performance-oriented whilst also balancing this with a fun and active lifestyle. In short, Red Bull gives wings to people who want to be mentally and physically active and have a zest for life. Website: www.redbull.com Producer: Red Bull Recommended cocktail: Bisquit Cognac Bull

SCHWEPPES The world leader in mixers, the iconic Schweppes range includes Indian Tonic Water, Ginger Ale, Bitter Lemon, Dry Lemon, Soda Water, Lemonade, Tomato Juice Mix, as well as Cranberry and Raspberry Juice. In addition, certain flavours have a diet option. Designed for a sophisticated adult palette, the mixers are less sweet and have fewer artificial flavours. Citric and effervescent, they are ideal for any cocktail or tall drink. As a brand that symbolises classic style and good taste, Schweppes is aligned with assets like the J&B Met and Durban July. Other drivers are mixer promotions and on-premise consumption activities. Website: www.schweppes.com Producer: Coca-Cola South Africa Recommended cocktail: Bisquit Cognac Mule

SIR JUICE Sir Juice began in 1985 in a small factory in Joburg CBD. Since then it has been bought, sold, merged and finally un-merged. Today the company is a totally independent entity owned by three brothers from Kwazulu Natal and a lovely lady named Vijay Loosen. They supply most of the top restaurants, hotels and coffee shops in South Africa with that deliciously premium fruit juice that you usually only find in good restaurants. Their blending plants in Durban, Joburg and Cape Town also serve as factory shops and in the last couple of years they have started selling their juice in stores too. Website: www.sirjuice.co.za Producer: Sir Juice Recommended cocktail: Bisquit Cognac A La Vorte

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Build and blend

Glass: Bavarian

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30ml Mainstay Cane 30ml Peach Schnapps 15ml Giffards Peach Syrup 30ml Tequila 30ml Giffards Green Melon 30ml Finest Call Sweet & Sour Mix 150ml Orange Juice 15ml Giffards Blue Curacoa

Garnish:

Lemon wedge

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E K HA TER ALL

S AF W E Y N R SO T ’ D N S IS L I A A T CK O C R FO AN

Z REG

BY GA

About five years ago, when I was conducting a bartender-training workshop, a certain Chad Solomon, then a bartender at New York’s Pegu Club, introduced me to the dry shake. It was a pivotal moment for me.

The dry shake - shaking a cocktail containing egg white without ice in order to properly emulsify the ingredients before adding ice and re-shaking - makes complete scientific sense, and any cook or chef worth his or her salt understands this. But very few bartenders understood this at the beginning of this century, and when Solomon brought this piece of methodology to my attention, I started to realize that the game was changing. Yes, many of the techniques employed by present-day bartenders are less than a decade old, and much of what is common today homemade bitters and tinctures, for instance - were very hard to find prior to the dawn of this century. It’s a great time to be a creative bartender.

One of my favorite 21st century bartenders is Shawn Soole of Victoria, British Columbia, who I’ve worked with on a bartender competition in France for the past couple of years. A recent e-mail from Shawn caused me to take a look at “Ted Saucier’s Bottoms Up,” a 1951 book by a guy who was once the publicist for the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York. “Bottoms Up” is very 1951. It contains a dozen saucy sketches of scantily clad young ladies, each by a different artist. It’s possible, I guess, that they frequented the Waldorf Astoria, and Saucier prevailed on them to help on his book project. But, that’s mere conjecture, of course. The reason that Shawn drew my attention to this book was that a friend of his has

Ingredients:

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Illustrations courtesy of “Bottoms Up” by Ted Saucier 1951.

HOTEL GEORGIA COCKTAIL

Makes 1 drink Gary Regan Gary Regan, bartender extraordinaire, was born over a pub in Lancashire, England. An expert on spirits and cocktails, he has written numerous articles on bar service and liquor. He has also worked as a consultant to restaurants and liquor companies, written about drinks and drinking, and coordinated with his wife Mardee Haidin Regan on a variety of food and beverage-oriented projects.

recently reopened Vancouver’s Hotel Georgia, and they were looking for information of the hotel’s eponymous cocktail, a drink detailed in “Bottoms Up.” The Hotel Georgia cocktail, as it turns out, is a tasty little dram that calls for gin, orgeat syrup, lemon juice, orange flower water and an egg white. It’s well worth the price of admission.

Adapted from a recipe in Ted Sauc ier’s “Bottoms Up,” published in 1951.

• 60ml gin • 30ml orgeat syrup • 15ml fresh lemon juice • 10 drops of orange flower water • 1 egg white • 1 orange twist, as garnish

INSTRUCTIONS: Place all the ingredients, except the garnish, into a cocktail shaker. Shake well for 10 to 15 seconds, add ice, and shake again for anot her 10 to 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled cock tail glass, and add the garnish.

It’s a great time to be a creative bartender.

Poring over the methodology beneath the ingredients detailed in “Bottoms Up,” I was taken aback to read the following words: “Shake well before adding ice. This gives a nice ‘top.’” Everything old, it seems, is new again. With lots of love from,

Gaz Regan Ted Saucier, author of the 1951 cocktail guide “Bottoms Up”

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Dubai, a middle eastern trading hot spot of economic and commercial exchange, a diverse society of eclectic cultures, and a world leader in the areas of entertainment, architecture and social tolerance. This space-age super-city played host to the fifth and final instalment of the uber-illustrious world flair competition that is the Skyy Global Challenge. A flair field spanning the entire globe was assembled for a competition that saw 12 national champions book their plane tickets to Dubai for the Ultimate flair show piece, the World Final! So, cometh the hour, cometh the men. The now redundant, frivolous mingling and sightseeing action had come and gone. The small contention of a World Championship was hanging in the balance, and the chipper smiley faces of each competitor had pulled an Elvis and left the building by the time the morning of the competition arrived. Game faces were on, and the mood in the elevator going down to the lobby was so tense you could cut it with a bar spoon. Our shuttle awaited us to whisk us off to Chi Lounge, the venue where the ultimate show down would take place. All the while, in the calm before the storm, the 12 finalists from around the world were gathered together in the business centre of the Dubai Pullman hotel when a rather defeated Richard Black, global marketing manager of Skyy Vodka, entered the room bearing bad news. Due to circumstances out of their control, the license to host the competition was revoked only hours before the start. Sadly, this meant that the Final showdown had to be postponed to early

2012 and moved to London, but not before we had spent three solid days experiencing the splendour of this truly magical city. All the flair bartenders still attended the party which Skyy Vodka had put on, however flair-less it turned out to be. The turnout to watch the ‘competition’ was hardly effected as still many adoring flair fans still turned out to see, meet and take photos of their favourite flair bartenders. Obviously the diverse nationalities that make up the hospitality trade in Dubai come from all over the world chasing the strength of the US Dollar, and all of them are clearly huge YouTubers.

The hotel, the restaurants, the sights, the transport, the competition; the Skyy Global Challenge is without a doubt the Grand Prix of all flair competitions. Fast forward 3 months and, rather fortuitously, I found myself boarding a plane for London Heathrow. London. I kept thinking of a scene in one of my favourite movies “Snatch” with Brad Pitt, where in they accurately describe London as “ you know - fish & chips, English tea, bad food, worse weather, Mary Poppins London”. All quite accurate descriptions barring the bad food claim; the food turned out to be quite exceptional. What I also discovered is that London is a place where hooded tops aren’t just for looking cool. They serve a very functional purpose in that without them your head would freeze off. Leaving Cape Town in

the height of summer where flip flops and boardies had been my staple uniform for the previous two months at least and arriving in a place that doesn’t see the sun for 10 months out of the year and where the forecast of snow on the day of my arrival was a very jarring experience. Once again, the Campari International team spared no budget in laying out the most lavish of flair productions, just as they had done with all of my previous four global challenge experiences. Everything was 5 star. The hotel, the restaurants, the sights, the transport, the competition; the Skyy Global Challenge is without a doubt the Grand Prix of all flair competitions. Slightly shorter than the Dubai trip for obvious reasons, competing was the main focus this time as 12 game-faced flair bartenders had been chomping at the bit for 3 months to just hammer into one another at the Global Final. However there was some time to see the sights of London, and we were all privileged enough to get a tour with a view from the top of the London Eye, followed by dinner at Oxo Tower for some fine dining. Just as promised, the snow began to fall that night and the whole of London was covered in a fluffy white blanket, making putting up with the bitter cold seem all the more worth it. The snow fell through the night, and the next morning we were all taken to the European Bar School for some practice time. So the small matter of the World Skyy Championship was upon us once again, however this time no Arabian Sheik was

going to intervene and, when the snow settled, we were at it again. It was a jampacked day of flair, as qualifiers and finals were contested on the same day. After the qualifiers were done the finalists were announced, the only surprise package being that of the Japanese Champion Hiroshi, who edged out the Russian Alexey Balashov to round up the final 6. The rest were made up of the usual suspects in Frenchman Sylvain Glatigny, Romanian Luca Valentin, local boy Tom Dyer, Polish sensation Marek Posluszny and the defending Champion Tomek Malek, who didn’t record a single drop in the qualifiers to finish top of the heap.

After the qualifiers were done the finalists were announced, the only surprise package being that of the Japanese Champion Hiroshi, who edged out the Russian Alexey Balashov to round up the final 6. The final night was electric, a pretty fitting description since it was held at a club called “Electric” in Brixton. A monstrous place with a huge stage, the venue was perfect for what we had come to do. The headlining act for the night was Dutch born DJ Sander Kleinenberg who was going to rip up the decks after the comp was done and dusted so that the local Brits could flick some hoof on the dance floor. The final was a hotly contested one as predicted. Tom Dyer produced the goods in front of his home crowd with a vintage Dyer performance, which saw him finish in a rather comfortable Polish sandwich

between Tomek and Marek on either side of him. Ultimately, drops decided the competition and Marek replaced Tomek as the Skyy Global Champion, and the saga that was Dubai 2011 crowned its champion in the icy throes of London 2012. Marek walked off with a cool €7000 and bragging rights as the Skyy Global Challenge Champion. Salute! A huge thank you needs to go out to Skyy Vodka, MMI and Campari international for an amazing experience, both in Dubai and in London.

Travis Kuhn Four things you have to do if you ever find yourself in Dubai for the weekend: 4 x 4 Dune riding in the Arabian Desert, 1. while on your way to a secret hide-away camp for a dinner under the stars with traditional belly dancing. 2. Indoor Skiiing at the Mall of the Emirates. 3. Hit the Atlantis Waterpark in the Atlantis Hotel, or Wild Wadi Waterpark. 4. Have dinner on the 164th floor of the Burj Khalifah - the tallest building in the world.

Another thing to note about Dubai, should you be fortunate enough to find yourself vacationing there, is that due to alcohol being frowned upon by the whole Arab Nation, alcohol is hit very heavily by import tax making it VERY expensive to imbibe.

Just as promised, the snow began to fall that night and the whole of London was covered in a fluffy white blanket, making putting up with the bitter cold seem all the more worth it.

D L R O W S

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World Class is a global programme that celebrates the craft and skill of the bartender. An estimated 10,000 entrants across 47 markets from the most established and prestigious bars around the world will be shaking, pouring and stirring their way through their regional heats. Only the truly exceptional will win a coveted place at the prestigious final.

Now in its fourth year, World Class brings together the world’s leading cocktail gurus and the best bartending talent under one roof to unearth new drinking trends and celebrate excellence. The World Class programme is a global leader in setting consumer trends and challenging bartenders to create exceptional cocktails and provide superior service. News and points of interest are continually posted in real time on the World Class Global Facebook page to a network of over 12,000 bartenders. www.facebook.com/ GlobalWorldClassFinals

At the 2012 Global World Class Finals some of the most renowned and respected names in the industry, including Salvatore Calabrese, Dale de Groff, Gary Regan, Daniel Estremadoyro and Peter Dorelli, will be judging the competitors. They will be supported and advised by the 2011 & 2010 winners:

• Manabu

Ohtake, chief bartender at Tower’s Bar “BELLOVISTO” at the Cerulean Tower Tokyo Hotel, Japan • Erik Lorincz, head bartender at The American Bar, The Savoy, London.

Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly

WORLD CLASS JOURNEY TO VICTORY World Class 2011/2012 is divided into three different categories (white spirits, tequila and whisky), all of which follow the same structure:

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Among the countries joining this year are Russia, the USA and, of course, South Africa. The overall global winner will walk away with hefty bragging rights as well as mantle of Global Representative for World Class. This entails travelling to every continent as “The World’s Best Bartender” over the course of 9 months, and the opportunity to publish a cocktail book in collaboration with none other than Simon Difford. The winner will also get the chance to visit the Reserve Brand distilleries and meet the master distillers.

THE BARTENDER // CREATING YOUR DRINK • In each of the ‘categories’ you’ll be asked to create a signature World Class concoction • Only one recipe per category is allowed to be submitted • Your drink should reflect the luxurious nature of the brand you are using • Drinks will be scored on 4 areas: name/concept, appearance, experience & surrounding theatre, and of course taste • A true World Class drink will stand out visually as well as on a sensory level

CATEGORY KNOWLEDGE • Each participating bartender will have to complete the Category Knowledge Quiz to show how much they have learnt during the training sessions with RESERVE ambassadors • This is to be submitted with their recipe to the mixologist on the date specified

PERFECT SERVE • Each participating bartender is to submit a photo of the brand used in their recipe with its perfect serve, i.e. Tanqueray No. TEN perfect serve is the ULTIMATE Martini Cocktail

THE OUTLET / BACK-OF-BAR DISPLAY • The outlet must provide a month long back bar display using the RESERVE brand selected for the bartender’s World Class recipe. A photograph is required

THE OVERALL WINNING SOUTH AFRICAN BARTENDER IN 2012 WILL WIN: • An all-expenses-paid trip to Brazil to compete in the International Final • Be the face of the World Class retail campaign in high end stores across South Africa • A World Class floating trophy to take back to their venue

Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly

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O BY SIM

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Simon Difford Simon Difford has been involved in most aspects of the drinks industry from running his own off licence and wholesale company to importing and brand creation, but is best known as a drinks writer and publisher.

The story of the cognac house of Courvoisier started early in the 19th century when Emmanuel Courvoisier established his cognac business in Jarnac and Louis Gallois separately established his wine and spirit wholesale business in the Parisian suburb of Bercy. In 1811 Napoléon visited Gallois’ cellars in Bercy where he was hosted by Louis Gallois, the Mayor and Emmanuel Courvoisier. This heralded the beginning of a relationship between Courvoisier and the imperial courts of Napoléon I, II and III. The Gallois family continued to sell the cognacs produced by the Courvoisier family until in 1834 the sons of the original founders, Felix Courvoisier and Jules Gallois, merged the two businesses and founded the Courvoisier Company which we know today. It was they who in 1835 established the imposing Le Chateau de Cognac Courvoisier, not in the city of Cognac but in Jarnac - a small town of 5,000 people and one of the two other main cognac towns, along with Segonzac. Courvoisier’s chateau stands proud on the bank of the Charente River, dominating the waterfront beside the bridge, across which you enter the town. It is worth noting that Napoléon Bonaparte died in 1821, before the partnership and so before Courvoisier was officially established, so while the emperor may have not strictly speaking enjoyed Courvoisier branded cognac, records do support his visit to Gallois’ cellars and it seems safe to assume he would have been offered the very best cognacs made by Emmanuel Courvoisier.

In the most traditional of industries, Courvoisier is perhaps the most maverick of the big four cognac houses. It is closely associated with Napoléon but during the 20th century was owned by an English family. Here follows the full story of Courvoisier and what this famous house does differently to set its cognac apart. After Felix Courvoisier’s death in 1866, his two nephews, the Curlier brothers inherited and ran the Courvoisier business as ‘Curlier Brothers & Cie’ until 1909 when two Anglo-French brothers, the Simons, bought the firm. The Simons operated a major wine distribution company in Paris called ‘Simons Freres’ and another in London which was already the cognac house’s main UK distributor. It was the Simons’ who properly established the Courvoisier brand name. Recognising the need to build Courvoisier’s image they adopted the slogan ‘The Brandy of Napoléon’ and in 1950 introduced the silhouette of the emperor’s crest which

Recognising the need to build Courvoisier’s image they adopted the slogan ‘The Brandy of Napoléon’ and in 1950 introduced the silhouette of the emperor’s crest which they applied to a distinctive bottle shape they called Josephine. they applied to a distinctive bottle shape they called Josephine. This distinctive ‘Emperor and his Empress’ packaging helped establish Courvoisier as an internationally recognised brand. Courvoisier enjoyed rapid expansion and in order to maintain the necessary reserves of cognac, the Simons were forced to seek outside financial backing. In May 1964 the Simons family (heirs of the original brothers) sold

the business to Hiram Walker, the U.S. distributor of Courvoisier. Several mergers and acquisitions later, in 1993 this company became known as Allied Domecq, itself subsequently broken up in 2005 as part of an acquisition which resulted in Courvoisier now being owned and distributed by Beam Global, part of Fortune Brands. Courvoisier is the UK’s best selling cognac brand and the House of Courvoisier holds around 80 million litres of cognac in stock.

Words by: Simon Difford; Pictures by: Dan Malpass; Courtesy of: Class Magazine at www.diffordsguide.com

PRO

Courvoisier is unusual in that unlike the other big cognac houses, it does not have any vineyard holdings and its own distilling operations only form a tiny part of its production. Instead Courvoisier holds contracts with over 1,000 wine making families and distillers, most over many generations, to produce eau-de-vie which Courvoisier then blends together to create its various signature styles. Courvoisier consider this to be their main strength as the diversity of the soils, stills and cellars found across these third-party distillers produces a very broad palate of styles from which to blend from. Courvoisier has supply contracts with two different types of distillers, ‘bouilleurs de profession’, who distil wines made by other vineyard holders and ‘bouilleurs de cru’, who distil only their own wines. Around 80% of Courvoisier’s supplies originate from small growers with the remainder coming from bouilleurs de cru like the Guilloteaux family who have just 22 hectares of vineyards. The Guilloteauxs are typical with their still positioned beside their farmhouse to make it easier for the family to monitor distillation, which for four months of the year operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

They believe the use of small stills gives better concentration of aromas and that the distillate benefits from greater contact with the copper. Courvoisier also has two distilleries of its own; the first with fourteen stills is in Joubert and a second with a further 10 stills, which the company bought in 1986, lies just across the river. Courvoisier analyse the eau-de-vie made at their own and contracted distilleries and continually advise how bouilleurs de cru can improve their cognac through subtle changes such as the use of specific yeasts and at what point the final cut is made during distillation. Unlike some of its competitors, Courvoisier only use smaller stills and stipulate a maximum size of 2,500 litre capacity for first distillation with second distillation sometimes in stills as small as 600 litres. They believe the use of small stills gives

This practice of personally selecting the oak to be used in their casks was introduced by the previous Master Blender, Jean-Marc Olivier in 1986. Obviously the use of oak is vital in a great cognac and at Courvoisier this begins with the Master Blender, Patrice Pinet, walking French forests to select not only what trees, but which sections of trunk will be used to make Courvoisier casks. This practice of personally selecting the oak to be used in their casks was introduced by the previous Master Blender, Jean-Marc Olivier in 1986. Jean-Marc Olivier was also responsible for introducing oak grown in the Jupilles forest which lies at the edge of the Loire Valley, south of Le Mans. Traditionally only oak from the French forests of Tronçais and Limousin were used to age cognac and Jupilles was more commonly used for furniture making. However, Jean-Marc had a quest to find ‘grains fins’ (fine grained oak) and now Jupilles oak is highly prized and is also used by the most prestigious Bordeaux wine houses. Higher rainfall and richer soils produces oak trees which have a much finer grain and this is prized by Courvoisier as the ageing cognac undergoes less exchange with air and more exchange with the wood. Today around 60% of Courvoisier’s oak needs come from the centre of France (mostly Tronçais and Jupilles) and 40% from Limousin. While Courvoisier no longer own their own cooperage, unusually they not only select but buy all their own wood and retain a ‘cour de division’ (splitting yard) where the freshly cut trunks are bought, sawn to barrel length, split into lengths and sawn into planks from which the staves will be cut. Only around 20% of the tree is suitable for making staves and the workers at Courvoisier reject planks that are too knotty, sappy, or have other faults which incredibly include buried shrapnel from the last war.

Courvoisier have pioneered the use of a new straighter-sided barrel designed to be stacked upright. This is the same length and made from roughly the same amount of wood as traditional casks but the capacity of this new, less bulbous design is around 18% larger so giving slightly less wood contact. These casks hold around 350 litres and are stacked four to a pallet. The advantage of palletised casks is that they can easily be moved so allowing greater ability to sample, access, blend and move the cognac from cask to cask as it matures. Only young casks are used at the start of the long ageing process and after a period, dependent on each cask, the maturing eaude-vie is moved to older casks yielding less tannins. A new first-fill cask may be used for as short a period as six months while a second-fill cask will usually hold eau-de-vie for at least its first year before being moved on. The aim is to mature the cognac without it acquiring a dry oaky taste. Courvoisier specify that new, medium-charred casks account for one-third of the casks used each year so continually introducing fresh oak (annually some 2,500 casks) which the house also supplies to its contacted brouiller de cru at advantageous prices so encouraging them to use better oak. Before exploring Courvoisier’s range of expressions, ‘Le Nez de Courvoisier’ experience is worthy of mention. Basically, this involves being blindfolded and exposed to music and aromas reminiscent of particular Courvoisier cognacs. Each is represented by three essences especially created by a Parisian aroma house suggesting the cognacs three most predominant flavours. The accompanying music was commissioned to heighten the experience by engaging another sense. Log onto Class Magazine at www. diffordsguide.com for details on the full Courvoisier range, including tasting notes and ratings.

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better concentration of aromas and that the distillate benefits from greater contact with the copper. Courvoisier also encourage, with the exception of Fins Bois, distillation on the lees (spent yeast cells). This gives increased complexity but requires the distiller to take greater care or to prevent the lees sticking to the walls of the still and burning. The distillate, which comes off the second still at around 70% abv, is reduced to 63% prior to filling the casks.

The wood needs to be matured in the open air for a statutory minimum of three years before the planks can be made into staves. Courvoisier age theirs for a minimum of five years. This exposure to the elements washes away some of the tannins in the wood and allows a mould to develop which feeds on the lignins in the wood while enzymes split large and tasteless lignin molecules into smaller ones with a vanillin taste. Courvoisier’s yard contains row after row of stacked planks slowly turning silver-grey with age.

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T R O REP BRANDY & COGNAC MARKET ABOUT NIELSEN Nielsen Holdings N.V. (NYSE: NLSN) is a global information and measurement company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence, mobile measurement, trade shows and related properties. Nielsen has a presence in approximately 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA and Diemen, the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com The total brandy market is worth just under R3 billion and is showing a decline of 2.1% in volume terms. It is however growing in value by 4.2% year on year. Brandy is segmented into a number of subsets based on the brand efficacies and price positioning of the product, for which there are 5 defined subsets ranging from Cut Price, Proprietary, Premium, Super Premium and Cognac. TOTAL SOUTH AFRICA: JANUARY 2011 TO DECEMBER 2011 - 12MM

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Brandy: Proprietary

Brandy: Premium/High

VOLUME (%) GROWTH

-3.4

Brandy: Super Premium

Cognac

VALUE (%) GROWTH

Cognac is also a super premium subset of brandy but is measured separately and is worth a little over R100 million for the last year 2011. Cognac has experienced fantastic growth in the last year of 32.1% in volume and 29.9% in value. Well known cognac brands are driving the growth of this segment at the expense of the Super Premium Brandy segment which has experienced a decline in volume of 10.9% and value of 3.4% and is currently worth around R108 million. The ageing of brandy is further segmented into 20 year old, 18 year old, 15 year old, 12 year old, 10 year old, 5 year old, 3 year old and no age, for which the no aged segment is the lion’s share of the age vintage segments, accounting for approximately 81%. In terms of Total Brandy, the only age segment currently experiencing both volume and value growth is the 3 year old age vintage.

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ar old

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ar old

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ar old

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onal. rnati g Inte pers n i l F r of velo recto al bar de n nd di a o ment i r s e s e v e found p of prof the impro a guest s i u ing & ed to ullins l is a gro n i t M a a r c t i w a d e lity Andr ternation rators de spita In n, ho ope o i y t t i a Fling l r a r ope ospit and h nding, ba ide. urses e w t r d l a r b ng co bar of traini ce wo n d d n e n i a a r ncy nder count expe nsulta onal barte o y c e h e T v nts. hensi t, professi port. mpre g sup tisfied clie de co evelopmen nd openin a i s v f o r p to They ng menu d manship a tigious lis i es res p a includ urses, sal g n r co n amo waite Cape Tow y l n O One&

2) The Price Anchor

1) Eye Magnets

82 Menu Development Psychology

A well designed beverage menu is the most important communication and sales tool you have for your bar. It is the only piece of printed advertising you can be sure your guests will read and, by the strategic placement of drinks, you can directly influence, not only what your guests will order, but ultimately how much they will spend. Take a moment to consider one of the beverage menus in your property; does it actively help guests decide what to order and influence sales revenue? Now imagine removing your logo or name from it. Would it still grab your guests’ attention? Would it instil a sense of your concept and identity? Or would it simply be a piece of paper with a list of drinks on it? In this final part of our menu development series I will be looking at the psychology behind good menu design and how you can turn your cocktail menu into a revenue driving tool, boosting sales and enriching guest experience by increasing the effectiveness of your “silent salesperson”.

The most important thing to consider when designing your menu is highlighting the items you want to promote so they attract your guests’ eyes; whether these are drinks that give the best return, signature drinks that promote the outlet concept, your ‘cocktail of the day’ or even the slow moving items you inherited from your predecessor that are cluttering up the beverage store. Different type fonts can be used as eye magnets, as can increasing the brightness, colour or shading of certain areas of the menu to make them stand out. Framing or boxing off certain items or sections will also draw your guests’ eyes; highlighting whatever is inside them, and increasing the chances of them being ordered.

In the article I wrote on concept development, I said that marquee drinks requiring expensive ingredients or time-consuming methods should be highlighted on the menu for maximum effect. Highlighting them as mentioned above will draw your guests’ attention and encourage their sale; however, you can also encourage sales of other drinks by using them as a “price anchor”. By putting high-profit drinks next to an extremely expensive anchor, you can reduce the perception of cost in your guests’ minds and promote sales. For example; by highlighting a ZAR 75 signature martini alongside your ZAR 350 marquee cocktail you induce your guests to choose the cheaper – yet still high-profit – item because, while it might look expensive listed separately, it seems cheap beside the alternative.

Mix tand 3) Sales sts unders do your gue f to o gh w u o fe While pricing en

rgins mics of at the ma the econo than guess tive si re n o se m g ry in ve anyth they are , ith ks w n s ri d m e c it on specifi xpensive . Mixing e om the st fr a tr ce n ri p co to oves ones rem to choose cheaper ng guests nk then gi ra u co n ri choice; e like to d ther y would rth it, ra o w what the is ce ri p out h e it th w if decide re drinks much them igno ve w a o h h n a to th tion due considera . they cost

A well designed beverage menu is the most important communication and sales tool you have for your bar.

4) Pricing Format Probably the most common mistake made in menus is listing prices neatly in a column. This has the same effect as organising drinks according to their price and will encourage most guests to immediately discount the more expensive items. Using leader dots makes matters even worse as they draw the guest’s eyes away from the drinks and straight to the prices. A simple fix is to centre your menu columns rather than formatting drinks on the left and prices on the right. This scatters the prices leaving them more difficult to compare and encouraging your guests to drink what they want rather than just picking the most affordable.

n Different type fonts ca , be used as eye magnets as can increasing the brightness, colour or as shading of certain are of the menu to make them stand out.

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mely drinks next to an extre By putting high-profit of cost in on pti can reduce the perce expensive anchor, you es. sal d promote your guests’ minds an

6) Drinks “For Two”

5) Minimise to Maximise While we would never recommend placing drinks on a menu that you do not wish to sell, it is inevitable that some drinks will be less profitable than others. These could be classic cocktails for example, which you may feel are necessary to be listed but that you don’t want to promote in favour of your house specialities or high-profit items. These drinks can be “minimised” by removing descriptions and placing them in inconspicuous positions, thereby discouraging their purchase in favour of those items you do wish to promote.

priceCouples are among the least look to ts wan [who sensitive guests may cheap on a date?]. Valentine’s Day can you but year her anot for ed have pass ntic still appeal to couples out for a roma for evening by including drinks designed ” time tion para “pre a sharing. Adding can and promoting signature glassware t. turn the drink into a special even the on s drink ing shar r If you do offe “per menu, remember to price them . As person” rather than per drink their on more have to couples are likely , many minds than totting up the price drink will neglect to double it and the will appear cheaper.

Text riptive ething 7) Desc order som hen likely to W are more hout it.

People than wit s can be escription ptive term ystique with a d ri sc e d , ectly me m used corr d allow so tail. Using uasive an ck co a d very pers ’s un your guest oven aro w w ra e d b to s can also ake’ or rm sh te r ry ia ‘d il unfam to re what the drink . Not su not order attention y h W s? n mea ‘swizzle’ find out...

When used correctly, descriptive terms can be very persuasive and all ow some mystique to be woven around a cocktai l.

For further information please contact andrew@flingibs.com or visit their website at www.flingibs.com

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o x i M Flair vs

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There has long been that divide between ”Mixology” and “Flair” and I’m going to set a few things straight and come to a conclusion. Actually the conclusion I can tell you right now. There are no “Mixologists” or “Flairers”; they are just different styles used by bartenders. If you consider what both these styles stand for, then EVERY bartender flairs or uses Mixology. I define flair as “entertaining your guests with confidence and style whilst making great drinks.” The word flair comes from “showing off”. I’m not saying that we are all show-offs, however, we all have a certain amount of pride when we are working behind our bars. Don’t forget there are two types of flair: Exhibition (competition) Flair and Working Flair. Just like in some cocktail competitions you see drinks that you wouldn’t necessarily put on a menu, there are flair moves that you wouldn’t use behind your bar. With this in mind, every one of you, whether you consider yourself a mixologist or a flairtender, employs flair in one way or another. Even though you’re not throwing 3 bottles around, you are pouring, using utensils and handling money and dealing with guests in your own stylish way, incorporating your own little details. These are all types of flair. Let’s not forget Jerry “The Professor” Thomas. Probably the most famous bartender that ever lived, he was a flair bartender, like it or not. He went around the States making his signature cocktail the Blue Blazer, performing it and entertaining his guests in the process. He was the first flair bartender in the world!

it!

Now, I know some of you will be saying, “Yeah, but flair bartenders can’t make a drink. They’re just monkeys that juggle bottles and don’t take care about their drinks or guests”. Of course there are some people out there that are like that. They juggle away, showing off to their guests, making bad drinks and giving bad service. But you can say that about some mixologists as well; it’s not just the flair bartenders of the world that neglect their responsibility to the customer.

(Flair bartenders) juggle away, showing off to their guests, making bad drinks and giving bad service. But you can say that about some mixologists as well... On the other side of the spectrum, mixology is “the art of creating and mixing new drinks”, something we as bartenders do every day. Even before we knew anything about bartending, the ambitious among us have always looked to come up with our own ideas and recipes, and it’s only once we’ve developed an understanding of the products we’re using that we actually started creating something of any substance. What I have come to realise is that there will always be this perceived divide between mixologists and flair bartenders. However, a recent post on my Facebook status in which I posed the questions “what is a mixologist?” and “what is a flair bartender?” yielded some interesting responses. First off, a big thank you to those of you that commented. I found it interesting how a lot of the posts answered questions I hadn’t even asked.

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The best response I got, though, was from Pepe Dioni, the Spanish President for the representing Association for the IBA, who, when answering “what is a flair bartender?”, simply answered “A bartender”. Funny though, how when asked “what is a mixologist?”, pretty much everyone stated that it was a term used to gain more money; a fancy label for a bartender coined by the media. But no one said the same thing to the “what is a flair bartender?” question. Which got me thinking, why? Flair bartenders are still just bartenders. Maybe it is because “flair bartender” already has the word “bartender” in the title? What I read into the majority of the resposnes is that there is NO divide between mixology and flair. In fact there are no “mixologists” or “flairers”, just BARTENDERS. As I thought (and so did many others), these are just labels that bartenders have given themselves to make them sound more important or highly skilled, or to get paid more. The simple fact is that why should we as bartenders be labeling ourselves as anything other than bartenders. Pieter Oosthuizen said it well: “If you are a doctor per say. You will either be a general practitioner or a specialist. Either way it still boils down to you being a doctor.” I think this is a nice way of putting it. We are all bartenders, but we specialise in different aspects of bartending. Philip Duff said “a bartender should be able to do everything a mixologist can do, but a mixologist can’t necessarily do everything

a bartender can do: “mixologist” describes someone who is skilled at making drinks, full stop - not crowd control or speed or accuracy or charm or hosting or bar management or anything like that”.

...The more we label ourselves as flairers, mixologists, liquid chefs, bar chef etc, the further away we are getting from what we really are. Angus Wincester: “I have no problem with people calling themselves anything to get themselves paid more or laid more but I do have a problem when people say they are a Mixologist / Cocktailian / Drinksmith / Bar Chef and NOT a bartender ... Rather like Flair, ‘mixology’ (the ability to mix complicated cocktails) is merely a facet of bartending (serving alcoholic drinks to paying customers). If you call yourself a ‘mixologist’ then you will be “bleep” out of luck if people stop drinking cocktails ... I think Flair bartenders are often some of the most professional and dedicated bartenders I know, but again if they put too much emphasis on the Flair and not the bartending they fall into the same trap as mixologists, plus if they choose to do ‘exhibition’ flair while making drinks then they let their ego take over” I couldn’t agree more with all these statements. So I thought back to all the times I have asked flair bartenders around the world

(or have been asked myself), what do you do for a living? The Majority of them said (myself included) I’m a bartender, and then went on to explain that they specialise in a certain aspect of bartending, that being flair. In most countries around the world, bartending is looked upon as something that you do while studying, or in-between jobs, or when you’re younger etc. So the more we label ourselves as flairers, mixologists, liquid chefs, bar chef etc, the further away we are getting from what we really are. By distancing ourselves from the term “bartender”, we are putting down our own profession by trying to be something more established or fancy. Let’s stop with all these negative and devisive comments about flairing and mixology, and bring it back to the basics. On that note I will leave you with one question to ask yourself. My Question: When you fill out an application form, identity form or airport landing card, and it asks you to stipulate your profession, what do you write? If your answer is anything other than bartender, then you really need to think about what you are doing behind a bar.

Tom

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Share your kil

ler cocktail &

get others

Have you ever thought “Wouldn’t it be great to have a Facebook for cocktails”? No?

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Well, neither did we, until we came across this great little app. Muddler lets you share your cocktail creations and see what other people are trying.

DESCRIPTION Muddler is a community of drink explorers. Join their mission to discover, rate, and share the best drinks in cities around the world. Download Muddler, upload your drink, and join the party.

Download now to be part of their Public Beta and start exploring, finding, and adding drinks.

FEATURES • Search by item find exactly what drink you like and where they are

• Find the best rated or best priced drink around • See what your friends are drinking • Play missions to unlock badges and discover new d rinks and bars

Last changed:

Feb 04, 2012

Category: Lifestyle

Developer:

Muddler, LLC

Version: 1.0

Average Rating: 5.00 (1) Cost: FREE

Size:

2.2 MB

R E AK DIO

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Beginner Move

Step 1: Hold the bottle in your dominant hand in a regular grip and lift it up to your shoulder.

Intermediate Move

Step 1: Start by holding the bottle and tin nested into each other in a reverse grip. Use the grip shown with your index and middle finger on the tin. By moving these fingers, the bottle and tin should slide in and out of the bottle. This is important to control your tin for the next part of the move.

Step 2: While still gripping the bottle, release the tin in an upward motion as if you wanted to rotate it. While the tin is in the air, drop your wrist with the bottle in it so that the neck points up in the air and start to move to where the tin is coming down.

Step 2: In a forwards motion, whip the bottle down past your leg and release it so that it flicks up behind you and over your shoulder. Remember, it’s all in the wrist!

Step 3: If you have done the previous move right (it will take you a few attempts) you will land the tin on the bottle neck as shown.

Step 3:Let the bottle spin one and a half rotations over your shoulder.

Step 4: Follow the bottle’s base with your dominant hand and stall

Step 4: Now you want to bring both the bottle and tin in a loop down past your thigh, making sure the base of the tin is always leading. As they get above shoulder height (your wrist should be twisted) you release them, and the momentum will launch both objects into the air at the angle depicted.

Shaker’s Bar School can be found in Bree Street, Cape Town and in Randburg, Johannesburg. For more information please call Cape Town - 021 422 1574 or Johannesburg – 011 023 8353

Step 5: The bottle and tin should naturally split in the air and come down like shown.

Step 6: Aim to catch the bottle on the body with your right hand and the tin with your left hand. Bring the pourer over the mouth of the tin and pour.

Join us next issue for more flair lessons

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2011 has come and gone and we would like to use this opportunity to reflect on some of the Grand Slam flair highlights of last year. First up, the News Café Menlyn Nationals. This is one of the oldest flair competitions in South Africa, and last year it was bigger and better than ever before, with the reigning champion Anil Sabharwel defending his title. Congratulations! Next up was the IBA Nationals. This year was a rocker, with SABA (the South African Bartending Association) teaming up with Cubana. The hotly contested qualifying rounds in Johannesburg and Cape Town set the stage for the final which was held at Cubana Stellenbosch, Cape Town. In the end

there could be only one winner, and that would be none other than Mr Travis Kuhn, making him the five times SA IBA Champion. What an achievement! Then there was the Skyy Vodka Global challenge (SVGC), which has produced some amazing shows over the years from flair tenders all over South Africa. 2011 produced something truly special – not only did South African flair progress in leaps and bounds with some amazing rookie talent showcasing their skills, but also it realised a recordbreaking three times consecutive Skyy Vodka

Global Champion in Travis Kuhn. This man is truly on fire. The curtain was brought down on the 2011 season with a spectacular competition in the form of the Get a Grip event at Eastwood’s, Cape Town. This competition is designed to get the juices flowing, with the majority of the judges’ points going to the flairtenders’ themes and crowed interaction. I was lucky enough to win this competition, and would like to thank the Get a grip team Alex and Benji for a massive production. We are all looking forward to the 2012 leg.

Here are your winners for 2011: • • • • • •

News Cafe National Champion IBA National Champion Matador Cape Town Champion Amateur Rookie Revolution September champion Amateur Rookie Revolution December Champion Get a Grip Cape Town Champion

Anil Shabharwel Travis Kuhn Pete the Sock Devique Barkley Hein Stander Pete the Sock

Happy flairing!

Pete the Sock

www.facebook.com/groups/150808928997

G N I T A OL B M CO ALCOH N I S SE OF T S I S RCHA S A ARAERAGE PU NSIB ESPO R UND R O F ATION

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As we approach the Easter holidays and a time of joyful celebration with family and friends, here is a sobering thought; one out of every seven drivers on the road is drunk and this is especially true at night.

Alcohol impairs not just your ability to drive, but can ruin your reputation amongst colleagues and friends or worse still, cause you to become an appalling role-model for your children – ‘do as I say, not as I do’ doesn’t work.

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Many South Africans are part of a culture in which drinking is an accepted pastime and a party or sporting event can often seem incomplete without a drink. Unfortunately sometimes we stick our heads in the sand and pretend that ‘just one more’ won’t hurt.

The Industry Association for Responsible Alcohol Use (ARA) is a nonprofit organisation that seeks to prevent the harm that often results from foolish drinking habits. Don’t miss out on the fun this holiday season; you can definitely enjoy a few drinks with mates during your downtime! Keep these tips in mind as you do, and the fun will be all the more meaningful:

1 2 3

enough Know your personal limit. Be aware of when you when water or drinks soft to switch and is enough start to feel even the slightest bit off-kilter.

such as Eat food while you drink. High protein foods absorption of cheese and peanuts will help to slow the eat a meal alcohol into the circulatory system. Try and before you start drinking.

have a Skip a drink now and then. When at a party, to keep one olic alcoh the en betwe drink lic non-alcoho Try and only your blood alcohol concentration down. hour. consume one drink within the period of an

losing the Sip your drink. If you gulp a drink, you are nge of a pleasure of drinking it. Don’t rise to the challe good. look to just ’ -down ‘down

by gently Be a Mate. Look out for your friends’ safety Call them letting them know that they’re over the limit. feel better a cab or give them a place to crash, you’ll all knowing everyone is safe.

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In February the first leg of the Get-A-Grip Flair Competition was held at Eastwood’s, Cape Town, sponsored by Bacardi, Jose Cuervo, Bols and Monin. The venue was packed full of supporters and there was a great atmosphere as the competitors strutted their stuff! In the end it was Kyle O’Reilly that took top honours. Results: 1st place - Kyle O’Reilly 2nd place - Martin Strobos 3rd place - Benjamin Burner See you at the next one on 30 April!

Judges Chantelle Horn & Francois Adams

Benjamin Burner

Barend Heiberg

g ’Reilly wigglin Winner Kyle O

Martin Strobos

Winner Kyle O’Reilly receiving his prize.

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Darcy O’Neil

Darcy started bartending in Ontario Canada in 2003, after 10 years of work in the chemistry field. Many of the skills that he learned working in a lab, like accuracy and consistency, have helped him hone his proficiency behind the bar. Also, his understanding of things like distillation and dilutions have given him more insight into the characteristics of ingredients and how to mix them. In recent years Darcy has been involved in the Bols Barcoaching Seminars, has written a book called “Fix the Pumps” and runs an internet blog called “Art of Drink”.

Lately cocktails have been in a renaissance. Molecular mixology is largely derived from ‘molecular gastronomy’, which involves the application of scientific analysis and techniques to cooking. In the kitchen it is the creation of unique food combinations, and on the bar front it mostly entails working with foams and gels to create interesting drink textures and flavours. To get a better idea of what molecular mixology is all about, we should look at its culinary inspiration. One area of molecular gastronomy is combining foods will similar chemical compositions. If one ingredient has high levels of amines or aldehydes then they should be combined with other ingredients that contain high levels of amines or aldehydes. Many times the combinations are not intuitive or obvious. For example the Fat Duck, a Michelin three star restaurant owned and run by pioneering chef Heston Blumenthal, combines oysters and passionfruit jelly as one dish, and combines spice bread ice cream and crab syrup in another. Odd combinations but, by all accounts, they taste very good together. Here’s a type of question that molecular gastronomy might pose: should you salt meat before or after you cook it? The reason for this questions is that if you salt meat prior to cooking, the salt will pull water to the surface (osmotic effect), where it will evaporate faster because it is exposed to direct heat. As the water evaporates, the salt will stay concentrated and pull more water to the surface, eventually drying out the meat. This is good for some things (roasts), bad for others (steaks and burgers). If you want crispy skin, salting is ok, but

there are also better molecules for this, such as the sugar maltose, which is used on the skin of Peking Duck to make it crispy. So if you are cooking a particular dish, a molecular gastronomist would research the scientific advantages, or disadvantages, of the cooking technique. The basic idea is to understand what is going on when you cook or better understand the foods you are working with, so the pairing can be done on a molecular level, as opposed to a historical or traditional level. This type of cooking is quite complicated. First you need to know some chemistry and physics, and then you need to do a lot of research on the compounds in the foods you are working with. For in depth analysis you would have to have a lab and probably a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer and Mass Spectrometer. Luckily, I’ve used both of these and many other pieces of analytical equipment, so I can understand the ideas, but most people haven’t. Once you’ve analysed your ingredients, you could then start creating unique combinations. This is not something most people are going to do behind a bar.

MOLECULAR MIXOLOGY Molecular mixology is a more recent development and the principals are a little more basic. The first example of molecular mixology goes back many years to the layering of drinks (density and viscosity), so the pousse cafe was probably the first example of the principal. Currently, it looks like molecular mixology is mostly working with the physical properties of drink. This is done by making foams, gels and mists, looking at vapour concentrations and using an appropriate glass, determining cooling properties with ice and also applying heat to caramelise sugars. Some of these creations border between food and drink, much like a Bose-Einstein condensate, which is a unique state of matter. Is foam a food or drink? The one area where there will be conflict is the natural vs synthetic argument. In the lab I could distil or even create amazingly unique flavours, and I can do that behind the bar too. But, if molecular mixology is going to be true to the principal, then it is molecules we will be working with, and many people perceive that to be “synthetic”

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97 or “unnatural”. The reality is that most things in the universe are natural, from an atomic stand point. Humans are smart, but we didn’t create the universe, so almost everything is natural. Here’s an example. If you extract the albumen protein from an egg white, and then dehydrate that protein to store it for an extended period, does that make it synthetic or unnatural? Does it only become unnatural when it is rehydrated and added to a Ramos Gin Fizz? From the stand point of molecular mixology, this is a perfect solution to getting the chemical compound needed to create a good stable foam. From a culinary standpoint, you would be missing all of those “extra” compounds that add flavour and texture. When I read about molecular mixology, I see a chemist’s or physicist’s approach, which, in the lab, means working with pure components or specific physical conditions to create a new and unique compound or solution. It’s not unnatural, just very precise in what we work with. There is some dubious hoodo-voodo going on with some of the molecular mixology stuff, or at least from my perspective as a chemist. Foods and drinks contain thousands and thousands of unique compounds, and even if they contain similar compounds, there might be those that react to form

other less desirable combinations. For a lot of this, it will go back to trial and error with flavours. Also, everyone has different tastes so a lot of this will be subjective. But out of a thousand failed experiments, there will always be one or two significant discoveries. This is exactly what science is; trial and error. The area where molecular gastronomy and mixology will truly shine is in applied techniques and methods. Using science to perfect cooking is a sound idea. For the most part, I like the principal of science and food, and the migration of techniques to drinks seems only natural.

Darcy O’Neil

MOLECULAR TECHNIQUE:

FOAMS

Foams, airs and bubbles are a great way of adding a molecular touch to any cocktail. It’s important that the flavour of the foam both stands alone and complements the drink on which it will sit. There are various types of foam using different proteins such as milk, cream and egg whites. Egg whites are particularly good at adding texture and volume and retaining flavour while imparting very little itself. A Vanilla Bourbon Whiskey Sours is a classic variation and a great example, made from good quality Kentucky bourbon, an egg white, vanilla-infused sugar and fresh lemon juice. The egg white provides the volume, the lemon juice cuts the bonds and the sugar gives the foam stability and flavour. Rather than shaking or stirring by hand, there is also the option of using a foam canister which charges the ingredients with N20 gas.

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KAM ALEX

A F O H BIRT

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ONE MAN BRAND

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A little over 6 years ago I had an idea. I had recently been working for Campari and was in the middle of holding a training session on the history of gin when it dawned on me: alcohol has been used as a medicine for thousands of years. A number of established spirit, liqueur and bitters brands on the market today were originally created for that purpose (some of them by bartenders). In today’s low-fat, 5-a-day, gluten-free, drinking-responsibly age, I felt certain there was gap in the market for a lowerproof spirit that drew inspiration from the apothecaries of old, but with a modern twist. With a sea of badly conceived new brands hitting the market, and with 17 years of experience behind me, I felt that I was in a better position than most to create my own drink. Just where to start?

THE RECIPE

I was never quite sure what I was going to end up with, but had noticed the increased interest in gin and bitters (luckily my two favourite spirit categories) and took aim somewhere in the middle. I scoured the internet, brand brochures, books and medical journals to find 100 herbs, spices, berries, roots, barks, peels, nuts, leaves, flowers and fruits that have been used historically for medicinal purposes. I infused all of these in neutral alcohol and methodically tasted each one, sorting the wheat from the chaff. I was trying to create a balanced spirit; something that both bartenders and punters would like, but primarily something unique and distinctive in taste that could be drunk neat or mixed into simple drinks and cocktails. It was the Ginseng that stood out. Not only did it have a 5000-year history of medicinal use, but it tasted like nothing else (albeit it, a little ‘earthy’). I looked to distillation to remove this quality and used the other botanicals as a support act for the smoky/ salty/rootiness of my four different types of Ginseng. It has been an incredibly hard task to finalise a recipe that I was happy with (I almost gave up a couple of times) but 115 infusions, 23 distillates and 120 recipes later, I now have a final product: ‘Kammerling’s – Ginseng Spirit’. Golden yellow in colour, it is fresh and citrusy on the nose with light floral/ anise and juniper notes, and a sweet, rich and spiced herbal palate, finally ending in a long, honeyed bitterness.

BUSINESS-PLAN For me, it has always been about the liquid. Everything from the bottle, label, brand and marketing takes inspiration from the product inside the bottle. That said, why spend all that time and money creating a nice liquid just to put it in cheap bottle with a plain label? Luckily, I have a degree in design (not a complete waste of 3 years then!) and with help from friends and family, I managed to develop the brand myself. If you need to pay a professional to create your brand, be warned, it can take a long time and can be costly, but worth it if catches the eye and makes people proud of selling it.

BUSINESS-PLAN Blending liquids, inventing cocktails and designing logos is the fun bit, but at the end of the day you need to sell it, and for me, writing a business plan was the steepest learning curve. You soon realise when you find out how much duty is charged on alcohol and how much the raw ingredients cost, then add up the distillation, bottling, handling, delivery and storage costs and before adding on your profit margin plus the wholesaler and retailer margins (plus 20% VAT) that you are looking at an expensive product that is going to need some serious investment to get off the ground. I started by collecting data - a business plan is not much without justifiable figures. I called bars to find out what the competition was selling, downloaded the Millionaires Club (published each year by Drinks International) and trawled for International Wine and Spirits Report which both contain the worlds big brand-busting spirits and their sales volumes. This formed the basis of my sales projections and helped write a cash-flow that will ultimately feed into my P&L (profit and loss account), the holy grail of a business plan.

MARKETING Shit doesn’t sell itself. You might have a better-tasting recipe for Coca-Cola, but without a good USP, marketing plan and a seriously healthy marketing budget, it will be like trying to sell ice to the Eskimos. I picked up a fair amount of marketing knowledge having worked for Grey Goose, but most of it is common sense. An essential marketing ‘tool’ is creating ‘signature serves’, which need to be aptly named, easy to replicate and delicious. Having been a bartender, this part was fairly easy, although I road-tested them all to be sure people liked them (I offered to make drinks at friends’ weddings in order to get a cross section of ages and classes to taste it and give me feedback).

LEGAL / ADMIN There is a plethora of legal requirements that needs to be considered before launching a brand to the market. The basics are setting up a company and opening a business account. You then have to jump through hoops for a license, get trademarks registered, domain names setup, bar-codes registered, and then sort out any legal issues with contracts between suppliers, investors and/or business partners. Bizarrely, there is no official body for testing your product to see whether it is safe for human consumption, although I had a series of (not cheap) tests done for my own peace of mind.

You might have a better-tasting recipe for Coca-Cola, but without a good USP, marketing plan and a seriously healthy marketing budget, it will be like trying to sell ice to the Eskimos.

THE DAY OF RECKONING I wake up bleary eyed. It is the 17th March 2011 and the first thing that I focus on is a stubby brown bottle sitting on a shelf at the end of my bed. It has my name on it. Not in the figure-of-speech way, because alcohol is the last thing I need at 6.15am, but it actually has my name on it, printed in a bold blocky typeface on a yellow ribbon. I smile to myself and go back to sleep.

I offered to make drinks at friends’ weddings in order to get a cross section of ages and classes to taste it and give me feedback.

The previous day I had been at the distillery and bottling plant in Clapham witnessing the secret recipe being blended and filled into bottles, so waking up to see the culmination of 5 years-worth of stress, sweat and tears in physical form was a satisfying moment. The first thing most people ask is how did you come up with the recipe? Not easily I tell them. Having been bartending for 18 years I have lots of experience of ‘mixing things’ (although please don’t call me a mixologist). In my last position as Brand

MAGAZINE

Ambassador for Grey Goose Vodka I was devising and mixing cocktails for Elton’s Johns White Tie and Tiara party and creating bespoke cocktails for the Glitterati among other things, but creating a totally new spirit has been a challenge on a different level. I wanted to create a better drink; my inspiration was the historical use of alcoholic herbal tinctures, which until modern synthesised drugs came along, were standard remedies for numerous ailments (Hippocrates was a fan of herbal infusions). By a painstaking process of elimination and trial and error I mixed, sniffed and slurped my way through numerous ingredient combinations to the perfect recipe. My end vision: A spirit which is delicious neat over ice but was equally good with mixers or in cocktails. Although similar to brands such as Hendricks, Campari and Pimms, it is really unlike anything else and, at 33% abv, not as strong as regular spirits. Last week was the official launch. It is now on sale and the next step of my journey is beginning; selling a new spirit in one of the most competitive markets there is. One day soon, I hope to have a small sales force, someone to do the admin for me, a PR company, maybe even a PA, but I am currently just a one-man-mission who has created and designed something different. I am not a Diageo or a Pernod Ricard, but I have put generous amounts of passion and love into my brand and, just like a new father, I am immensely proud.

Alex Kammerling

ALEX KAMMERLING Alex Kammerling has been working within the drinks industry for 18 years, having started his career as a bartender. Alex has worked in cafés, wine bars, cocktail bars, hotel bars and restaurants from London to Sydney via Hong Kong. For the last 10 years Alex has been running his own drinks consultancy, working in the top of the industry with leading brands such as Grey Goose, Stolichnaya, Courvoisier, Schweppes and Bombay Sapphire. He has held training sessions and given presentations to thousands of bartenders on spirits, cocktails and service skills from Edinburgh to Montego Bay, managed events such as Elton John’s White Tie and Tiara party to the Prada store opening in Paris. In his time as a bartender Alex has made drinks for the world’s most successful artists, actors, fashion designers, models, rock stars and royalty, and has created hundreds of contemporary classic cocktails and judged some internationally recognised cocktail competitions such as the 42 Below World Cup in New Zealand. Alex has also been writing articles for leading drinks and consumer magazines for over 9 years and has had a number of appearances on Television. In 2004 his own cocktail book, entitled ‘Blend me, Shake me’, was published by BBC books. Alex has recently left his role as Brand Ambassador for Grey Goose vodka to launch his own brand ‘Kamm & Son’s – Ginseng Spirit’. He is 36 and lives in North London.

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SOCIAL MEDIA FOR YOUR BUSINESS

USING SOCIAL MEDIA AS A BUSINESS TOOL

Restaurants, bars and nightclubs are no longer just about preparing succulent steaks and beef, mouth-watering sticky toffeepuddings and trendy cocktails. The kitchen and the bar areas of establishments are spaces where creative juices flow, but in this modern, techno world, it shouldn’t stop at the stove. Extending that creative energy from your kitchen and bar to your marketing strategy is imperative in order to claim the competitive edge. Receiving good food, efficient service and affordability used to be the three reasons casual visitors became regulars. Now the extra mile and personal connection is necessary, and it should extend beyond the physical confines of your venue. While sitting at their work desk, people should be able to engage with the owner or the manager via the 84 keys under your fingertips.

Social Media is not only considered an effective tool based on its measurable results, it’s about creating a platform through which you and your client can engage in active dialogue. It’s an opportunity for you to connect with your client, and your client to connect with you and/or your brand. A customer offering undesirable feedback should not be an issue when there is a platform for feedback. This also allows you the opportunity to view your brand with different eyes; how do they view ‘me’ from where they stand? Setting up a profile on Facebook and a hashtag on Twitter is easy. How do you create an active presence in the burgeoning cyberworld?

Create Facebook Fan Pages. Use them to share kitchen-tips with your followers, maybe even a secret or two. This creates a personal connection between you and your fans, a must in order to convert a casual visitor into a regular one.

SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS

Facebook is the perfect platform for customers to take advantage of discounts and giveaways. A competition is always a good way to have fans visit the page regularly, especially if they know that there’ll be something they can win every month without having to spend any money. They’ve invested a valuable amount of interest in your brand; reward them for their efforts. Return On Investment (ROI) is key in any successful business.

At the end of the dining experience, and maybe with the bill, offer a business card that provides each customer with the details of all your online platforms. Always let a patron know that you are on Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social networking platforms so that they can continue the experience.

See page 102 for Social + One’s company details

Make sure your restaurant is listed with local business directories.

Use Yo scenes uTube to sha excep footage th re behind-t t h a tour o the staff. C t no one s ee f prove the restaur reate a dig es it or pot to be a gre ant. This co al a u of all ential patro t tool for n ld consis your vide ns. At the eew t your c ent messag os, include nd e have t ontact deta by adding a il after t he option o s so that th in f aking the vis booking rig ey ual tou ht r.

Have a few popular drinks on the menu? Make a recipe available, or offer a small ‘how-to’ class for a new Fan Page visitor and a friend every month/season. You can also encourage fans to share their favourite cocktail recipes with you. Maybe there’s a drink that he/she feels should be on your menu but isn’t. Choose the best one and then add it to the menu – if it’s an original, name it after the mixologist.

You c this i an also pr n i your formation nt menu , as w on as on el your mark oth l e as fly ting tools er ers su vehic , adverts ch a expe les etc. T nd neve rience sho he r stop u when ld custo the m walk er s the d out oor.

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SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS

Create a profile on MySpace and keep it up to date with fresh content.

Activat SEARC ing Goo H gle Ale you to rt t busine rack any men s will allow ss onlin t e, and ion of your provide will online great insight therefore re in will tra putation. Go to your ogle Ale c k n e g activity at r and all ive and posit ts ows yo ive u t o accord respon ingly. d

Advise patrons to share their pleasant experience on the online platforms and make sure there is a unified message when responding. Always acknowledge every contributor with a personal response and make sure you are always aware of the conversations being held on your Facebook ‘wall’. Creating the space for this to happen is only half of the job. Keeping the connection is vital.

Offer opport the un interac ity to t hotline via a .S clients ome prefer may their m to use ob share t ile to views. heir sure so Make m manag eone es this .

The personal desire to place re trends a a face to a Tips and d. Share te name or voice apprecia and trends tips will never s s e in s e, bu er advic change. We’re and off ou’ve made engineered . lly if y especia siness decision u this way. m b o d fr a b rn a lea Post a thers to te Allow o ey’ll apprecia h profile of them. T sty. You don’t e the owner, the hon details provide employees or to e v went ha ll a it ow the manager, along with about h n ‘I tried this, but a their favourite recipe or quickd this wrong, have trie o it ld u snack ideas for when lazing at home. o w t to d bu if I had When patrons arrive, they’ll feel like instead d will suffice. in they already ‘know’ you. again’ k

Create a Tw itte mentions, ha r account. Keep trac k of all the shtags, retw your online eets etc. Al profiles to ways add al l your docu media rele as m ents and es et MIX c. OL M ost journalis sociOGalYRELE AStw ED ne ts have Facebook. orking profi If you want les, particul to m arly Twitte find them on r and the net and ake contact with a jo urnalist, tr sites, or se se e if th ey y to arch for th su bs cr ib e em w to any soci their full na al media me and surn ithin the Facebook ‘s earch’ bar ame. using

Intimate events are another way to make clien ts feel that they are va lued. Have them be part of meetups to discuss topics of interest, and ask their advice/ suggestions for smaller decis ions i.e. decorative ideas etc. They can also provide new ways of interacting with you. Maybe someone came ac ross a new social media pla tform that you could use. Yo u will never know unless you invite them to a networking session.

MAGAZINE

Google

Ask cu st provid omers if th e e a reco a minute o y’re happy t f their rded in o t to you t r Fan P erview and ime for upload age. S face s eein it h establi are their vie g a familia r shmen ws abo t add ut a of cre s another le n dibilit vel y.

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A blog, once again, creates a personal connection. It’s one way to make the customer feel like they are a part of the team. Visitors to blogs should be able to gain access to personal views and information that they can’t find anywhere else on the web. C

Make sure you collate all email addresses that are used when making a booking. These should be added to your database. Always aim to build a relationship on email before they arrive so that, when they get there, they feel like they already know you.

reate a lb on galle ums of imag es ry and Pic -styled platform and use them as showca so. Photo-sh s such as Flick r se a your ve social images ring sites can nue and of even ts of chefs Allow y ou prepari held at ng dishe eyes of r customers to s. v th than ju e chef and th iew it from the st the e staff, Everyon b rather e know rand you’ve s cre scenes, so share there’s a beh ated. ind-the it with them.

Social media has become a main marketing tool in almost every business, and proves to be fairly cost effective. There are many forms of social media approaches, and there is one for every brand. It’s the manner in which it is executed that renders it effective. Creating a brand is easy, connecting and conversing with its believers is a different ball game. It is vital to first ascertain who the client is, what they expect and what they like and dislike. social media can be that missing component that converts a casual customer into an active brand ambassador. The most important brand ambassador is no longer the owner, but the patrons and the employees. Empower, connect and converse with them, and you’re already setting the trends for 2013!

L D U M ory t c e dir

GLASSWARE

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CAPE IMPORTERS

Cape Importers is one of the leading traders in- and suppliers of Barware, Glassware, Cutlery, Crockery and kitchen smalls directly to the South African hospitality trade. We import and distribute leading brands that suit all applications and budgets: ARCOROC, ANVIL, CONSOL , HAMILTON BEACH, FIRNA , CUISINE HOTELWARE , CONTIENTAL CHINA, FORTIS...to name a few. Real wholesale prices and great service underpin our “Customer-is-King” approach. We deliver 6 days a week across the Western Cape and within 48 hours across the country and Africa. Unit 12, Twickenham Park Marconi Road, Montaue Gardens Tel : +27 21 551 8585 Fax : +27 21 551 0808 sales@capeimporters.co.za

ICE SUPPLIER ICE ART

102 Combine the medium of ice with the passion of art and you have a rare and fantastic blend. At Ice Art we specialise in high quality, hand carved ice sculptures, ice bars, ice logos etc... From the very small to the very large, we are proud to be the preffered supplier to the Westin Grand Hotel. We invite you to step into our subzero world where we have been producing sculptures of the highest calibre for more than 6 years, for a very broad spectrum of clientele. Call us for ideas, we can certainly add that rare, exquisite touch to your function, launch or event... The crew at Ice Art generally carve the majority of orders in the 50 square meter freezer, but can also perform live carving shows on site for guest entertainment with all the power tools for added drama. The work is carved using an array of tools - from Chisels and scribes through to angle grinders, chainsaws and blow torches. We cater from smaller centrepieces up to gigs involving multiple tons of ice where freezer trucks and forklifts are necessary. Contact: James Cussen Unit 7, Royal Industrial Park, Basson Street, Maitland, Cape Town Cell: 072 409 6769 Tel: +27 (0)21 511 1060 Fax: 086 613 8908 Email: james@iceart.co.za www.iceart.co.za

JUICE

LABELING

Sir Juice is South Africa’s leading supplier of premium fruit juice to the hospitality market. We supply most of the top cocktail bars, restaurants, hotels and coffee shops in South Africa with our deliciously premium and pulpy fruit juice. Our super premium hospitality range is a short-life product designed specifically for customers who demand only the best. The hospitality range is mostly pulp based, meaning we keep the flesh of the fruit and thereby retain more of the inherent goodness of the fruit. We develop our products to taste as close to the real fruit as possible. It’s actually really easy. We find the best fruit we can and look after it as well as we can from the day we receive it to the day people all over South Africa enjoy it. Our entire fleet of vehicles is chilled and we offer our customers the well known Sir Juice service they have all become accustomed to. In 2010 Sir Juice won Best Large Supplier at the RASA(Restaurant Association of South Africa) awards. This is a true testament to the dedication of our staff to delivering the best service possible and producing only the most delicious fruit juice all year round. For more information visit us at www.sirjuice. co.za Gauteng - Main Brach Tel: +27 11 989 7700 Fax: +27 11 989 7750 guateng@sirjuice.co.za

Our mobile labeling company - Vin Libre labeling(Pty)Ltd, gives us the freedom to go where we are needed. As our company name clearly states – Vin Libre (which means free wine), we can free up your time by bringing our business to you. We are a proud family-owned business established in 2003. In a short space of time we have expanded, due to massive demand, from 1 to 4 mobile machines. We are now proud to be able to offer you a 5-man labeling army, 4 self-adhesive labeling machines, 4 carousel cappers, 3 heat shrink tunnels, 3 bottle washers (external), semiautomatic foiling machine for MCC and printers, even semi-automated box strappers and everything is all portable! Our business is truly built on the integrity of our family values, so when calling us at Vin Libre, you will always reach one of us, either Dirkus or Denise! No quote too big or too small. We will come to you – equipment and all! Feel free to give us a call anytime, 24 hours a day - for free advice, or a quote. We are also BBBEE level4. Contact: Denise van der Mescht Tel: +27 21 851 7927 Fax: +27 21851 7483 Email: denise@vinlibre.co.za

Western Cape Tel: +27 21 469 4941 Fax: +27 21 462 7797 westerncape@sirjuice.co.za

KREATE BRANDS

SIR JUICE

Kwazulu-Natal Tel: +27 31 365 0462 Fax: +27 31 304 2669 kwazulu-natal@sirjuice.co.za

VIN LIBRE LABELING

LIQUOR IMPORTERS See page 99

LIQUOR RETAILERS DIAMONDS

Diamond’s Discount Liquor is one of the leading liquor chains operating 40 stores in the Western Cape and Mpumalanga. This family business has been in existence for over 40 years. Recently the business was sold to Corvest a Private Equity company within the Rand Merchant Bank stable. Michael Sternberg is the current Executive Chairman and is part of the management team headed up by Paul O’Linn (Managing Director), Chris Steenkamp (Operational Director) and Mike Meyer (Operations Executive). The company has always placed customer service as its priority and the corporate mantra is “Sparkling service at a Gem of a Price”. Despite the current recession, the Company has prospered due to its core belief in promoting, uplifting, training and respecting its staff complement. We strive both to serve our customers and fulfill the mission and spirit of the company. 168 Voortrekker Road, Maitland, Cape Town Tel: +27 21 511 3228 Fax: +27 21 511 9451

Kreate Brands imports, markets and distributes various premium mixology brands. With full national distribution and value added services ranging from cocktail consultancy, mixology training, mobile bar activations, high quality recipes and POS merchandising your venue will truly be at the forefront of mixology trends in South Africa. info@kreate.co.za | www.kreate.co.za

Kreate Brands Advert.indd 1

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Behind every great mixologist, there is Kreate Brands.

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y r o t c e r i d L MUD DIRT RD LIQUOR

(Argyle) Rd store in Durban. Furthermore, if there is a product you can’t find in our store we will be happy to order it for you. We guarantee that we will at all times endeavour to make you, our customer, feel welcome in our stores. So why not give us a call, or send an email when you are contemplating your next liquor purchase. 140 Sandile Thusi (Argyle) Road, Durban, 4000

See page 99

DRINK

See page 100

LIBERTY LIQUORS

Tel: +27 31 3039857 Fax: +27 31 303 9864 Email: clydebv@libertyliquors.co.za

Liberty Liquors is proud to have been voted “KZN’s Best Liquor Store” for seven years running. Being at the forefront of innovative ideas makes us one of the most progressive liquor retailers in KwaZulu Natal. With two stores in Durban and one store in Pietermaritzburg we are conveniently placed to service all your liquor requirements. Our professional Store Managers and dedicated staff will assist you with your function or event and party planning. Delivery of goods and free loan of glasses are all part of our exemplary service to you. A convenient “call & collect” service is also available. Liberty Liquors offers wholesale prices direct to the public, wide shopping isles for ease of movement, plenty of secure parking at each store and one of the most extensive ranges of products in KZN. We are especially proud of our selection of fine wines kept in optimum conditions in our wine cellar at our Sandile Thusi

STEVEN ROM

Cape Town’s leading purveyor of fine wines, beers spirits and liqueurs with three branches conveniently located in Sea Point, Three Anchor Bay and Kloof Street. Steven Rom offers an extensive party service and is capable of supplying functions from 6 to 1,000 people. Deliveries throughout Cape Town. Seapoint Tel: +27 21 439 6043

ULTRA

With 24 super-stores located throughout South Africa, Ultra Liquors is a leader in discount liquor retailing. By maximizing our buying power and driving costs down, we are able to offer significant discounts across the liquor and beverage categories. In fact, in a national retail survey, Ultra Liquors has been measured as the cheapest liquor retailer across a basket of over 200 items. 2nd floor Parkview Centre, 54 Tyrone Avenue, Parkview, Johannesburg. PO Box 72008, Parkview, 2122 Tel: +27 11 486 1736 Fax: +27 11 486 1765 Email: headoffice@ultraliquors.co.za

Three Anchor Bay Tel: +27 21 439 1112 Kloof Street Tel: +27 21 424-8476

Hotels • Clubs • Bars • Restaurants The turn-key solution for all your “liquid” needs.

Western Cape Contact Details: Jannie Venter 072 580 1010 • Jannie.v@thedrinkshop.co.za www.thedrinkshop.co.za

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BARTENDERS WORKSHOP See page 101

PURE BAR STUDIO

SOCIAL MEDIA

SOCIAL PLUS ONE

SPECIALIST E-TAILER

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www.whisky.co.za

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WHISKYdotcoza is a specialist whisky e-tailer, where you can conveniently shop for a wide range of premium whiskies and have them delivered to your door. We’re committed to giving whisky lovers relevant, expert information about whisky as and when they need it most, whilst they’re shopping, and we’re always focused on providing the best possible prices both on product and delivery. We hope to make your whisky shopping or browsing a compelling experience. Subscribe to our official blog Words on Whisky or WoW (www.wordsonwhisky.wordpress.com) for unflinching commentary on all things whisky. You can find us at www.whisky.co.za or alternatively on either Facebook (www. facebook.com/WHISKYdotcoza) or Twitter (WHISKYdotcoza). P.O. Box 12766, Mill Street, Gardens, 8010 info@whisky.co.za

LIQUOR WHOLESALER NORMAN GOODFELLOWS

Norman Goodfellows Liquor Stores are stockists of a wide selection of wines, malts and beers from South Africa as well as abroad: Specialising in rare and premium whiskies, vodkas and wines. There is large selection of wine accessories and glassware. Norman Goodfellows offers an extensive party service and logistics capability of supplying for functions from 6 people to 6000 people. Deliveries throughout Johannesburg. 192 Oxford road, Illovo Tel: +27 11 788 4814 Fax: 086 628 8029 Hyde Park Shopping Centre, Level 2 Tel: +27 11 325 6462 / 5217 Fax: 086 624 4434 Melrose Arch, Woolworths Food Level Tel: +27 (0)11 684 2756 / 7 Fax: 086 582 3273 Email: service@ngf.co.za www.ngf.co.za

MOBILE BAR COMPANY BARCODE

Pure Bar Studios offers a captivating combination of professionalism and fun to any occasion with customised bars, tailor-made blends and the confidence and know-how of years in the industry. Concurrently, we run a training academy, educating bartenders in the art of mixology, facilitated by South Africa’s five time Flair Bartending Champion. So whether you hire our Pure Tenders for your designer event or enrol your own staff into one of our professional courses, you can be sure that you’ll get exactly what you ordered. Telephone: 021 552 8042 Email: travis@purebarstudios.co.za www.purebarstudios.co.za

SHAKER

Shaker was established in 2001 and has been training in South Africa since 2006. We run courses every month in Johannesburg and Cape Town as well as providing specialist bar training for a number colleges and hotel schools. Shaker have just opened their brand new, bigger and better BarSchool in Bree Street, Cape Town and a fabulous new BarSchool in Randburg, Johannesburg. Tel:+27 21 422 1574 Fax: +27 86 694 2828 Cell: +27 82 044 7204 www.shaker.co.za or www.shakerevents.co.za

RESTAURANT LA PLAYA

A trendy Greek family-owned café, oozing swish touches. The décor inside is slick and sexy, offering curvy wood panelling and Mondrian style wallpatterning in shades of green, white and grey. The balcony boasts palm-fronted sea views and stripy couches. An extensive selection of dishes, including burgers, steaks, grills, sandwiches, seafood, pastas, pancakes and a moreish selection of cakes. With everything on the menu available by the glass. They also boast a wide range of cocktails. Tel: +27 21 418 2800 Email: info@la-playa.co.za www.la-playa.co.za

We are a Online marketing company, specialising in social media and online reputation management. Included in our services is building and growing a segmented database and content generation (photos, videos) for use on the various social media platforms. We can help you build a relationship-based marketing strategy that will transform your business. We’ll help you navigate the often confusing social media marketing waters. In just a matter of days you can be completely connected to the “social” world. Contact: Sergio Dreyer Cell: 072 577 9518 Email: sergio@socialplusone.co.za Contact: Stefan Botha Cell: 073 217 4630 Email: stefan@socialplusone.co.za Contact: Wayne Moses Cell: 071 494 0115 Email: wayne@socialplusone.co.za www.socialplusone.co.za

SOUND & LIGHTING

KILOWATT SOUND & LIGHTING

KILOWATT AV is a full service technical support company that facilitates clients in turning their inspirational ideas into world class events. Kilowatt AV is a company synonymous with words like excellence, passion, innovation and Inspiration. Since inception, our team of dynamic staff have rapidly built a solid reputation for superior service and unmistakable quality of event delivery. Our technical support is tailor made for each client, from an extensive inventory of top quality equipment, providing the right gear for the specific needs of your event. Cell: 0861 000 363 Email: info@kilowatt.co.za www.kilowatt.co.za

VENUE LANDSCAPING RED DAFFODIL

SEVEN ON KELLNER Barcode is a company dedicated to the progression of the bar industry. Whether through superior drinks and service delivery at our events, world class training and consultancy from our team of award-winning experts, or cutting edge bar design and fabrication. We are guided by the idea that every event and every client is different and a bespoke approach is needed to deliver a quality service every time. Tel: 0861 BARMOBILE Email: info@barcodemobile.co.za www.mobilebars.co.za

This little slice of heaven wrapped in tranquillity boasts eclectic décor and whimsical collection of décor that inspires a quirky ambiance dressed in a warm and elegant surrounds. Enjoy fine dining experience and tantalising flavours complimented by generous portions at Seven on Kellner Restaurant in Bloemfontein. Westdene, Bloemfontein, Free State Tel: +27 51 447 7928 Email: 7onkellner@telkomsa.net

As enthusiastic gardeners with a keen eye for design & detail we aim to offer our clients not just a beautiful installation, but also hassle-free maintenance of their green spaces. With years of experience in both indoor & outdoor installations and links to a huge range of suppliers we offer a wide range of styles & options to suit your project. Chris Maddams Red Daffodil cell: 084 604 2340 tel/fax: 021 671 7401 www.reddaffodil.co.za

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UP THINGS STEAM R BEHIND THE BA

Introducing Jo’Burg beauty

NATALIE HALFORD

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HISTORY

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Despite its long history as a French company, Hennessy Cognac was actually founded by an Irishman, Richard Hennessy, who was born in 1724. Hennessy moved to the Charente region in 1745 and served in the French army for 12 years in order to gain French citizenship. It is for this reason that Hennessy adopted the “bras armé” as their symbol. After his time in the army, Hennessy moved to Belgium to work with his uncle, a trader. Together, they sold cognac and many other items. Richard Hennessy decided to start his own distillery and founded the house of Hennessy in 1765. Until then, it was customary that barrel coopers were also blenders of cognacs, but in 1786, Hennessy hired Jean Fillioux to be its first master blender. The Fillioux family has carried on a legacy as the blenders of Hennessy cognac since this time. Its current blender, Yann Fillioux represents its seventh generation of blenders at Hennessy. Hennessy died in 1800, leaving the distillery to his son James who named the company Jas Hennessy & Co. in 1813. The building that would eventually become Hennessy Cognac’s Founders Cellar was originally built in 1774 as a potter’s storage facility, giving it the name La Fainencerie. The house of Hennessy purchased the property to be used as a cellar for its cognac. It wasn’t until 1870 that well-aged cognacs became fashionable and Maurice Hennessy, grandson to James, introduced Hennessy XO, a cognac originally created exclusively for the Hennessy family. This was sold in post-phylloxera times as “extremely old” since it was able to prove its valuable provenance at a time when the industry was fraught with fraud.

Hennessy has been run by eight generations of Hennessys along with seven generations of master distillers from the Fillioux family. This continuity gives the cognac unequalled consistency of style and quality. Hennessy’s blenders scour the entire Cognac region to find the very best parcels worthy of going into Hennessy. This purchasing provides the assurance of balance in Hennessy Cognac, since it enables the House to find all of the necessary elements of aromas, flavour and texture that define the Hennessy style. Hennessy prides itself on strong relationships with the individual growers, as well as an insightful understanding of the important qualities required for first-rate cognacs. Not all houses want to purchase the highest quality eaux de vie, since they are the most expensive. Not all buyers are capable of recognising the highest quality eaux de vie with the best potential for making outstanding cognac. Hennessy produces its cognac from the top four subregions of the Cognac district, giving Hennessy its great complexity, and also ensuring that it is drinking at its peak. Eaux-de-vies from Grande & Petite Champagne are not used in VS and VSOP styles because they require longer ageing than those from the other regions. The House oversees every step in the production of its cognacs, from grape growing to wine production to distillation and ageing. It sources its own wood for barrels and employs its own coopers to make them. Most of its barrels come from the world’s top cooperage, Taransaud. Hennessy has the largest collection of ageing cognac of any producer, with a capacity of a quarter-million casks. These aged brandies are invaluable in the blending process, giving each bottle of Hennessy structure, consistency and a strong connect to its past.

PAUL AURIOL Moët Hennessy Market Manager for Southern Africa

Paul joined the Hennessy and Moët & Chandon Company in 2004, taking a position as Business Development Assistant in Toronto. After being promoted to Brand Ambassador for Canada, he then sought new challenges in the Caribbean where he assumed the Market Manager role for the region in 2007. After four years of travelling the various islands strengthening the Moët Hennessy portfolio’s leading position, the desire for new horizons set in again. In 2011 Paul moved to Johannesburg where he is overseeing all the Moët Hennessy business for Southern Africa.

Q Tell us more about the town of Cognac. To what extent does the liquor sector dominate industry in the area?

Paul: Cognac is a small town of about 25,000 people, and obviously its industry centres mainly around liquor. Aside from farmers who grow the grapes and the distillers and the cognac houses who make the end product, there are also other businesses that support the liquor trade, such as glass makers and cardboard manufacturers. For a small town, it’s quite industrialised.

Q And what it was like growing up there? Is there a vibrant social scene or is it more of a sleepy village?

A There are a few small clubs but I wouldn’t say it has a vibrant nightlife. Socially it is fairly quiet, but I enjoyed growing up there. The weather is great, although it can get chilly in winter, and it’s only 45min from the Atlantic coast. And each July a music event comes to town called the Blues Passion Festival in which Hennessy will be involved once again this year. Initially it was almost entirely blues

music but in recent years has expanded to include most music types, and has attracted the likes of Ray Charles,BB King and Moby.

Q I noticed you went to an English University. What motivated you to study in the UK rather than in France?

A I always knew I wanted to work in the liquor industry and, since 99% of cognac is exported, it made sense that I study at an English university to learn the language. Also I love to travel!

Q Speaking of travelling, you’ve done quite a bit in your career, notably Canada and all over the Caribbean. Have you picked up significant differences in the way these market enjoy Hennessy, as well as in France and South Africa?

A Yes most definitely, although I have noticed that almost everyone likes to mix the VS. In South Africa, USA and Canada they prefer to use soft drinks whereas in the Caribbean they use either coconut water or a type of condensed milk called Supligen. With VSOP both SA and America like it either neat or on ice, Canada likes theirs on ice and the Caribbean prefers it neat. Q You must have seen some amazing places. Tell us about one of the more unusual venues you’ve visited.

A The Caribbean has lots of small stores called rum shops. You can find these anywhere from on the beach to in the towns, and they definitely fit the description of unusual. Even though they are often very rustic you can usually find Hennessy VS.

Q In your opinion, describe the perfect serve for Hennessy Cognac.

A My favourite variant is the VSOP which I enjoy on the rocks. Because it’s aged longer in seasoned casks it has more flavour and complexity, and the ice enhances the woodiness and spiciness. I love it either as an aperitif or after dinner and in night clubs.

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Born in Cognac, France, to a family with a long history in the region, it seems Paul was destined to cultivate a career in wines and spirits. His Grandfather had run the family cognac brand before selling it at the end of his career, and Paul himself spent his childhood and teenage years in Cognac surrounded by wine growers and distillers. Cognac is truly in his blood.

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. . . A E K A I N M I T O R T A M E HOW U Q S E L R U B . ..

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THE PERFECT MIX

You will need: • Hawthorn strainer • Granity glass • Shaker • Shot glass • Martini glass

• Giffard Passion Fruit Liqueur • La Fruitiere Passion Fruit Puree • Sparkling wine

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Tracy McGregor. Photograph David Lazarus. Venue Valora - Long Street, Cape Town.

• Ice

• Pink Pigeon Premium Vanilla Run

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01. Make sure that your martini glass is polished and sparkling 02. Put ice in the martini glass to chill it and leave while you prepare the cocktail

03. Measure out 30ml of Pink Pigeon Premium Vanilla Rum 04. Pour Pink Pigeon Premium Vanilla Rum into a granity glass 05. Measure out 30ml of Giffard Passion Fruit Liqueur 06. Pour the Giffard Passion Fruit Liqueur into a granity glass 07. Measure out 30ml of La Fruitiere Passion Fruit Puree and pour into granity glass

08. & 09. Place ice that has been chilling the martini glass into the granity glass

10. & 11. Fit granity glass into shaker and shake vigorously 12. Grab your hawthorn strainer 13. Place the strainer over the mouth of the shaker and pour liquid into the chilled martini glass

14. 15. 16.

Voila! Just 2 more things left to do... Pour a shot of sparkling wine to accompany the cocktail Garnish the cocktail with a passion fruit wheel

VALORA is a Mediterranean style restaurant that was put together by Michael Mouneimne who was at the helm of Café Caprice for nine years before trading Camps Bay’s Golden Strip for the hustle and bustle of the Mother City. VALORA was set up with the idea of creating dining experience where patrons can enjoy fine food at affordable prices. A warm friendly environment where people can enjoy a menu full of personality and creativity. Whether you are in town for your morning coffee, business lunch, after work drinks or a relaxing dinner, VALORA is the perfect place to be. To book a table now, email mike@valora.co.za or call 021 426 1001. Shop 70. cnr Loop & Hout Street, Cape Town CBD

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arted Industry st e Alcohol Wine th a r fo as I began My passion stores o where e ag tl s ot ar b ye in over 9 n Wines my studies for Meridie Promoter er I finished ed to get ft A s. ow e Sh anag and at Win Yellow, I m BC. It d Red and Rep at RG s le Sa at UCT an e ad ame Tr ec b ff O ch hi a job as an to the On Trade w ore ef b d perience then evolve d retail ex Edward Snell an s le sa invaluable osition at on Russian arketing p my first m nd Manager Portfolio, ra B a as i y ar p an p & Com d the Cam yy e Molen an ch as Campari, Sk ud O r, ea B su t. al s M nd le ra b nt Sing working on d Glen Gra istell to take an no za in D Vodka, C ok me to position as perience to This key ex s Marketing r’ te un H have been al I b lo re G on the anager, whe M ng ti ke Global Mar half. year and a for the last

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Y P A E L WHAT IS THE MISSION?

“On the way up without even opening the capsule door you can find yourself in a life or death situation. So it’s extremely dangerous.” Mike Todd, Red Bull Stratos Life Support Engineer Red Bull Stratos, a mission to the edge of space, will attempt to transcend human limits that have existed for 50 years. Supported by a team of experts Felix Baumgartner plans to ascend to 120,000 feet in a stratospheric balloon and make a freefall jump rushing toward earth at supersonic speeds before parachuting to the ground. His attempt to dare atmospheric limits holds the potential to provide valuable medical and scientific research data for future pioneers. Although tenuous plans are in place to make the attempt some time in May, there are many factors that could affect the launch date and the only thing that is certain at this stage is that it will happen this year. The Red Bull Stratos team brings together the world’s leading minds in aerospace medicine, engineering, pressure suit development, capsule creation and balloon fabrication. It includes retired United States Air Force Colonel Joseph Kittinger, who holds three of the records Felix will strive to break. Joe’s record jump from 102,800 ft in 1960 was during a time when no one knew if a human could survive a jump from the edge of space. Joe was a Captain in the U.S. Air Force and had already taken a balloon to 97,000 feet in Project ManHigh and survived a drogue mishap during a jump from 76,400 feet in Excelsior I. The Excelsior III mission was his 33rd parachute jump.

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Although researching extremes was part of the program’s goals, setting records wasn’t the mission’s purpose. Joe ascended in a helium balloon launched from the back of a truck. He wore a pressurised suit on the way up in an open, unpressurised gondola. Scientific data captured from Joe’s jump was shared with U.S. research personnel for development of the space program. Today Felix and his specialised team hope to take what was learned from Joe’s jumps more than 50 years ago and press forward to test the edge of the human envelope.

“On the way up without even opening the capsule door you can find yourself in a life or death situation. So it’s extremely dangerous.” MISSION HISTORY “We were destined to fly. We may not have been built to fly, but we’ve figured out a way to fulfil our destiny.” Dr. Jonathan Clark, Red Bull Stratos Medical Director

2005

• Felix Baumgartner and Red Bull begin to lay the

groundwork for a stratospheric freefall that would expand the boundaries of human flight.

2007

• Under the technical direction of Art Thompson, planning and team recruitment begins.

• Capsule development begins at Sage Cheshire Aerospace in Lancaster, California.

2008

• National

Aviation Hall of Fame member and current record holder Joe Kittinger joins the Red Bull Stratos team, and meets Felix Baumgartner for first time. • David Clark Company agrees for the first time ever to produce a suit for a non-governmental space program.

2009

• Personal parachute system development begins. • High-altitude helium balloons are secured. • Medical team expands to include six-time Space

Shuttle crew surgeon Jon Clark as medical director; development of safety protocols continues. • Felix Baumgartner conducts the first highaltitude training session in a pressure suit, including several parachute jumps from an aircraft at 27,000 feet.

2010

• Felix obtains his U.S. gas balloon license. • Wind tunnel testing/training is conducted pressure suit.

2011

• After

several months’ downtime, the mission team reassesses condition of equipment and analyzes test procedures that will be necessary to verify flight readiness. • Felix Baumgartner intensifies his physical, psychological and technical training under the direction of Dr Andy Walshe. • Chamber tests are conducted at the BrooksCity Base in San Antonio, Texas. The capsule is “man-rated” (confirmed appropriate for human transport) to 121,000 feet.

LAUNCH SITE Roswell, New Mexico will create the best platform for the Red Bull Stratos mission with its mild weather and balloon-friendly geographical features. New Mexico, offers a wide range of relatively low populated ranch land, access to excellent launch facilities. Roswell’s reputation for mostly sunny weather makes it the ideal site for balloon launches. Felix Baumgartner’s capsule will launch under a high-altitude helium balloon from this desert region of the southwestern United States supported by a Mission Control Center on site. Barring any unexpected developments, after Felix’s jump from 120,000 feet above Roswell, he will parachute to a landing zone nearby.

2007 - BASE jump from world’s tallest building, Taipei 101 Tower, Taipei, Taiwan (1,669 feet) 2006 - Felix earned his motorized wings as a helicopter pilot at Twin Air Helicopter School, Van Nuys, USA. 2004 - BASE jump into Marmet Cave in Velebit National Parc, Croatia (623 feet deep) 2004 - World record BASE jump from the highest bridge in the world, Millau Bridge, France (1,125 feet) 2003 - Channel Crossing, Dover, England to Calais, France; first crossing of the English Channel with a carbon wing 2001 - Nominated for a World Sports Award in London, England (category: Extreme Sports) 1999 - World record BASE jump from the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (1,479 feet) 1999 - World record lowest BASE jump from Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (95 feet) 1997 - World champion title for BASE jumping in West Virginia, United States

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FELIX’S RECORD BREAKING JUMPS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE:

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Only winter wheat from Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Southern Steppes and pure glacial water from Lake Ladoga can create the kind of superb vodka that Russians have enjoyed since 1894. Taste it and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see why they prefer Russian Standard Vodka to any other.

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