THE COCKTAIL LOVERS
INGREDIENTS FOR MORE THAN GREAT DRINKS THE COCKTAIL LOVERS.COM SPRING 2023
ISSUE 44
ISSN 2052-059X
Celebrating 60 years as a bartender
Keeping up with Peter Dorelli, still shaking things up in the bar world at 82 PAGE 28
Size is everything
From the dinkiest three-seaters to crowdpleasing 300+ capacity bars, we’ve got your every mood covered PAGE 38
Playing by numbers
Lifting the lid on the figures that count: how to mind your ABVs PAGE 34
ABVs, anniversaries, age statements, percentages, small bars and high volume… THIS IS
OUR SELECT SIX SERVES
Featuring the No.1 Negroni, straight up
Soak up the views as you savour the dramatic cocktails at Gŏng at The Shard
contents 08 Amuse bouche
News, views, reviews and interviews, including a spotlight on Charles Maxwell, where they’re drinking in Miami and a naughty but nice flower and bottle shop in Athens
18 Including 5 new schnapps, 6 Bond bottles and 7 emotions in cocktails
22 In the hotseat
Mark Sansom, Director of Content at The World’s 50 Best
24
Getting the measure
10 handy products to keep your drinks making game on point
38 Size is everything
From cosy three-seaters to 300+ capacity party bars, Priyanka Blah picks out the best-sized bars for every mood
42 Spring flavours
Fresh tastes for the new season
44
WE ENJOY A REGULAR MARGARITA, OF COURSE WE DO, BUT AFTER TRYING ONE OF THESE MADE BY ITS CREATOR, JULIO BERMEJO, WE REALLY LIKED THE WAY IT PUT THE TEQUILA FRONT AND CENTRE. WHEN TRYING A NEW TEQUILA THIS IS HOW WE DO IT.
TOMMY’S MARGARITA
Select six
The number one cocktails on our sip parade
LAS
HO
WC A
QUI
TE
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M 30 T • A LL UIL EA TEQ HAK 60ML D: S HO MET
# 1 FO HE
SIN G
Keeping up with the hardworking, extremely sprightly Peter Dorelli, still enjoying life as a bartender at 82 years old
30 The age debate
A drinks writer and distiller go head-tohead on the subject of age statements
34
Playing by numbers Mind your ABVs
U RI
TE
LL IM SH G EJ NI IN UIC KS AR GR E G ROC ED E • 15 DG IEN ML A WE ED GAVE SYRUP • LIME TS ILL OVE E-F C I N R ICE AND STRAIN INTO A
OUR FAVO
50 Drink to the beat 60 years as a bartender 28 Celebrating
• R LA OCK SS SA L W ITH T GAR NISH AS ALT RIM.
11 reasons (in numbers) to be a cocktail lover
Tuning in to the importance of beats per minute in bars and clubs with Rob Wood, Founder of Music Concierge
54 Go figure!
Fun drinks facts, in numbers
56 The Cocktail Girl & Guy…
Discover two special, tucked away bars, one in London, the other in Mexico City
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Issue 44 Spring 2023 Editors Sandrae Lawrence Gary Sharpen Creative director Scott Bentley – Bentley Creative Copy editing Laura Hill Cover photography Gary Smith Contributors Dan Berger, Priyanka Blah, Troels Knudsen, Jack Sotti, Alex Wolpert, Claire Warner, Yael Weisberg
For all editorial and advertising enquiries, please contact:
(+44) 020 7242 2546 mail@thecocktaillovers.com
60 Mains & Martinis
Counting the calories at The Aubrey, feeling elegant at 45 Jermyn St and taking in the views from the 52nd floor at Gŏng at The Shard
62
66
The magic of Venice
A menu launch to remember
Heading to Venice any time soon? We’ve got five fab bars to add to your must-visit list
How Sexy Fish made the world sit up and take notice of their new menu
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Find us:
TheCocktailLovers.com @cocktaillovers meet.thecocktaillovers @thecocktaillovers
Reproduction in whole or part of any contents of The Cocktail Lovers Magazine without prior permission from the editors is strictly prohibited. All details of bars featured in this issue were correct at time of going to press. Please see individual websites for up-to-date information. The Cocktail Lovers Magazine is printed in the UK by Stephens & George.
The Cocktail Lovers ISSN 2052-059X © 2023. Published by The Cocktail Lovers Ltd. London, UK
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY
NEWS, VIEWS, REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS & HOW-TOS
The DRINK One Sip Martini
See this? It’s a thing of pure beauty and joy. Tiny but mighty, the One Sip Martini is 26ml of liquid perfection – vodka, vermouth di Torino and fino sherry served in a frozen shot glass. And here’s the best bit: a juicy gordal olive stuffed with gorgonzola as a reward at the end. Bliss! Find it at Tayēr + Elementary. tayer-elementary.com
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APERITIVO BROKEN SHAKER There’s a real art to getting the hippy chic thing spot-on – a look the team at the Broken Shaker do so well. Seemingly effortless but oh-so fabulous, the award-winning bar is set in the backyard of the Freehand hotel and is very much an outdoor oasis with cool, seasonal cocktails thrown in. Chill out by the pool or relax in one of the mismatched chairs dotted around the garden – wherever you choose to be, feel-good vibes are guaranteed. brokenshaker.com
CAFE LA TROVA We defy anyone not to be seduced by Cafe La Trova. Even if your body doesn’t sway along to the live music, or the dapper team behind the bar don’t make you smile (who even are you?), you’re bound to fall for the atmosphere. This is 1940s-1950s Cuba, when dinner, dancing and delicious drinks were part of a glamorous package. They’re all on the menu at this authentic Cuban saloon, where cocktails are served with pride by the mesmerising cantineros. Don’t leave without trying a Daiquiri or seeing the bar team show off their choreographed dance moves. cafelatrova.com
DANTE’S HIFI+ If it’s banging tunes you’re after, you’re in the wrong place. Inspired by the listening bars in Japan, Dante's HiFi+ is a 50-seater space that's home to some 8,500 records from music director Rich Medina’s personal collection – all of which get maximum respect played by a roster of top-notch DJs on an all-analogue sound system. Drinks are served in vintage glassware, perfectly in keeping with the lo-fi setting. Sip on a Japanese-style HiBall. danteshifi.com
WHERE THEY’RE DRINKING IN…
MiAMI
Miami-bound? Here are five of the top bars well worth making a beeline for
DA NT E' S H I FI + : WOR L D R E D EY E
SWEET LIBERTY There’s a saying coined by Sweet Liberty former creative beverage director, the late, much-respected John Lermayer that’s still very much at the heart and soul of this revered hotspot: Pursue Happiness. It’s there in the bones of the place and if for some bizarre reason you don’t feel it in the ultra-relaxed, super-friendly vibe, the words are writ large in glorious pink neon. The philosophy also makes its way into the cocktails, now under the creative direction of Naren Young. Our picks include John’s Strawberry Daiquiri and a contender for our favourite Martini EVER, The Spaniard. mysweetliberty.com
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MEDIUM COOL Don’t you just love the name: Medium Cool? Not super cool, or even cool – just a very understated, tonguein-cheek ‘medium cool’, just like the movie. The latest venture from the Sweet Liberty crew had just opened when we visited but it already felt bedded in. Bop along to the feel-good, unashamedly poppy soundtrack as you sip on the fabulous drinks. Everyone’s a winner but we loved the Piña Colada Daiquiri, House Martini and clever range of Shots For The People – mini cocktails created for shooting. @mediumcoolmiami
SIX QUESTIONS Adam Handling may be one of the busiest chefs on the circuit but he’s a cocktail lover at heart. And he’s written his first cocktail book to prove it. It’s part of a trilogy that encompasses all of his passions: food, drinks and sustainability, which can be found and appreciated at his two amazing bars, Eve in London and Ugly Butterfly in Cornwall.
ONE
THREE
TWO
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What’s the story behind Perfect, Three Cherries? I wanted to create a cocktail book where a non-bartender could get information about the history behind the drinks, learn the basic ‘mother’ cocktails and their modern and zero waste interpretations. I wanted it to be jam-packed full of information, more than anything out there. It was quite selfish really – it’s what I would have wanted to read when I was learning about cocktails.
It’s part of a trilogy. How did that come about? The original idea was to have two books: the cocktail book, which was going to be a diary, hence the shape and way that it looks, and the Frog book about my vision for food, and they were going to be wrapped together. But when I was writing, Frog got up to 1,000 pages and my publisher said no one would buy it because it weighed eight kilos! So I came up with the idea of splitting them up and going into even more depth on the foraging side and it became three books.
As a chef, how did you find writing a cocktail book? It was intense. In total, the whole thing took me about six years to write. I ripped it up about 10 times because I wasn’t happy with it. The reason? I knew that I might get some stick writing a cocktail book because I’m a chef. But the truth is, I’m just a massive fan of bars. In fact, my dream was if I didn’t have a restaurant I would open a bar and the fact that I get to do the two together is really exciting. Are you proud of the book now? I am. What makes me the proudest is that Ago Perrone, Erik Lorincz and some of my other drinks heroes have written a foreword in it. I’m always in their bars, because I admire them so much and want to try everything they do. When they said they would like to foreword it, it was the pinnacle of my ‘oh my god, I’ve never been so happy’ moments. They are the biggest, most respected names in the industry and that means a lot to me.
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five
Keeping with the ‘three’ theme, what are your three favourite recipes in the book? Perfect, Three Cherries – it’s my favourite cocktail. It’s a Perfect Manhattan made with cherry-infused bourbon, cherry stone sweet vermouth, cherry blossom dry vermouth and three cherries to garnish. Then Cheeky Monkey, using offcuts of fudge blended through whisky and a little touch of Discarded Banana Rum. Lastly, Endeavour, a Piña Colada cooked to order using liquid nitrogen. There’s zero dilution, zero ice crystals and it looks sexy as hell.
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The book includes stories behind the classic cocktails. What’s your favourite story behind a classic? The first time I met Salvatore Calabrese, I was in awe. It was at an event – he was doing drinks, I was on food. He was so friendly and warm and invited me to his bar. Having a Breakfast Martini made by him blew the situation of what a classic cocktail is all about – being made by the person who created it. That was special.
FOR M OR E ON A DA M H A NDL I NG A N D HI S B OOKS, B A R S A ND R ESTAU R A N TS, VI S I T A DAM H AN D L IN G .CO.U K
FOR ADAM HANDLING
APERITIVO
The PLACE Three Sheets
Bar High Five (Tokyo), Lab 22 (Cardiff), Backdoor 43 (Milan), Nine Lives (London), Cloud 23 (Manchester) – there are countless bars that are all about the numbers. However, we’re singling out Three Sheets in London. Why? It’s everything a neighbourhood bar should be. Owned by two brothers, Max and Noel Venning, it’s not too big, not too small, cool but inclusive and the drinks, divided into one, two and three sheets (low, middling and punchy respectively in the ABV and complexity department), are always bang on point. threesheets-bar.com
HARVEY NICHOLS NAUGHTY NIBBLES
DID YOU KNOW? According to the Bacardí Consumer Survey 2022, the cocktails that consumers most frequently order in bars include the Mojito (36%), Margarita (34%) and Gin & Tonic (32%).
We’re suckers for straws. Not the plastic variety, obvs. We’re talking about the flaky, buttery, cheesy kind; the ones that make perfect partners for cocktails. Naughty Nibbles Emmental Straws and Emmental & Onion Straws are currently amusing our bouches. Decadent, delightful, delicious. Try them and thank us later. harveynichols.com
Notable Nibbles
Source: Bacardí Cocktail Trends Report 2022
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Getting the measure All the kit you need to take the guesswork out of getting your measures down pat
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1. Best for basics
An essential piece of kit when it comes to getting your measures spot-on. Finlay Gold Measuring Spoons, £8, rowenhomes.com
2. Best for dexterity
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3
Super stylish and ever-so practical – The Tending Box Quadri Combo Jigger, £40, uk.alessi.com
3. Best for minding your units Keep track of your alcohol consumption and get to grips with ABVs with a handy Alcohol Unit and Calorie Counter, 70p, resources.drinkaware.co.uk
4
4. Best for bitters
Inspired by a classic 1930s design, this bitters bottle is just the ticket when a recipe calls for dashes. Bitters Bottle, £19.25, cocktailkingdom.co.uk
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APERITIVO
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5. Best for fancy drinks How to look cool when you don’t know the specs? Splash out on the uber-swanky Tell Me How Cocktail Shaker, £10,500, asprey.com
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6. Best for wine buffs
Serve your wine at the optimum drinking temperature by dressing bottles with a Wine Bracelet Thermometer, £10.99, cellardine.co.uk
7. Best for home brews Keep tabs on the temperature of hot and cold brews. Superfast Thermapen ONE Digital Thermapen, £67, souschef.co.uk
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8. Best for cocktail chefs
Every kitchen needs one of these: MasterClass Electronic Dual Dry & Liquid Platform Scales, £29.99, cookserveenjoy.com
9. Best for small doses
For getting your measures right at one end and stirring your drinks at the other, a bar spoon is an essential piece of kit for cocktail lovers at every level. Drop Stainless Steel Bar Spoon, from £8, urbanbar.com
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10. Best for batching
Making cocktails for a crowd? Use this! Five-piece MasterClass Smart Space Measuring Spoon, Cup and Jug Set, £15.99, cookserveenjoy.com
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10
S TA R S E R V E S
We’ve tried and made this beautiful drink countless ways (trust us, it worked a treat with our homemade toffee and banana syrup). But these days we favour showcasing the spirit and just play around with the garnish. And we love a little smoke.
AC 50ml whisk(e)y 10ml brown sugar syrup 3 dashes Angostura bitters Rosemary garnish
L
AS
SIC
OR
OR
AR Y TW
N º. 1 F
I ST
H S I O A F N E D L D O
THA T L OV E S A C O N
P M TE
Method: Stir the ingredients over ice and strain into your favourite Rocks glass with chunky ice. Garnish with a little smoking rosemary and a twist of orange peel.
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TO GET THINGS STARTED.
CREATED BY T HE GR EA TS A
BREAKFAST MARTINI
CH IS CALLING FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE LUXURIOUS RUN NB HE W
50ML LONDON DRY GIN 15ML COINTREAU 15ML FRESH LEMON JUICE 1 BAR SPOON OF FINE CUT ORANGE MARMALADE ORANGE-PEEL GARNISH
METHOD: POUR ALL THE INGREDIENTS INTO A SHAKER AND STIR TO DISSOLVE THE MARMALADE. ADD ICE, SHAKE AND STRAIN INTO A CHILLED COCKTAIL GLASS. GARNISH WITH A TWIST OF ORANGE PEEL.
NUMBER ONE FOR STARTING A WEEKEND BRUNCH JUST RIGHT
NK
BRESE, THIS IS OUR G A L O-T CA E R O O DR T A I V L
THE MAGIC OF VENICE
The city of canals, carnivals, culture and… cocktails
A
h, Venice, The Floating City. Renowned for its romantic waterways, astonishing architecture and exquisite Murano glass, there’s another attraction to add to the impressive list that everyone knows and loves – cocktails. Who knew? We didn’t, and neither do a lot of visitors who flock here. That’s why Paola Mencarelli launched Venice Cocktail Week. Highlighting 32 of the city’s bars, the week-long activity took in an array of varied venues – each with its own distinct house styles and characterful cocktail menus. The following are five of our faves. venicecocktailweek.it
Caffè Florian
THE HISTORIC ONE
It ain’t one of the cheapest spots (an Americano or double espresso on the terrace will set you back €11.50; coffee with whipped cream €15), but that doesn’t stop Caffè Florian from being one of the busiest places in the city. Its location certainly helps – you can’t miss it, beckoning at you as you take in the attractions of St Mark’s Square. So does its decor: a series of interconnecting salons, each gilded and frescoed up to the max and taking in the Chinese Room, Oriental Room, Room of the Illustrious Men, Senate Room, Room of Seasons and Liberty Room. But perhaps its biggest calling card is its history. Florian is the oldest surviving café in Venice with an impressive roster of movers and shakers having graced its halls – Charles Dickens, Casanova, Hemingway, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie among them. No one will judge you if you’re spotted sipping a spritz or bubbly-based seasonal tipple in the morning. As evening progresses, it’s time to get involved with the cocktail list, featuring the likes of Gin & It, Martinis and Negronis. caffeflorian.com You can't beat Caffè Florian for history, or location (above), in the centre of St Mark's Square
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Arts Bar, The St Regis Venice THE ARTSY ONE
When was the last time that you rocked up to a bar in a boat? Seriously. We can’t tell you how fabulous we felt stepping out of a water taxi and straight into the glamour of the Arts Bar at the celebrated St Regis hotel. And we’re happy to report that our fandom of this place didn’t end there. As its name suggests, the bar is inspired by art, but more specifically, the artists who have made a mark in Venice – we’re talking everyone from Canaletto to Banksy, Dalí to Monet and several more, all captured delightfully and deliciously in cocktail form. Take the Canal-Art, for example, inspired by the Banksy artwork that appeared on one of the buildings in Venice during the 2019 Biennale. Among other ingredients, the drink takes in mezcal (to express the artist’s strong and
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Watch the world float by as you sip your cocktails on the terrace at the Arts Bar, The St Regis Venice
mysterious personality), Sant’Erasmo artichoke cordial (to link to the local area) and a clever pink ‘air’ (to evoke the pink smoke featured in the image). It works like a charm, both visually and on the palate. Then there’s the Venetian Cobbler, an ode to Jacopo Tintoretto’s The Miracle of the Slave. Taking inspiration from the vivid colours, grape vines and smoke featured in the painting, the rich yet refreshing cocktail blends Valpolicella, homemade strawberry shrub, Abricot du Roussillon, fino sherry, Talisker whisky and Peychaud’s bitters and is finished with a dramatic green tea smoke. The environment in which to enjoy your drinks is equally inspiring. Take your pick from the elegant art-filled room or head outside to the gorgeous terrace and watch the Venitian nightlife float by on the canal. You’ll think you’re in heaven. artsbarvenice.com
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