ISSN 2052-0603
RAYS YOUR GLASSES Summer special
FLIGHTS OF FANCY Cocktails in the sky
T IS FOR TEQUILA A guide to Mexico’s finest export
FRESH THINKING For modern drinking
ON THE COVER: Soaking up the sun at the Gilbert Scott
IN-tro
IF THERE’S ONE THING THAT
U N I T ES BRITISH PEOPLE it’s the weather – we can’t help ourselves, we’re fascinated with it. If it’s too cold, we’ll strike up conversations with complete strangers about the fact; too hot and we literally go into meltdown. The recent heatwave – the longest spate of hot weather for seven years we keep being told – is a case in point. It’s been a gift for getting everyone talking. We’ll leave it to the meteorologists and news journos to get on with the job of regaling us with ‘Phew! What A Scorcher’ feeds and we’ll concentrate on the serious business in hand: how to keep cool with cocktails for summer. Our theme this issue is ‘fresh’: that includes fresh thinkers in the drinks industry as highlighted by Alexa Perrin (p. 18); a fresh initiative to find a new spirit to add to the Diageo Reserve Brands portfolio (p. 38), and cool ideas for cocktails al fresco (p. 24). Laying off the hard stuff? Yolanda Evans checks out the freshest mocktails around (p. 28). For our cover and style shoot we called on Dav Eames, Giulia Carboni and Frankie Benitez Coboz to show off floral and pastel fashions in the recently-opened Gilbert’s Gin Garden at the Gilbert Scott. The new outdoor space designed in collaboration with Hendrick’s gin, definitely ticks the ‘fresh’ box. Find out why on p. 40. And what about when the sun no longer has its hat on? We Brits know better than to expect a summer of completely glorious weather. Nelson Bernardes tells us what it takes to be the perfect host (p. 14), we talk to Joy Spence at Appleton Estate rum about creating award-winning blends to enjoy at the Notting Hill Carnival (p. 36) and head to Buenos Aires to check out its bustling bar scene (p. 52). Enjoy.
Happy imbibing! Ms S & Mr G www.thecocktaillovers.com
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IN-gredients
6. IN-the know
32. IN-focus
52. IN-sider’s guide
25 reasons to be a cocktail lover this season
Long vs. straight-up cocktails
One night in Brighton
The heat is on, will you be going for highballs or short drinks?
Paul De Newton suggests Brighton bars for every mood and budget
34. IN-focus
54. IN-ternational
T is for tequila
Bueno Buenos Aires
Everything you wanted to know about tequila (but were too afraid to ask)
Cocktails in the Argentine capital
Getting high, clinging onto holiday memories, cranking up the fun factor and upping our H20 intake – just a few of the things we’re looking forward to in the next few months
10. IN-terview In the hotseat – Jim Meehan The award-winning bartender/ owner of PDT in New York talks about changes in the global bar scene, what he thinks about his many imitators and who we should be watching in the bartending world
14. IN-spire What makes the perfect host? Nelson Bernardes takes to the floor to share his views on good hospitality and we ask ten drinkers around the world for their views
18. IN-spire Fresh thinking for modern drinking Alexa Perrin of the Experimental Food Society brings the drinks innovators to the fore
20. IN-spire A few of my favourite things Up close and personal with Richard ‘Herb’ Herbert and Stuart Ekins of CASK Liquid Marketing
22. IN-the spotlight Flights of fancy First-class cocktails in the sky
26. IN-the spotlight Rays your glasses! The kit, the barbecue essentials, the cocktails, the dishes, the books and the places for drinks al fresco
30. IN-the spotlight Like a virgin Yolanda Evans seeks out the classiest cocktails for teetotallers
36. IN-dulge Hip-stars! The coolest hipflasks to pack in your pocket for drinks on-the-go
38. IN-dustry greats Ode to Joy In praise of Joy Spence, Master Blender at Appleton Estate rum
40. IN-dependent spirits That’s the spirit Okay, it’s not really independent but its creator Dee Davies certainly is. We caught up with the Show Your Spirit winner to find out about her new gin with a heart of sake
42. IN-style Get the drinks in at… The Gilbert Scott Floral and pastel fashions inspired by the new outdoor setting at the Gilbert Scott
44. IN-formed Word up… Everybody’s talking about NOLA, how to drink absinthe, notable nibbles and Gin Monkey’s Cocktail Challenge app
50. IN-formed World Class cocktails from David Rios
51. IN-formed Mains and martinis Three restaurants where the cocktails are more than a match for the food
CLICK THE LINKS THROUGHOUT THE MAGAZINE FOR DETAILS ON THE PEOPLE, PRODUCTS AND PLACES.
58. IN-vite only Snap-shot! Editors Sandrae Lawrence, Gary Sharpen Sub-editor Hermione Crawford Creative director James Cheverton at Burnt Studio www.burntstudio.com Illustrations Nick Shon www.nickschonillustrator.com Photography Johnnie Pakington www.johnniepakington.com Contributors Nelson Bernardes, Paul De Newton, Yolanda Evans, Alexa Perrin, Lauryn Tomlinson For all editorial and advertising enquiries, please contact: mail@thecocktaillovers.com 020 7242 2546 07801 932 941/07816 202 547 www.thecocktaillovers.com Reproduction in whole or part of any contents of The Cocktail Lovers magazine without prior permission from the editors is strictly prohibited. On the cover: Giulia wears floral print blazer, £250 and matching trousers, £140, both by Jaeger London, p. 43 Cover photography by Johnnie Pakington Issue No. 8 July-September 2013 The Cocktail Lovers is published by Gary Sharpen & Sandrae Lawrence in London, UK PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY
You can read The Cocktail Lovers Magazine on your iPad and iPhone, as well as other tablets and smartphones.
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REASONS TO BE A COCKTAIL LOVER THIS SEASON
BIGGING UP RETRO COCKTAILS in honour of Club To Catwalk, London Fashion In The 1980s at the Victoria & Albert Museum until 16th February. Bodymap clothes, Katharine Hamnett tees, Wham! soundtrack – it’s a tough call between a bona fide disco drink or one of Dick Bradsell’s creations. Here’s an idea: try both. www.vam.ac.uk
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Trojan and mark at taboo, 1986. photograph: derek ridgers
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©Duffy archive. special terms: david bowie is
Working on our fitness, doing a Jamie Oliver and messing about on the river, just three of the many things we’re looking looking forward to in the next couple of months
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IN-the know
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DOFFING OUR HATS TO THE QUEEN with The Cocktail Lovers Royal-Tea Cup. We were asked to create a special recipe to celebrate The Coronation Festival in July. Find out how at www.thecocktaillovers.com
FIVE
04. GOING
OLD-SCHOOL and sipping long, cool and refreshing cocktails through bright retro straws. Order from www. jellyandblancmange.co.uk
POPPING STYLE at the first boutique Alcoholic Popcorn Bar by Joe & Seph’s. Munch on boozeflavoured popcorn designed to be paired with specially made cocktails. Intrigued? Go taste at The Hutch Club at Quaglino’s. www.quaglinos-restaurant.co.uk/thehutch-club
…and serve in these milk cartons – just because they’re clearly fabulous. Available from www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk
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CLINGING ONTO HOLIDAY MEMORIES and drinking things that really only taste good in the country they were made in (we’re looking at you Ouzo, Limoncello, Grappa, Metaxa and other ‘exotic’ spirits ending in ‘o’ and ‘a’).
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GETTING HIGH
and seeking out bars with amazing views. Radio at ME hotel (left), Skylounge and Aqua in London all get our vote. See you on the roof.
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BUSSING IT, BIG STYLE The Rosebery is our kinda transport: a lavishly customised double-decker bus complete with restaurant and fullyequipped Art Deco bar. Available for the chicest summer parties. www.therosebery.com
Doing a Jamie… Oliver that is and cutting a hole at the top of a watermelon and pouring vodka into it. Leave for a day, top up with more vodka. Repeat until you’ve used up the entire bottle. Slice and serve.
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10.
Watching films al fresco
with cocktails in hand, of course. Try those on offer from Beetle Juice, the roaming Camper Van moving around with Nomad Cinema. See www.whereisthenomad.com for details.
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N ELEVEN
o. EATING COCKTAILINFUSED DISHES
Cranking up the fun factor with the funfair-inspired menu at Drake & Morgan bars. Try the Goldfish In A Bag: a refreshing G&T with a pink grapefruit ‘fish’ and edible lily pads, served in a bag with a straw. If that doesn’t make you smile, quite frankly nothing will. www.drakeandmorgan.co.uk
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Lobster Cosmopolitan, Steak Martini, Mojito Chicken, Pina Colada koftas – just a few of the creative new foodie treats on the menu at Vista at The Trafalgar hotel. www.thetrafalgar.com
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LUSTING OVER BAR PORN
or more specifically the Bombay Sapphire Gin Wheel. Designed by AvroKO the sleek, spinning model is handcrafted in finest walnut, housing removeable chopping boards, high quality tools, coasters, places for garnishes and of course, Bombay Sapphire bottle. Exclusively from www.thefutureperfect.com
16. MESSING ABOUT ON THE RIVER cruising along the Regent’s Canal onboard the Disco Volante, drinking summery Vestal Vodka cocktails. www.vestalvodka.com
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Upping our H20 intake
to keep hydrated in the warm weather. These bright, collapsible, environmentally-friendly bottles from ohyo will do just nicely thank you. www.ohyo.me
…and
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hitching a ride on the luxurious John Walker & Sons Voyager yacht as it sails through Europe for a series of exclusive, whisky-fuelled events. www.jwsvoyager-odyssey.com
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…but if you want some fizz, sip in style from the limited-edition Perrier by Andy Warhol cans available from major outlets.
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PLAYING SPOT THE PROP while quaffing British wines, beers and spirits. Where? The Propstore, that’s where. Built with sets from the National Theatre’s productions and decked out with an array of eclectic props, it should keep us busy all summer. www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
NINETEEN TOTING A WHISKY BAG
so called after the rich, brown shade of Colombian leather the handsome Santa marta bag is crafted from. Using it as a bottle carrier is entirely up to you. www. en.monsieurlondon.com
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Rethinking the drinks trolley
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Sharpening our cooking skills at the Krug Kitchen.With teachers guiding pupils on the courses to be cooked and shared during the evening and vintage Champagne served throughout, this is our kinda school. www.aveqia.co.uk
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and going for a portable bar instead. This handsome model can be wheeled from room to room and be parked and locked when not in use. Yes please! www.occa-home.co.uk
ENJOYING COCKTAILS IN POPSICLE FORM English Summer Cup, Blueberry Julep and Passion Fruit Margarita (above) – just a few of the excellent recipes in Laura Fyfe’s Poptails. Add it to your collection now. www.octopusbooks.co.uk
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Working on our fitness What better way than the silverplated vintage Dumb-Bell shakers by Asprey? Brunch-time Bloody Mary’s and buff biceps cleverly combined. Result. Available from Pullman Gallery. www.pullmangallery.com
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TWENTY FIVE
for being green. Not only is Element 29 vodka made with 100% natural ingredients, it operates an in-store service for customers to refill empty bottles. Nice touch. Available at Selfridges. www.selfridges.com
to include the fab red, white and blue cocktail prints from design duo Crispin Finn. www.crispinfinn.com
Gaining brownie points
UPGRADING OUR ART COLLECTION
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Jim Meehan
IN-terview
IN THE HOTSEAT Jim Meehan is a bartender, educator, writer and owner of the award-winning bar PDT in New York How has the bar scene changed in the past ten years, both in the US and globally?
What trends are coming through in terms of the way people drink and what bartenders are offering?
In 2003, a mixed drink was called a Martini in most parts of the United States. It was served in a 7oz. (or larger) stemmed cone, and almost always contained vodka and some form of fruit juice: typically thawed from a concentrate. Most guests would compare a great bartender to Tom Cruise in the movie Cocktail, and tending bar was rarely the bartender’s primary professional focus. In 2013, a mixed drink is called a cocktail. Most are served in b cup-sized coupes, and while vodka remains the most popular spirit in the world, you’re just as likely to have gin in yours, with freshly-squeezed or extracted fruit juice. Jerry Thomas is the new Tom Cruise, and your favourite watering hole probably resembles a scene from Boardwalk Empire. Many of your favourite bartenders went to college and chose to be a bartender because they enjoy the work.
This is tough to answer from a global perspective, as what’s going on in Tokyo is not the same as London, New York or Sydney. Speaking for New York, guests at bars such as PDT have become incredibly knowledegable about cocktails: either from making them at home or spending a significant amount of time with their favourite bartenders. While the bartender’s choice is alive and well, many guests now order what they want, how they want it. As far as bartender’s interests: house-made everything lives on. Today’s young bartenders are obsessed with process, just like chefs, and pride themselves on their ability to not only create cocktails, but the ingredients combined to fashion them.
In 2003, if you wanted to know what was going on in the industry globally, you probably relied on international newspapers and national food magazines, which reported on cocktails three or four times a year (as opposed to weekly now). If you were lucky, you may have been aware of internet chat sites such as DrinkBoy or eGullet. If you were really, really, really lucky, Phil Duff, Angus Winchester or Dale DeGroff visited your bar, and you could ask them! The Craft of the Cocktail, Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails, and the Joy of Mixology were your reference sources. There was a dearth of upto-date information about spirits production, save books by Dave Broom, Michael Jackson and Stuart Walton.
Photograph: Jonathan Mannion
Nowadays, smartphone-enabled devices equipped with high-definition cameras, wireless internet, and apps that allow you to access You Tube, Facebook, and dozens of websites allow bartenders to communicate in real time. Media outlets of all types are covering cocktails, and we are flooded with information about new products, competitions, trade gatherings, tastings, seminars and opportunities to imbibe. The internet has transformed our world, leaving much more information for consumers and the trade to sift through.
Why do you think PDT has been so successful? I believe our success to be a confluence of great timing, dynamic staffing, and goodwill from mentors and colleagues in the industry. The global financial crisis drove diners and drinkers from opulent, high-end hotels and clubs to more discreet concepts such as PDT. We were far from the first ‘speakeasy’, but we became a tipping point for the concept, which was then reported upon all over the world. In the six years since we opened, I’ve had the luxury of leading one of the greatest collections of talent and character (my staff) I’ve ever encountered. Lastly, mentors and colleagues of mine from all over the world were kind enough to visit the bar and recommend it to others. How does it make you feel when you see your many imitators in the US and globally? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. It’s nice when those who are inspired by what we do follow our lead and give us credit, but at the end of the day, if you sit around waiting for people to pat you on the back, you’ll probably end up lonely and disappointed. continued over...
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