ISSN 2052 0603
10TH ISSUE! All right Jack Jack McGarry on creating the best new bar in the world
The white stuff In praise of (premium) vodkas
Getting personal Working with friends, family and lovers + 25 reasons to be a cocktail lover this season
On the cover
Taking flight at The King’s Head, London’s wildest members’ club
IN-tro
FRIENDS
FA M I LY
LOV ERS that’s the theme for our 10th issue. After cosying up with our nearest and dearest over Christmas and with the grand old heart-shaped fest that is Valentine’s Day coming up, we can’t think of a better time to get schmaltzy.
Being married and working together pretty much 24/7 for the past few years, one of the most common reactions we get is, “I couldn’t do that!” The truth is, we didn’t think we could either. But now we’re glad we do. So are the five couples in our Love works feature. The areas of the drink industry they work in may differ, but they are all united in the passion they share for their businesses – read their stories on p. 14. It’s one thing slogging it out with your partner but could you work with your dad? Jesse Estes does. Together with father Tomas, he runs Cafe Pacifico restaurant and looks after the drinks brand Ocho Tequila. And talk about keeping it in the family, cousin James works in the drinks industry too. We speak to them all on p. 20, while another father and son business comes under the spotlight as we meet the Nolet family from Ketel One Vodka on p. 44. As for fraternities, is there any institution more familial than the private members’ club? Whether you want to hang out at the bar with fellow thespians or sip your cocktail in the company of hip creatives, there’s a club with your name on it – including the wonderful King’s Head in Dalston, where we shot our cover and fashion story, p. 38. Elsewhere, friends Ed Godden and Joe Lewis tell Lauryn Tomlinson about their pop-up drinks service, The Travelling Gin Co. (p. 46), and we pull up a stool and talk to our friends Jack McGarry (p. 10), and Tony Conigliaro (p. 18), two of the most celebrated bar tending talents around. If that little lot wasn’t enough, we’re pleased to announce that as of this issue, every edition of The Cocktail Lovers magazine will be available in both print and digital formats – subscribe to make sure you never miss another copy.
Happy imbibing! Ms S & Mr G
www.thecocktaillovers.com
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IN-gredients
6. IN-the know
34. IN-focus
58. IN-vite only
25 reasons to be a cocktail lover this season Dusting down our SodaStream, lounging like a boss and keeping up appearances – just three of the things we’re looking forward to in the next few months
The olympmix The rise and rise of the cocktail competition and why bartenders can’t get enough of them
Snap-shot Pictures from our favourite parties, competitions and events from the past three months
10. IN-terview In the hotseat – Jack McGarry Jack McGarry on punch, Irish spirits and why he believes his bar The Dead Rabbit has been such a huge success
14. IN-spire Love works Do lovers make good partners in business? We speak to five couples who work together in the drinks industry
18. IN-spire A few of my favourite things The world according to Tony Conigliaro, flavorist, mixologist and drinks visionary
20. IN-the spotlight Keeping it in the family Talking shop (and tequila) with Tomas, Jesse and James Estes
22. IN-the spotlight Join the club A place to work, cool meeting spaces, great bars – members’ clubs are all of these and more. We look at a few of the best
36. IN-dulge Sitting pretty Classic, modern and downright stylish – we highlight 10 stools you’ll definitely want to pull up to the bar
38. IN-style Get the drinks in at The King’s Head – a members’ club in Dalston with a funky East End vibe and cool West End attitude
44. IN-dustry greats Distiller dynasty Bob Nolet opens the doors to the family business, the Ketel One distillery in Schiedam, Holland
46. IN-dependent spirits Two’s company Lauryn Tomlinson meets friends Ed Godden and Joe Lewis of The Travelling Gin Co.
48. IN-formed Mains and Martinis Five restaurants where the cocktails are more than a match for the food
50. IN-formed Word up News, views, reviews and how-tos
28. IN-the spotlight
54. IN-sider’s guide
Let’s talk about vodka It’s easy to take a pop at vodka. But there’s plenty to like about the good stuff – in praise of the white spirit
Highland fling Mike Aikman makes his suggestions for the best bars in Edinburgh for any occasion and budget
32. IN-focus
56. IN-ternational
Old favourites vs. new discoveries When it comes to bars, do you play it safe with the familiar or get a thrill from discovering the latest big thing?
Best bar none Don’t plan your travels without allowing for a stop-off in one of the 50 best bars in the world
Editors Sandrae Lawrence, Gary Sharpen Sub-editor Susannah O’Grady Creative Director James Cheverton at Burnt Studio www.burntstudio.com Illustrations Melanie Milne www.mellmadedesign.com; Nick Schon www.nickschonillustrator.com; www.pezandpencil.co.uk Photography Johnnie Pakington www.johnniepakington.com; Travis Watson at TBone Productions traviswatson@hotmail.com Contributors Mike Aikman, Rachel and Kyle Ford, Jack McGarry, Claire Smith, Lauryn Tomlinson For all editorial and advertising enquiries, please contact: mail@thecocktaillovers.com 020 7242 2546 www.thecocktaillovers.com Printed by Polestar UK Print Ltd. Reproduction in whole or part of any contents of The Cocktail Lovers magazine without prior permission from the editors is strictly prohibited. Cover shot: Geranium halter neck dress, £550, Caramel Jones, www.carameljones.com; ‘Salvador necklace’, £525 and ‘Kniginia’ earrings, £270, both Jolita, www.jolitajewellery.com Cover photography: Johnnie Pakington Issue No. 10 January - March 2014 The Cocktail Lovers magazine is published by The Cocktail Lovers in London, UK PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY
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25
REASONS TO BE A COCKTAIL LOVER THIS SEASON
01
Enjoying cocktails and couture with the ‘Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore!’ package at One Aldwych. Check out the extraordinary wardrobe of the late Ms. Blow on display at Somerset House then enjoy a cocktail inspired by her favourite scent Fracas, in the Lobby Bar of One Aldwych down the road. To 2 March. www.onealdwych.com; www.somersethouse.org.uk
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Jacket, alexander mcqueen, central saint martin’s ma fashion collection 1992; silk underwear, rigby & peller; shoes, manolo blahnik. photography: © nick knight
Raising our glasses to the late Martin Miller, keeping up appearances and getting jiggy with it, just a few of the things we’re looking forward to in the next three months.
N2
IN-the know
o
DUSTING DOWN OUR SODASTREAM
to make carbonated cocktails. Trust us, 2014 is definitely the year to get busy with the fizzy. www.sodastream.com
FOUR
3
Making time for tea
Keep it simple and pour 50ml of gin over ice in a rocks glass, top with chilled Earl of Grey tea, add sugar syrup and a squeeze of lemon to taste, et voila, a G&Tea Cocktail à la Joe’s Tea Co. www.joesteacompany.com
05
…or go posh with the Jasmine Scented, Infusion and Oolong TeaTails at Min Jiang. Each comes with a pot of freshly-brewed tea to top up
Hello, have you seen these Martini slippers? So comfy, so stylish, we’ll be wearing them outdoors as well as in. www.stubbsandwootton.com
at your leisure. Cocked pinky finger entirely optional. www.minjiang.co.uk
Being picky
07
about the vermouth in our cocktails. Try Dolin Dry in a Martini, Sacred Spirits Spiced English Vermouth in a Negroni and the delicious La Quintinye Vermouth Royal portfolio for just about everything else. www.gerrys.uk.com
LOUNGING LIKE A BOSS
06.
Keeping up appearances at Cheeky Parlour, London’s grooviest grooming hub. Not only does it offer low-cost preening but retro drinks like Babycham and Cherry B are on the menu as well. Yeah baby! www.urcheeky.com
08
Hitting the bottle Not like that, we mean the superior bottled Flight cocktails from Pontoon. Leave them to evolve over time or pop open, pour over ice and enjoy straight away. www.pontooncocktails.com
NINE... CHECKING OUT
DRINKS BARGAINS
at www.BringABottle.co.uk. Compare prices at the UK’s top drinks retailers before splashing out your hard-earned cash. Result!
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IN-the know
N 10 o
WISING UP TO WINE
at the new breed of hip wine bars including Sager & Wilde www.sagerandwilde.com, 40 Maltby Street www.maltby.st and Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels. www.compagniedesvinssurnaturels. com. Grape stuff.
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Zoning in on stores with bars like the Cellar Bar at Alfred Dunhill (www.dunhill.co.uk), Beefeater 24 bar at Hackett (www.hackett.com), and HIX in the menswear department at Selfridges www.selfridges.com
GETTING JIGGY WITH IT
12
Forget Sex on the Beach and Slow Comfortable Screws, perk up with a Holy Viagra or a Horny Mule on the menu at 5&33 in Amsterdam. Naughty and very nice. www.5and33.nl
13. MAKING A STATEMENT er, how many people do you know with a wooden robot as a bar? Woodbot sideboard/ drinks cabinet, made-to-order at www.redthumbprint.bigcartel.com
15. Seeking out sexy hotel bars for our Valentine’s Day celebrations. Our pick? Berners Tavern (www. bernerstavern.com); Rosewood London hotel (www.rosewoodhotels. com) and the Beaufort Bar (www. fairmont.com)
16. FOURTEEN CAPPING OUR BOTTLES
with a sterling silver skull and hat stopper. We’re talking a sombrero for tequila (pictured above), a traditional Tam o’ shanter for whisky, a cossack hat for vodka and a Dutch bonnet to keep gin under wraps. Super stylish non? www.theofennell.com
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Having fun. Who said cocktails have to be stirred, brown and serious? Not Andy Mil. Check out his playful menu at Steam and Rye featuring everything from sugar puff syrup to x-rated props. www.steamandrye.com
…or go for a pun.
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Gareth Evans specialises in them. Try Rum DMC, Cereal Killer, Robin Hood, Quince of Thieves and our favourite, Greenage Mutant Ginger Myrtle – all on the menu at Blind Pig. www.socialeatinghouse.com
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Feeding our faces
with Ocóo, the new beauty drink which supplies an antioxidant-rich cocktail of active ingredients to skin. Ker-pow! www.ocoobeauty.com
IN-the know
TWENTY
DRINKING HISTORY
19 DRESSING UP
and getting down to the elegant entertainment at UFF Tea. Every weekend the retro cocktail party takes in live music, theatrical entertainment and Eastern-inspired drinks – be sure to don your finest schmutter. www.uff-tea.com
22
Changing the cocktail groove
Forget jazz, at Satan’s Whiskers Marcis Dzelainais’ expertly-made cocktails are served to an old school hip-hop soundtrack. Get Ur Freak On. www.facebook.com/satanswhiskers
21
those boffins at The Robin Collective have scientifically extracted moisture from the walls of Winston Churchill’s wartime bunker to make a blend of Historical Bitters to add to cocktails. Now that definitely warrants a Churchill salute… www.therobincollective.co.uk
High-fiving Campari for introducing the world’s first Campari Solera system to the Bon Vivant bar in Edinburgh. See the series of oak barrels linked by pipes? They ensure the pure oak-aged, ready-to-drink Negroni hits the spot every time. www.bonvivant.co.uk
23.
Mastering the art
of making macarons while drinking Martinis – what could possibly go wrong? Ohlala Macaron Masterclasses www.ohlala-macarons.com
24
Going green Boring old manicures get fruity with a slick of melon-scented polish from Model’s Own and Midori melon liqueur. Fingerlicking good fun. www.modelsownit.com
25
RAISING OUR GLASSES
to Martin Miller who died at the end of 2013. With its mix of Martin Miller’s Gin, Earl Grey tea, foam and lollipop sprayed with a rose-infused scent, Wayne Duprey’s Beneath Basalt Mountain has just the right balance of playfulness, sharpness and genius of the great man himself. Available at Intercontinental London Hotel Park Lane. www.ihg.com The Cocktail Lovers - 9
We wanted to create a cocktail bar of the 21st century – something that wouldn’t be here today and gone tomorrow.
IN THE HOTSEAT
JACK MCGARRY
WORLD’S BEST NEW COCKTAIL BAR, WORLD’S BEST COCKTAIL MENU AND INTERNATIONAL BARTENDER OF THE YEAR: YOU DON’T PICK UP THE THREE MOST COVETED AWARDS IN ONE EVENING AT TALES OF THE COCKTAIL, THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS COCKTAIL CEREMONY IN THE WORLD, FOR NOTHING. PARTICULARLY WHEN YOUR BAR HAS ONLY BEEN OPEN FOR FOUR MONTHS. BUT THE DEAD RABBIT IS NO ORDINARY BAR AND ITS BAR MANAGER, JACK MCGARRY, IS NO ORDINARY BARTENDER. HERE, THE BOY FROM BELFAST GIVES US SOME INSIGHT INTO WHY HE AND BUSINESS PARTNER SEAN MULDOON HAVE TAKEN THE GLOBAL BAR SCENE BY STORM
IN-terview
I
n February it will be one year since you and Sean Muldoon opened The Dead Rabbit, what’s the most memorable thing that’s happened to you in those 365 days?
Obviously our Tales of the Cocktail experience was fantastic. However, when it comes to the bar, my fondest memory was our first night of live service. We opened against the advice of our investors when a really bad snow storm came to visit. It really epitomised our whole journey – it wasn’t a smooth one but we never gave in and always remained resolute. We knew we had an amazing concept, a relevant and fresh approach, a great beverage program and a good location. So when we opened that night the weather outside was atrocious, but we thought: ‘Hey, we just had Hurricane Sandy so a bit of snow won’t hurt us!’ We opened the doors at 5pm and the bar didn’t stop. It was a really special night because all of our resilience had paid off and we were watching the three years of our lives we invested in this project come and remunerate us in spades. It was really emotional. What is the concept of The Dead Rabbit?
evacuated New York. It’s also due to the fact the punch bowl is the grandfather of the mixed drink family; it ruled from the middle of the 17th century through to the middle of the 19th century and it inspired so many other styles of drinks. My eureka moment came when I was reading Dave Wondrich’s book Imbibe! when he described a punch drinking scene. “At its peak, the ritual of the Punch Bowl was a secular communion, welding a group of good fellows into a temporary sodality whose values superseded all others.” I really loved that quote – everyone was there to drink and have fun, which to me is what drinking in bars is all about. How long did it take you to devise and create the 72 drinks on your menu? The research process took over a year and a half. I had amassed around 50-60 books and numerous literary works covering 17th to 19th century drinking patterns. I turned our apartment into a workshop and would make drinks constantly for 10-12 hours.
We wanted to create a cocktail bar of the 21st century – something that wouldn’t be here today and gone tomorrow. We looked at our two favourite bars in Belfast – The Bar at The Merchant Hotel that favoured the style of bar we worked in (a world-class cocktail bar) and The Duke of York, which was the style of bar we drank in (a down-to-earth Irish pub). We wanted to bring these two ideas together in one building in a way that made sense.
When I picked a drink that was going to work, I would develop it until it tasted right. This could take five to 10 attempts right through to 70 or 80 efforts. Our sole focus was always to have the best tasting drinks possible and to have a resultant menu which was accommodating for both the cocktail novice and the cocktail connoisseur.
What prompted you to open a bar in New York?
For an amalgam of reasons. The fact that we are telling a New York story and are not just another run-of-the-mill Irish pub. The Dead Rabbit is more of a story about how the Irish integrated into New York society, the concept and ethos is that of a bar that welcomes people from every walk of life, with congenial, welcoming staff. We are constantly trying to keep the place exciting and fresh, which is also important. Consumers in New York are discerning and get bored quickly, so it’s important to keep them and our staff captivated. We always look forward to the challenge we have made for ourselves and never rest up.
Opportunity. When we were at The Merchant in Belfast, a regular customer of ours called Conor Allen was thoroughly impressed by Sean’s vision and my bartending and drinks. He felt we had reached our peak in Belfast and there was nothing left to do apart from win more awards. He believed that if we were able to replicate what we’d done in Belfast in New York, the opportunities would be limitless. Although this daunted us at first, we both felt our time in The Merchant was up and it was time to move on. The drinks are an integral part of The Dead Rabbit, what was the inspiration behind them? Punch is the pivotal source for our beverage program, not only due to the historical connection of George Washington consuming Arrack Punch in Fraunces Tavern (where The Dead Rabbit is located) as he bade farewell to his officers of the Continental Army after British troops
Why do you think The Dead Rabbit has been such a phenomenal success?
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned about yourself during 2013? The work/life balance is extremely important. Since we started working on The Dead Rabbit project we have dedicated our lives to making it work and it takes its toll emotionally, physically and mentally. I believe in hard graft and total commitment to your ideals, but you have to
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