The Cocktail Lovers Magazine Issue 25 Autumn 2017

ISSUE 25

AUTUMN / WINTER 2017

THE COLOUR ISSUE

SHADES OF DISTINCTION IN BOTTLES, PEOPLE AND DRINKS

reasons to brighten + 25up the season

ISSN 2052 0603

- Photos: Fotolia

IN-xxxxx

PUT A SPELL ON YOUR COCKTAIL

Caribbean Pineapple Premium Liqueur Product of France

www.giffard.com GIFFARD – 49240 Avrillé (Angers) - FRANCE / Tel: + 33 2 41 1885 00 – contact@giffard.com 2 - The Cocktail Lovers

IN-tro

FN AO R G E T MBY- PAMBY

AND BORING

THIS SEASON WE'RE GOING

BOLD Well, it is our 25th issue… So bye-bye muted shades, we’ve got no time for the apologetic hues usually associated with winter, instead we're celebrating the joy of colour and the impact it has in drinks. gaz regan sings the praises of blue cocktails (p. 18) and we talk to Mary Lewis, creative director of leading brand and packaging design agency Lewis Moberly, about the cues people look for when they shop (p. 26).

Jane Ryan delves into the fascinating issue of colour and the way it plays with our perception of taste (p. 32), and Ben Norum looks at the use of colour in bars (p. 48), while we explore the sensitive issue of the lack of people of colour behind them (p. 46).

There are drinks of course, including Rob Lawson's photography of our favourite bottles that pack a punch (p. 40) and Clotilde Lataille’s beautifully illustrations of cocktails that stand out from the crowd (p. 38). So what are you waiting for? Follow our lead and take a drink on the bright side.

Happy imbibing!

Ms S & Mr G

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The Cocktail Lovers - 3

IN-gredients

7. IN-the know

26. IN-the spotlight Hail Mary

Talking about the importance of colour in branding and packaging with Mary Lewis

32. IN-the spotlight The taste of purple

Jane Ryan shines a light on how colour affects our perception of taste

25 reasons to be a (brighter) cocktail lover this season

34. IN-dulge

Seeing red and keeping it green in glorious technicolour – just two of the things we're looking forward to in the next few months

12. IN-the hotseat The colour forecaster

So you think you make choices when it comes to colour?

Daniel Laduc from Colour Hive knows otherwise‌

18. IN-spire Feeling the blues

Code red

20. IN-spire

38. IN-the mix

gaz regan on the rise and rise of blue drinks

Nifty bits of bar kit in the hottest shade of the season

Picture perfect

A study in classic and contemporary coloured cocktails, illustrated by Clotilde Lataille

40. IN-style Arty facts

Bottles to inject some vibrancy in your drinks cabine

46. IN-focus Boys just wanna have fun

Four (male) drinks experts share their love of bright drinks

4 - The Cocktail Lovers

Colour behind bars

Time to address the elephant in the room: why are there so few people of colour in the drinks industry?

IN-gredients

48. IN-focus

Editors: Sandrae Lawrence Gary Sharpen

On the palette

What does the colour of your favourite bar say about you? Ben Norum finds out

54. IN-dustry greats

Sub-editor: Sally Briggs Creative Director: James Cheverton at Burnt Studio burntstudio.com Illustrations: James Cheverton Clotilde Lataille clotildelataille.com Photography: Rob Lawson roblawson.com Contributors: Harry Fell Ben Norum gaz regan Jane Ryan Lauryn Tomlinson

It's a rum thing

In praise of the most diverse spirit category

56. IN-formed

For all editorial and advertising enquiries, please contact:

Mains & Martinis

Three London restaurants where the drinks are more than a match for the food

58. IN-formed

mail@thecocktaillovers.com 020 7242 2546 thecocktaillovers.com

Word up

News, views and reviews from the cocktail front

Printed by Stones The Printers Limited on FSC accredited paper Reproduction in whole or part of any contents of The Cocktail Lovers Magazine without prior permission from the editors is strictly prohibited.

Cover: Photography: Rob Lawson Model: Tifeny @ Bookings Make up: Akgun Manisali @ The London Style Agency

62. IN-ternational Middle (East) management

Where, when and how to drink in Dubai

The Cocktail Lovers are proud winners of Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication, Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards 2016 and The London Evening Standard Progress 1000 – London’s Most Influential People 2015

The Cocktail Lovers Issue No. 25 Autumn/Winter 2017 The Cocktail Lovers magazine is published by The Cocktail Lovers Ltd. in London, UK PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

The Cocktail Lovers - 5

Contributors

Jane Ryan

gaz regan

Jane Ryan is a freelancer from Sydney, currently writing and working in London. She cut her drinks writing teeth at CLASS Magazine and Difford's Guide, then joined DrinkUp London for its launch. As well as writing about drinks, she's also worked in some of London's best bars, including Callooh Callay and Satan's Whiskers. She can currently be found at Mr Lyan's Cub (p. 56). In this issue she dives into the fascinating world of colour and how it affects our perceptions of taste (p. 32).

Jane's favourite bright coloured cocktail: The yellow Hawaiian Stone Sour.

A veritable giant in the drinks industry, gaz regan (yes, the lower case is intentional) has written everything from regular columns for The San Francsico Chronicle to bartending essentials such as The Joy of Mixology, the Bartender's GIN Companion and three editions of gaz regan's Annual Manual for Bartenders. He also conducts Cocktails in the Country, a series of two-day bartender workshops which he holds in Cornwall on Hudson in New York. In this issue he celebrates the rise of blue cocktails (p.18). gaz's favourite bright coloured cocktail: Blue Devil, adapted by Dale DeGroff.

Ben Norum

Clotilde Latialle

Ben Norum is Going Out Editor at the Evening Standard, so he knows where to find a good drink in London. When he's not writing about food and drink, he's mainly consuming it, either on his home turf in south London, elsewhere in the capital or on a barfilled trip abroad.

Born and raised in France, Clotilde graduated in Fine Art in Switzerland before moving to London and discovering her love of the drinks industry. She's worked as a bartender at Callooh Callay and Sardine in London and has recently joined Pernod-Ricard as the French Classic Brands UK Ambassador. Clotilde combines both of her passions in Picture Perfect, a series of beautiful watercolours specially created for this issue (p. 38) Clotilde's favourite coloured cocktail: The Negronis at Bar Termini – bright, delicate and can be enjoyed at any time.

Ben's favourite coloured cocktail: Brown. It might not be brightest or most alluring colour but it tends to represent deep, earthy flavours – and there's a chance there's a whisky in it.

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25

REASONS TO BE A (BRIGHTER) COCKTAIL LOVER THIS SEASON

N1 o

Brushing up on Basquiat

Things to know about Jean-Michel Basquiat: 1. He made a big impression in seven brief years as a hip-hop, post punk street art G. 2. He’s probably one of the most prolific black artists of all time.

3. His first drawings sold for $50; in May he became the highest grossing American artist at auction with one of his paintings selling for a cool $110.5m. 4. He died aged 27 in 1988. 5. There’s a bar in Amsterdam inspired by his works – try a Madonna – quite fitting considering she was reported to be one of his lovers, at (barbasquiat.nl) 6. His first major UK exhibition, 'Basquiat: Boom For Real' is on at the Barbican – don’t miss it.

Showing until 28th January. barbican.org.uk

HOLLYWOOD AFRICANS, 1983. COURTESY WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART © THE ESTATE OF JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT, LICENSED BY ARTESTAR, NEW YORK

Singing the blues, keeping it green and brightening up the whiskey category – just three of the ways we’re looking forward to injecting some colour in our lives in the next few months…

The Cocktail Lovers - 7

IN-the know

TWO

Zhooshing up our barware Bring on the bling! Iridescent bar collection, firebox.com

N3 o

Picking up some finger tips Like painting our fingers and toes with White Russian, Strawberry Colada, Blue Hawaiian, Bloody Mary and Pink Champagne Colour Cocktails from cuccio.com

08

04

…tea your thing? Perk up your brew in a subtle pink pot from the new Bump Collection by Tom Dixon. selfridges.com

Getting tiki with it Ding-dong, good times a-calling! Set of 4 Piña Neon Glasses available from libbey.eu

FIVE

… it’s a given that you’ll

Seven Keeping it green …in glorious technicolour. Cheer up your coffee break with one of these snazzy reusable receptacles. keepcup.com

need a straw as well. Keep it sustainable with GreenPaxx Reusable Cool Straws, from reuseit.com

09

06

…or go for the novelty option with these Colour Changing Straws from johnlewis.com

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DECKING THE HALLS

Er, hello! Just how cute are these? Gin Lights, from tattydevine.com

IN-the know …and while we’re in decoration mode: can we talk about these ginfilled baubles? Without them, your Christmas tree won’t be properly dressed. Love! shop.pickeringsgin.com

11

10

BEING HAIR-RAISERS

12 Singing the blues Sacre bleu, blue drinks are every which where atm. Try Skyfall Cava, Gïk wine or Alizé Bleu liqueur, all available from gerrys-uk.com.

13 Too much? Then get your blues in a glass.

These will do nicely, thanks. Dartington Crystal Dimple 50th Ink Blue Collection, from johnlewis.com

FOURTEEN

Cocktails for your hair? Why the hell not! Give tired, dry tresses some spirit with a Coconut Cocktail Bionic Tonic from colorwowhair.com

…or make like a magician and watch as Butterfly Pea Flower Tée turns pink when you add lemon juice to it. Kids will think you’re a veritable Merlin. samoras.com

Brightening up the whiskey category

N 15 o

Rules? Who needs ‘em? Not the masters and apprentices working in unison at Method and Madness, turning tradition on its head with their unconventional Single Grain, Malt and Pot Still Irish whiskies. We love the look and the taste.

Available from thewhiskyexchange.com

Six teen Getting R Freak On

They’re big and they’re not very clever on the sugar front, but you can’t beat a Freak for making an impact. Rainbow Freak, firebox.com

17

Making it personal Six coloured glasses in a handy trug with space for two lines of text to get your message across – this beaut has perfect present written all over it. helenashouse.co.uk The Cocktail Lovers - 9

IN-the know

NINETEEN

18

Ditching the black

SEEING RED

Ta-ta for now LBD, this season’s cocktail dresses are popping with colour. Not ready for full-on pattern yet? Slip into this, Roksanda Henning Colour Block Midi Dress, harrods.com

and yellow, orange and green… Gen up on the world’s favourite red drink in Brian Bartel’s The Bloody Mary (see p. 58), over 150 pages filled to bursting with recipes, tips and tricks for serving the best Mary EVER. quartoknows.com

22

21

20

MEASURING UP

…and for the guys…

Men’s Shag Alligator

Owning the room

Martini Crew Socks, kbellsocks.com

For bang-on-the-money serves every time. Nest Measures josephjoseph.com

Forget every chair we’ve mentioned in the past, THIS here is the king of all cocktail seats. Designed for parking your booty in

24

style. ambientedirect.com

Drinking in season

Juice, purée, infuse: apples. bilberries, elderberries, grapes, figs, pears, quince, beetroots and truffles (Oct-Dec); clementines, cranberries and satsumas (Nov-Dec).

twenty three Shaking up shower time

Bring on the zing with Yes To’s fresh, fruity shower cocktail washes. amazon.com

10 - The Cocktail Lovers

25.

Shining a light Just wow. Campari Light, ambientedirect.com

IN THE HOTSEAT

THE COLOUR FORECASTER

®

12 - The Cocktail Lovers

IN-terview

them. This is quite a long way from emulating the textile houses, though they continue to be the first adopters!

How do you go about reading the signs of trends in colour and how far in advance do you have to predict them?

We host biannual colour forecast meetings for autumn/ winter and spring/summer seasons, predicting trends two years ahead of the season.

Tell us about some of the industries you work across and how you work with them.

DANIEL LA DUC Daniel La Duc, Business Development Manager at Colour Hive, one of the leading colour forecasting agencies, on how his work influencess our decisionmaking process.

What is a colour forecaster and what impact do they have on our lives?

As colour and trend forecasters we essentially provide our clients with insight into the future of colour, materials and design. This strengthens their brands and directs product development and output. This process has a huge impact on all our lives as it drives the colour choices of pretty much everything we see from a brand perspective and what we purchase as consumers.

People may think it’s a modern thing but colour forecasting is nothing new…

It’s suggested that it could date back as far as the late 1800s when the French textile industry began issuing colour cards – essentially driving what was considered hot via the Parisian scene.

The emerging US bought heavily into this – always aspiring to copy what was happening in Europe.

Margaret Hayden Rorke, often referred to as America’s first colour forecaster, used the information coming from France to create colour forecasts for the US. She was head of the TCCA (Textile Color Card Association) for around 40 years, which had around 1,500 members across various industries. The TCCA is still around today although it’s become The Color Association of the United States (CAUS).

How, if at all, does colour forecasting differ today?

It’s changed greatly. Globalisation, market competition and the long lead times of product developers has meant that we have to forecast much further ahead. Global social, political, cultural and tech trends are analysed for the key drivers and the colours that emerge from

At Colour Hive we work with a range of industry sectors: consumer electronics, paint manufacturers, solid surfacing producers, fabric and yarn manufacturers, and home furnishings – to name a few. Our involvement will ultimately depend on project scope. Right now the consumer electronics industry is growing exponentially so in order to target and secure their customer base we’re looking at colour but also the texture and finish of materials.

Editing and updating the colour offerings of paint companies is key to the success of paint sales. We may evaluate an ageing colour card and its offering, pulling out overly market-saturated colours and replacing them with colours that are more respective of current trends and consumer tastes.

Describe how your insights help their businesses.

Our aim is to provide companies with precise information on colour management, consumer trends and material developments, to guarantee a position well ahead of the competition. We deliver inspirational and innovative concepts that can be integrated into product development processes, marketing and branding strategies.

colour has always been important, but there's definitely an increasing emphasis on its value Our method of research enables us to formulate the right trends at the right time, allowing companies to keep on track, streamline and create focused product ranges.

With this business approach, Colour Hive has helped its customers to cut costs in the development process, add brand value and meet consumer needs and desires, giving them a competitive edge on other brands.

The Cocktail Lovers - 13

IN-terview

Do the trends you identify apply across multiple disciplines?

Of course, in each season’s forecasts there will be certain colour palettes and finishes that are more suitable for one industry than another and this is where we suggest applications. This can be in the form of how colours are combined or proportioned within a colour trend. The inclusion on our trend panels of design professionals from diverse industries, including automotive, fashion, architecture and interiors, ensures that our palettes are developed for design in totality.

Where are we in the colour spectrum at the moment?

Reflecting macro trends, there is a sense of polarisation resulting in a simultaneous immersion in complex neutrals and nuanced technical tones.

Is colour becoming increasingly important in our lives, or are we just noticing it more?

Colour has always been important, but there’s definitely an increasing emphasis on its value, both to the consumer and the brand, as an essential means of expression.

Does colour differ across cultures?

Yes, absolutely. Take Mauritius for example. A very small island with a small population – it’s essentially split between religions with Islam, Hinduism and Christianity being the main ones. Green is often associated with Islam as it has strong ties with Eid, while blue is often the chosen colour for the Hindus on the island. Some of Hinduisms most important deities are often illustrated in blue – blue being infinite like the ocean and sky.

How much do trends in fashion and textiles cross over into food and drinks?

Are trends in colour cyclical and if so, how do the patterns tend to occur?

It’s more all-encompassing than cross over, as trend drivers are just that, they drive trends in all industries whether it’s furniture, fashion, food or film. The professional forecasters of trends in food and drink will be considering the same drivers as fashion and textile designers, albeit with a product-specific conclusion!

Yes, most certainly. Take the ‘earthy and authentic’ palette of the 1970s as a reaction to the unfulfilled promise and frivolity of the hypercoloured and more superficial colour palette and trends of the 1960s.

We’ve seen dark speakeasies and more moody venues, with your insights into colour and trends, any thoughts on where drinking spaces are heading?

We’re starting to see a resurgence of this colour palette – possibly driven by the same type of social factors that were prevalent in the 1970s, and are even more prevalent today.

How much impact do things like economic, climate and environmental issues, and global awareness affect what colours we gravitate to?

These types of factors have a huge impact on consumer colour choices and are one of the main drivers of colour trends today. Consider brands like McDonalds, who have begun to steer away from their flagship red – moving towards a deeper shade of green – this was in response to a global need to address obesity and unhealthy eating.

While McDonalds still sells millions of Big Macs a year their menu now offers much healthier options to appease the eating-conscious consumer – the colour green has helped to enhance and push this message outwards.

14 - The Cocktail Lovers

Without giving away our IP, I can say that polarisation comes into play again and we would anticipate that the growth in non-alcoholic drinking will herald some new design approaches to drinking spaces.

How about drinks? Any ideas about where we are headed in terms of colour in our glass (alcoholic and non-alcoholic)?

Increasing desires for unique experiences will drive smaller batch and bespoke products to reflect the authenticity of the brand. The addition of colour is a natural development.

Colour Hive is the Colour Forecasting Agency and the publisher of MIX Magazine.

MIX Magazine Issue 49 is currently available from colourhive.com

IN-spire

Feeling the blues

BY GAZ REGAN

18 - The Cocktail Lovers

IN-spire

I was hired, back in early 2000, to create a drink for a vodka company.

“The cocktail must be the same colour as our bottle,” I was told.

“And what colour is your bottle?” I asked.

“Blue.”

This was going to be easy, I thought. I’ll just use some blue curaçao, and Bob’s your uncle. But that wasn’t the case. When the vodka arrived on my doorstep I saw that, technically, the bottle was blue, but in actuality, it was a lovely shade of aquamarine. Oh, dear.

I went through many combinations of liqueurs trying to create the right colour, but after a few hours of experimentation declared myself well and truly beaten. I popped out to the local liquor store to see what I could find.

And there it was, brand new to the market at the time, Hpnotiq is a vodka-based liqueur tasting of tropical fruits, and its colour is a fabulous shade of aquamarine.

It was clear sailing from there. My first blue drink, the ingredients of which have long since flown from memory, was born. I was unaware at the time, though, that blue drinks were destined to become a craze of sorts.

Jacob Briars, a New Zealander who travels the globe spreading the good word about Bacardi products, is the self-proclaimed ‘de facto ambassador of blue drinks’, and the global bartending community looks in his direction whenever the subject is raised. “For me the great thing about blue drinks is that when you put [one] in front of [a guest], it puts a huge smile on their face,” he says.

Blue drinks are far from new. There’s a Blue Train Cocktail – gin, Cointreau, lemon juice, and ‘one dash of blue vegetable extract,’ detailed in 1930s Savoy Cocktail Book, and the Aviation Cocktail, first detailed in Hugo Ensslin’s 1916 publication, Recipes for Mixed Drinks, calls for a couple of dashes of crème de violette which turns the cocktail a sublime shade of pale blue with just a touch of purple.

The tiki movement that sprang up in 1930’s America brought us some blue drinks too – the Blue Hawaiian being perhaps the best known. And here in 2017, where bartenders are wont to be very serious about their craft, blue drinks have been making a comeback for ten years or so; it’s doubtful they’ll disappear anytime soon.

Although Jacob cites people such as the much-missed Gregor De Gruyther, a Scot who “never made a bad drink, but rarely made a serious one either,” as one of the early promoters of blue drinks this century, it seems that a 2007 event in Australia was the catalyst that made many current-day bartenders take notice.

Jacob was working with the 42 Below vodka company, and at their Cocktail World Cup in New Zealand, he was hanging with Dean Callan (p. 24), the Irish-born, Australian-British spirits promoter “who works harder than any three other people in the business.”

After reading Ted Haigh's book, Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails, Dean had become obsessed with the Corpse Reviver No. 2 cocktail – gin, Lillet, Cointreau, lemon juice and absinthe – and he was ordering it in every bar in town. “I don't know how many Corpse Revivers the poor bar staff of Queenstown had to make… but it was enough to drink the town out of Plymouth Gin… We also started to run out of Cointreau, but happily we had a lot of blue curaçao,” recalls Jacob.

I was unaware at the time, though, that blue drinks were destined to become a craze of sorts One night he mischievously made a round of Corpse Reviver No. 2s for Dean and a few others, using blue curaçao instead of Cointreau, and dubbed the drink the Corpse Reviver No. Blue. With the help of social media, this cocktail captured the attention of bartenders all over the world, and has become an industry classic.

But the Corpse Reviver No. Blue isn’t the only blue drink making waves. In the US, Jim Meehan, owner of the wildly successful PDT speakeasy-style bar, and a man known for having very high standards, allowed one of his bartenders to put a blue drink on his menu.

John deBary’s Shark cocktail – butter-infused rum, overproof rum, Frangelico, blue curaçao, lemon juice, pineapple juice, cane syrup, heavy cream and Bittermens Elemakule Tiki Bitters – has remained on the menu for seven years and counting.

And the Gun Metal Blue cocktail – Vida Mezcal, blue curaçao, peach brandy, lime juice and homemade bitter cinnamon syrup – created by New York bartender Nicholas Bennett at Danny Meyer's Porchlight bar in 2015, quickly became one of the most talked about new cocktails of the year.

I’ve been watching the cocktail revolution since the mid-80s, and there’s just one aspect of the growth of knowledgeable, cocktailian bartenders that sticks in my craw: it’s bartenders who take themselves too seriously.

Even they, though, crack a smile when they see a blue drink – it’s a great leveller.

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BOYS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN Wash your mouth out if you thought coloured cocktails were, ahem, ‘girly’ drinks. Here four male fans share their love of drinking on the bright side

IN-spire

ANDY MIL PARTNER, COCKTAIL TRADING CO. Tell us about your love of Cosmopolitans: when was the first time you tried one?

Pink and I go way back, ever since that first baby pink Kappa polo shirt. Since then my taste for pink has translated to a sometimes debauched drinking habit with Cosmos taking centre stage.

It all started when, as an 18 year old bartender, I got my hands on a copy of Craft of the Cocktail. I knocked up a Cosmo in my mum’s kitchen from the recipe Dale DeGroff had published in his book. That subtle hue of pink, the zingy orange and the bite of the lemon vodka!

From that moment pink was my ‘thang’.

How does drinking it make you feel?

Fabulous.

In a world of brown and clear drinks, what do you think that singling out a coloured cocktail says about you?

Honestly, I think it says that I value how visual aspects of ‘things’ make me feel as much as I value taste, aroma, touch and sight. And before you say it, yes pink does come under sight, but one of the things few people talk about is how appearances make you feel emotions.

Pink is one of the calming colours said to ward off adrenalin, and more importantly, aggressiveness, which is why it’s so often associated with femininity. However, pink is used in the uniforms of UN peace keepers along with the uniforms of some nation's submariners.

Because, let’s be frank, no one wants to be stuck 30,000 leagues under the sea with a bunch of aggravated, claustrophobic naval officers.

Is it the colour, taste, occasion or novelty value of drinking a pink drink that appeals?

Sometimes it’s just to piss off certain bartenders.

However, I generally like a lot of drinks that happen to be pink. Cosmopolitans, Clover Clubs, Flora Dora’s, Kir Royals and of course my fave ‘Brosé’. If I’m on a long night out I don't want a face-crushing amount of flavour from the get-go and pink drinks are so often no-brainers.

As I like to say ‘pink before you drink’.

In your opinion, are coloured drinks still considered to be corny or are perceptions changing?

Anyone who thinks coloured drinks are corny is, in my opinion, lost in the abyss of their own self-ego. Look at any self-respecting chef; they’ll spend a lot of time making sure the colours burst, jump and climb off the plate. If bartenders don't take the same approach to the colour of their drinks and their garnishes, we’re losing huge amounts of perceived flavour through lost emotion – whether it be tweaking ingredients with food dyes or changing them all together. The guest might not even notice, but that's how subliminal messaging works. So every little detail is relevant, including colour.

Please complete the following: The secret to a perfect Cosmo is… It's a White Lady, so treat the cranberry like you would the egg whites. Enough to bind and dry but not take over… And a dash of sugar syrup goes a long way. thecocktailtradingco.co.uk

The Cocktail Lovers - 21

IN-spire

being relieved that, despite their almost unfathomable knowledge of the classics, they still enjoyed that fun and vibrant aspect of the bars. Brightly coloured cocktails can remind you not to take yourself too seriously.

Is it the colour, taste, occasion or novelty value of drinking a coloured cocktail that appeals?

JAKE O’BRIEN MURPHY BARTENDER, CALLOOH CALLAY Tell us about your love of coloured cocktails?

My love of brightly coloured cocktails comes from my start in the hospitality industry. It’s a pretty standard bartender story, I was studying at university and staying up far too late in the cocktail bars of Liverpool. The bar I eventually started working at had a great ethic of creating an atmosphere of unpretentious fun, the cocktails did the same. From bar-back, I eventually graduated into a fully-fledged bartender and my first ever in-service cocktail was a Midori Sour: bright lime green, puckering and delicious. It’s a fond memory and I still enjoy anything Midori laden.

How does drinking coloured cocktails make you feel?

Cocktails in every case should be fun, nobody ever steps into a bar to have a bad time! A vibrant cocktail catches the eye, I had a vivid orange/red Garibaldi from the guys at Dante in New Orleans during Tales of the Cocktail and I remember stopping before I took a sip to take a photo.

Next thing I knew everybody stood at the bar with me was ordering the same and taking that same photo. We respond to colour on a primeval level – if you can inject some frivolity and fun into a well-balanced and considered cocktail then you’re delivering something special.

In a world of brown and clear drinks, what do you think that singling out a coloured cocktail says about you?

There was a behind-the-scenes resurgence of the Woo Woo in London’s top cocktail bars when I first started at Callooh Callay a year and a half ago. I was new to the city and super worried that I was going to be behind the times, not knowledgeable or professional enough for the big smoke. Nathan Shearer and Bobby Hiddleston were sending a boomerang of Absinthe Woo Woo’s to Dandelyan on one of my first shifts, I remember

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It’s certainly a combination of the four, obviously, I always want a tasty and well-balanced cocktail, as I would for any of my guests. There are a hundred ways to riff a cocktail or to tweak it. The Absinthe Woo Woo is my favourite case of this, not only does it embody a bygone era of simpler, much less serious cocktails, but it also allows for a balanced, eye-catching drink that can be made anywhere and with relative ease. I think that the much simpler cocktails we’re seeing today are directly influenced by their flavours, but executed in a much more nuanced and considered way. After all, peach and cranberry will always be delicious.

In your opinion, are coloured drinks still considered to be corny or are perceptions changing?

I think perceptions are constantly changing within the world of mixed drinks, the Arsenic Waltz at Dandelyan and the Wall Flower at Callooh Callay are great examples of the use of vivid colours plus interesting and unique ingredients; they’re balanced, forward-thinking cocktails.

Where’s your favourite place to enjoy a coloured drink and why?

There are so many wonderful bars to enjoy cocktails in, in London, but for a brilliant and unashamedly colourful and fun cocktail I will always drink the Nuclear Strawberry Daiquiri at El Camion.

Please complete the following: The secret to a perfect coloured cocktail is…

The Perfect Absinthe Woo Woo 40ml vodka 40ml cranberry 10ml peche 10ml fino 6 dashes of absinth Method: shake and strain into a Collins glass and go do a dance. calloohcallaybar.com

IN-spire

Is it the colour, taste, occasion or novelty value of drinking an Artist’s Special that appeals?

DEAN CALLAN FORMER BRAND AMBASSADOR, SOON-TO-BE BAR OWNER Tell us about your love of the Artist’s Special: when was the first time you tried one?

I got a hold of Harry McElhone’s Barflies and Cocktails and the recipe really stood out, considering I loved both sherry and Scotch whisky it was a must try. I then started playing around with the recipe myself as well as ordering it in bars to see what everyone else's take on it was.

How does drinking it make you feel?

When I first started bartending the bar I worked in was full of the kind of guys that would give other men a hard time if they were drinking ‘girls’ drinks’ or basically anything that looked like you were on holiday. An exception was made of course for the security guards, those boys were massive Kiwi guys who wouldn't look out of place on the All Blacks team. They drank Guava Cruisers (bright pink vodka-based ready-to-drink concoctions that mostly taste of sugar) and they didn't care what anyone thought. Even after all these years drinking brightly coloured drinks reminds me of them, it makes me feel confident to be myself and drink whatever I like.

In a world of brown and clear drinks, what do you think that singling out a red cocktail says about you?

To me it shows you are out to have fun, bright colours tend to be related to flamboyant things. Look at tropical shirts, rainbows, parrots, flowers and fruits. They inspire fun and openness.

24 - The Cocktail Lovers

To be honest it's a little of all of them, I love the taste, but I also spent years working for Monkey Shoulder and drinking them all over the world. It was a drink that I could sit at a bar and it would inspire people to ask me what I was drinking, when you’re a brand ambassador it makes life a lot easier when people approach you genuinely interested to know what you’re drinking. I met a lot of new people that way, so I have fond memories attached to the Artist’s Special now.

In your opinion, are coloured drinks still considered to be corny or are perceptions changing?

I think cocktail drinkers are becoming more and more sophisticated all the time, that said, even I still perceive a brightly coloured drink to be more fruity and sweeter.

Maybe that’s because for years that’s what it meant, it might take a few more years before I'm able to see a bright, colourful drink and not assume it's sweet. Old habits die hard!

Where’s your favourite place to enjoy an Artist's Special and why?

That's easy. The American Bar at the Savoy hotel at the seat at the bar closest to the dispense section.

Please complete the following: The secret to a perfect Artist’s Special is…

Well-made Groseille syrup. It can be hard to get nice, ripe redcurrants. In a lot of cases bars use a mix of raspberry and grenadine syrups, but real redcurrant syrup feels more legit. deancallan.co.uk

IN-the spotlight

We call the way we work with brands distilling and dramatising We take what they have as a brand and distill it right down to the one thing that only they can own. Then we blow it up. Take Johnnie Walker Black for instance. As a brand it has one of the most famous icons in the world, the striding man. But it was tiny on the packaging, just sitting above the age statement. We took that icon and magnified it. It now fills the pack and walks off on to the next one, which has a strong visual impact when you see them all lined up on the shelf.

Colour is one of the most potent mediums of design I always say that you taste what you see. For example if you were to put the same liquid into five differently coloured bottles, people would probably taste something different in each one. That’s the power of colour – particularly in the food and drink category. It totally affects our taste perception.

It’s interesting how copper has emerged as a trend It used to be about gold and silver – they were the benchmarks of a tiered society. But copper – partly through the trend for all things artisanal, has taken centre stage – look at Sipsmith. There are so many factors that come into play when using colour in packaging.

For any brand owner now, it’s a much more complex landscape to navigate. That makes thinks so much more interesting for designers.

I don’t have any no-go colours when it comes to drinks packaging Brown isn’t one of favourite colours but as a designer you’re always looking for balance in design and colour is one component of that. Take our work for Monkey Shoulder. The product was presented in a very contemporary way, in a different kind of bottle, with an interesting name. It has silver monkeys on its shoulder but the label is very soft, it has a nice feel with the liquid and balances the design perfectly.

I find the rosé wine category really fascinating When I first started working with Mateus, it was a challenge to take it beyond feminine perceptions because it was ‘the pink one’. It was hidden behind a green bottle – like a secret – but now the latest bottle is clear and the pink liquid is there to be seen. There’s been a big shift in drinking coloured drink, mainly because it’s no longer unusual or disconcerting to see a man standing drinking a glass of pink Champagne. Gender fluidity in colour is really rife.

One of my favourite pieces of work is still on the shelves today The design remains untouched and has stood the test of time, which I’m really proud of. It was for Oban and was very early in my career, around 1980 or so, when malts weren’t really established. United Distillers sent me on a trip to discover Oban and I really felt and lived it, the rain, clouds and waves. I wanted to create packaging that could blend in with the rocks, so the pack is a beautiful, mystical grey – it feels like the place; you can almost hear the gulls. It won every award, packaging, typography, illustration – the lot. I'm really proud of it.

There are so many factors that come into play when using colour in packaging

The Cocktail Lovers - 27

IN-the spotlight

I knew I was on the right track when I won the Gold Award for Design Effectiveness at the D&AD Awards – the highest accolade in design We’ve won plenty of awards since but this was in the late 1980s for Asda and it was a redesign of all their wines and spirits. It was exciting as it was the first time a retailer had not been looking at the brand for their lead. Back then brands used to be very dictatorial. It’s very different now of course. Brands used to tell us what to buy and create stories, now consumers want transparency.

One of the pieces of work that I wish I’d worked on is the repackaging of Harveys Bristol Cream All sherries used to look the same then along came John Blackburn with Harveys and totally changed the game. It was very brave and quite a benchmark design which came in a blue bottle. But it wasn’t a gimmick, John was an early advocate of having truth in whatever you do. There was a wonderful story behind the design and it gave sherry a whole new lease of life. Bristol used to be famous for its blue glass and used to export it. John had this image of the ships coming in with the sherry and the ships going out with the blue glass – ships that pass in the night. Hence the blue glass with the sherry and I love that.

2018 will be the year that pink shifts to a stronger, more complex version of itself In the 33 years that the agency has been going, the biggest changes we’ve seen in drinks is in the malt whisky category It’s now full of bursts of colour which is a significant move in the colour landscape. Going back to when we started working on the Classic Malts of Scotland, the malt whisky colour palate was desaturated, very restrained and quiet.

Now we get bright blue, red, orange – anything goes and that’s very exciting.

There are cliché colours that are predominate for drinks labels White for wine for instance, and cream, buff, natural colours for traditional whisky labels, although interestingly it’s often the carton that’s coloured – saying ‘hey, look at me!’ and when you take the bottle out, the packaging is quite pared back.

Vodka owns silver and metallics – partly because it's served

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cold and those are traditionally cold colours and Champagne is another category with a raft of cold colours, like pearly whites and shimmery gold. That’s the conventional way of thinking, not ours!

Where are we headed in terms of colour in the drinks category?

I see a trend for clashing colours… We talk about tasteful colours, colours working together and complementing each other – now I think we’ll start to see colours colliding to create expressions of taste and tension. Tension is at the heart of all good design.

Pantone predicts that “2018 will be the year that pink shifts to a stronger, more complex version of itself” Which is a nod to what I mentioned before but it will be interesting to see how it manifests itself. It’s an interesting time for drinks. lewismoberly.com

DRink Pink!

Strawberries + cream + tequila = good times

Meditatively stirred dark brown drinks, crisp Martinis and elegant drinks served in exceptional glassware.

That’s all well and good, but sometimes what’s really needed is a good-times drink. That’s the time to drink pink with Tequila Rose Strawberry Cream.

Sometime in 1995, someone had an idea. And like all the best ideas it was super simple. Make a strawberry flavoured cream liqueur, with real dairy cream and finish it with a dash of premium tequila.

The result is Tequila Rose Strawberry Cream – good times in a glass. Think friends, nights out, nights in and easy serves.

As for the liquid itself, it has a sweet and floral aroma with hints of fruit, a taste that evokes summer with the strawberries and cream coming through, and a gentle kick of tequila. The finish is devilishly creamy, coating the mouth, leaving sweetness and the taste of those strawberries.

Enjoy Tequila Rose Strawberry Cream on its own, over ice, in a milkshake, in a hot drink or even in a dessert.

Best of all it makes a great base for cocktails.

Did someone say guilty pleasure?

Tequila Rose Strawberry Cream is best enjoyed chilled. Place a bottle in the fridge and when it hits the right temperature the label will change colour. Clever, huh?

Available from Amazon, Drinks Supermarket and Gerry’s. For trade enquiries, contact halewood-int.com

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BLACK MAGIC Brecon Five Vodka (available from gerrys.uk.com) Slim, smooth, stylish and housed in a matt black bottle – Welsh vodka just got serious.

IN-style

GOLDEN WONDER Warner Edwards Honeybee Gin, (available exclusively from fortnumandmason.com There’s so much to like about this sunshine yellow bottle launching in October: 1. It’s the first-ever collaboration of its kind with the Royal Horticultural Society. 2. It includes honey from the bees at Warner Edwards distillery in Northamptonshire.

3. Each bottle comes with a pack of wildflower seeds for you to sow. 4. Oh, and the contents taste damned good.

IN-style

AQUA VITAE Italicus Rosolio Di Bergamotto (available from thewhiskyexchange.com) It looks good and by golly, Giuseppe Gallo’s Italicus tastes good too. Based on a recipe from the 1800s, it’s a rosolio for the modern palate made from authentic Italian bergamot and a whole lot of love. Winner of Best New Spirit at Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards.

INTO THE BLUE Absolut Face (available from gerrys.uk.com) How do you make your vodka stand out from the rest? Design a collectable range of limited-edition bottles. This blue beauty is a study in optical prisms, designed to symbolise the unexpected angles of nightlife.

IN-dulge

ON THE PALETTE What does the colour of your favourite bar say about you? Ben Norum examines what it all means, how Instagram is shaking things up, and why the future’s looking bright.

At cocktail competitions around the world, leading mixologists and budding bartenders compete to be crowned kings and queens of their field.

But while these events may be great arbiters of talent, they have only limited clout when it comes to choosing where to get your next cocktail fix. That’s because – for all that the occasional purist might argue otherwise – cocktails aren’t just about the drinks themselves.

More so than virtually any other experience, going to a bar is about style, atmosphere and occasion – and central to this is its colour.

No, you may not think you noticed the shade of the far wall while you were debating between a Sidecar and a Sazerac, but you did. And subconsciously it may even have helped you decide what to drink. Or indeed whether to drink at that bar at all.

“Colour is vital in bar design, it completely sets the tone and mood of a space,” says Dave Cressey from design agency Keane*, which has been shortlisted for its use of colour at this year’s Restaurant & Bar Design Awards.

“The colours that work best depend on the concept, the space you’re working with, the market you’re aiming at and lots of other factors,” he continues. “Bars have become a lifestyle statement. Our choice of venue reflects our own personality and, fortunately, there’s been a real drive towards more imaginative tones in recent years.”

He also notes the interaction between colour and light. “What’s really interesting about colour is how it evolves throughout the day, giving-off different moods,” he explains. “Understanding how light hits a space at different times of the day is hugely important and helps inform colour choices that will work the whole day through.”

Another thing colour does is target a bar’s audience, according to Sophie Finch, Creative Director at Finch Interiors which is behind the look of The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town, Call Me Mr Lucky, Drink Shop Do and Vagabond. *R.I.P. Aidan Keane, founder and creative director who passed away in September 2017

IN-dulge

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: BAR & BEYOND (KEANE BRANDS); TONIGHT JOSEPHINE (FINCH INTERIORS); UNTITLED; TONIGHT JOSEPHINE

“Colour goes a long way to deciding who a bar will appeal to,” she explains. “For a younger audience, it works to use bright and pastel shades and bold youthful colours such as pink. But that wouldn’t work for a higher-end bar or for an older audience, when you want more muted colours and darker tones.”

It’s not just designers who are fascinated by colour. Longtime bar guru Tony Conigliaro, who runs 69 Colebrooke Row, Bar Termini and Untitled, agrees that it’s absolutely key.

“Colour is a big part of the whole experience. It’s part of the balance that makes a bar what it is and will affect how you see and taste the drinks,” he says. For him, the colour of a bar should start with the colour of the drinks, and be designed to compliment them – a philosophy which he took to an extreme with his latest opening, Untitled in Dalston.

The almost entirely concrete-clad space is minimalist and stark, though evidently not as simple as it initially appears. “We deliberately chose a shiny silver concrete because it comes alive when you see people’s reflections in it. All bars are always about people, and this way people literally bring the design to life,” he enthuses.

What’s in these people’s hands also has a part to play – Tony has factored their phones into the colour equation.

“We chose a colour of concrete which made drinks look good against it, picking a shade that makes them ‘pop out’ in photos,” he reveals. “We went through sample after sample of 30 different types of concrete and tried it out to see how it would look in photos. We had Instagram and social media in mind completely.”

Tony may be a maverick when it comes to drinks, but he’s far from the first to let social media sway design.

“It’s actually becoming incredibly common for clients to want bars that look good on Instagram,” says Sophie.

She recently oversaw the design of Tonight Josephine in Waterloo, which boasts neon pink walls and a stripy black and white floor.

“It was designed purely for Instagram, to get as many people through the door as possible, and it seems to be working well, even if some over 35s might rather die than go in themselves,” she laughs.

So, are there no-go colours that bars would be barmy to use, or is it all subjective?

“People don’t like murky green-brown drinks, and I don’t think that works for a bar either,” suggests Tony.

“It’s too much like pond water.”

For Sophie, it’s yellow. “It’s just a bad colour, it clashes with food and doesn’t really work with drinks either,” she says.

Dave, on the other hand, thinks grey has had its day. “The bar scene had a real grey period over the last decade, and however smart and tasteful this may have been, grey isn’t exactly cheery and expressive. It’s a hard colour to be excited or enthusiastic about,” he comments.

For him, the future is bright. “The most popular colours in 2017 are bright and vivid, and the best design schemes opt for shades that actually evoke emotion and feeling.”

“Colour is cool again,” he adds. We’ll certainly drink to that.

The Cocktail Lovers - 53

IN-formed

MAINS & MARTINIS

RESTAURANTS WHERE THE COCK TAILS ARE AS GOOD AS THE FOOD

Albion

CUB

Fifteen

The Wigmore, 15 Langham Place, Regent's Street, London W1B 3DE. T: 020 7965 0198. the-wigmore.co.uk Who: Well-heeled patrons of the Langham hotel and BBC workers escaping across the road.

What: A pub of the most superior kind.

When: Mon-Wed 11am-midnight, ThurSat 11am-1am.

Wear: The dress code covers everything from casual to smart.

The Cocktail Girl says: Although marketed as a gastro pub, this elegant, high-ceilinged dining room feels more like a 1920s high-class train station waiting room – it's gorgeous.

Hot dish: My starter of hot buttered crumpets topped with fresh and lightly steamed cooked crab. A week after this meal I’m still thinking about how delicious it was.

Cool cocktail: The Deluxe Gin Punch: Gin, Cointreau, maraschino, raspberry liqueur and topped off with lemon sherbet, it was refreshingly sweet with just the slightest hint of sour.

The Cocktail Guy says: High ceilings, asparagus green walls, marble and gold details – all unashamedly retro.

Hot dish: Grilled Hereford beef rump, mustard butter and beef dripping chips took me back to sitting in front of pub fires in winter Cool cocktail: Peach & Pineapple Pils, made with a vodka base and topped with pilsner, was drier than expected and made its own space as a perfect aperitif.

153 Hoxton Street, London N1 6PJ. T: 020 3693 3202. lyancub.com Who: Lovers of cutting edge creativity in drinking and dining.

What: The latest venture from Ryan Chetiyawardana and Douglas McMaster of the super sustainable Brighton restaurant, Silo. Both food and drinks are prepared simultaneously at the centre piece bar for a grazing type experience.

When: Thur-Sat 6pm-midnight.

Wear: Yes, it’s Shoreditch but the interior is super stylish, so dressing up or dressing down will suit the mood.

Ms S says: Another winner from the super talented Mr C. Hot dish: Chervil root, red flash apple and turbo whey. Who knew waste products could be so tasty? The earthiness of the chervil root contrasted beautifully with the subtle hint of cheese in the whey. Delicious!

Cool cocktail: Greengage, Belvedere Unfiltered, chamomile and cider vermouth. It has an understated elegance, rather like the venue, and the subtle balance of flavours reveal themselves beautifully layer by layer.

Mr G says: A stylish vibe, with super original drinks and dishes, prove that sustainability can look and taste fantastic.

Hot dish: Green tomato, fig leaf and white peach. Fresh ingredients, cleverly combined for maximum flavour.

Cool cocktail: Mr Lyan Gin, bananafermented carrot, bitter orange and miso. This isn’t just a twist on a Negroni, it’s a full on 360 degrees, super intense, reinterpretation.

15 Westland Place, London N1 7LP. T: 020 3375 1515. fifteen.net Who: Locals, gin lovers and fans of the TV chef.

What: Jamie Oliver's initiative to take 15 unemployed youngsters and give them an introduction to the restaurant world, 15 years and 500 apprentices later it’s still going strong.

When: Mon-Sun 12pm-3pm, MonThur 6pm-10.30pm, Fri/Sat 5.30pm10.30pm, Sun 6pm-9.30pm.

Wear: Take your cue from Mr O with jeans and trainers.

Ms S says: Not only does this restaurant help young people, but it always delivers the goods.

Hot dish: The cod, hispi cabbage, brown shrimps, cucumber, koji and dill cleverly combines creativity and comfort food.

Cool cocktail: The Apple Gimlet (Hepple Gin, apple and tarragon) from the ‘Starters’ section is the ideal predinner drink, with the apple tasting fresh and delightfully sharp.

Mr G says: I love the food-inspired cocktail menu with starters, mains and desserts, using simple ingredients and culinary techniques.

Hot dish: The pig’s cheek was crispy, complimented by refreshing watermelon, accompanied by a particularly delicious XO sauce.

Cool cocktail: The Orange Fool (Somerset cider brandy, Escubac, green chartreuse, orange and pecan bitters, lemon juice, Kellogg’s Frosties, bee pollen) – clever and very cool.

56 - The Cocktail Lovers

IN-formed

WORD UP...

NEWS, VIEWS, REVIEWS AND HOW-TO’S

THE NEW BLACK Two liquids, one unifying colour: black. Try it in full ebony glory in BLK Water – H20 but not as you know it (blukoo.com), or in name only in Black Cow Vodka – creamy, delicious and totally lush (blackcow.co.uk)

FIVE MINUTES WITH BRIAN BARTELS Author of The Bloody Mary

Yours isn’t the first book about the Bloody Mary, what did you feel you could add to the conversation?

You have many coloured variations of the Bloody Mary in the book, does this break with tradition and do you think red is best?

The Bloody Mary was the first cocktail I ever learned to make behind the bar, and given I’m from Wisconsin – hallowed Bloody Mary ground in America to this day – I felt there was an interesting arc to explore from my 20+ years as a bartender. Especially since I didn’t care so much for Bloody Marys when I first started making them. I didn’t order them, didn’t drink them, and often frowned at their proximity. But my palate changed in my 30s. Huzzah!

I deliberately wanted to have different variations. It shows how creative we've become in our modern day bartending platforms. “No stone left unturned,” as I often preach to my bartenders. Although I try to remain a purist when it counts, I don’t think we need to lean on tomato juice as a crutch. It’s definitely the best, especially when it’s freshly juiced. But it will always be there for us, so let’s experiment!

Describe how you approached the rationale behind the book?

Notable nibbles Oh hi! Did someone say no added sugar, gluten-free bar snacks with colour and crunch? Count us in!

Try French Beans, Sugar Snap Peas & Black Edamame or Sweet Potato, Carrot and Beetroot from Emily Crisps. Available from ocado.com

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I wanted to share my personal story from the start, as I feel the Bloody Mary is arguably the most social cocktail in the world. It simply begs for company, and especially stories resulting in how we come together.

It supports an ongoing theory I’ve held for some time that many great bartenders are also great writers, or, if they don’t engage in the physical act of writing, can at least share or carry a story on occasion.

How did you go about choosing whose recipes to include?

Good question! Before I answer that, I must admit, just about everyone has a different spin and/or ingredient for their Bloody Marys, so I had some research and some recipe testing on my hands. But I’m lucky to have some very talented friends in this industry, and I’ve been privileged enough to sit at their bars or restaurants and taste their recipes in the past. And the ones I couldn’t taste were recommended to me through the ever-revolving social climate of our beverage and food industry. Such kind people.

What’s your favourite recipe in the book and why?

I would say right now it’s the Green Bay Bloody Mary from our very own Bar Sardine.

It’s inspired by home for me (Wisconsin) and how proud we are of our football team, the Green Bay Packers. It’s a reinterpretation of the classic Bloody, with tomatillos instead of tomatoes, plus cucumbers, parsley, etc. All those healthy green elements. Touchdown!

What was the most fascinating fact that you discovered during your research?

I would say where the Bloody Mary originated and who exactly deserves the credit. That was equally fascinating and frustrating, as there are two rotating stories, and though evidence points to a particular favourite, it has never been substantial enough to erase all other theories.

Conspiracies abound! At times, it was like researching a John le Carré novel!

What’s the one simple thing everyone can do to elevate their Bloody Mary game?

Share!

The Bloody Mary is published by Jacqui Small. quartoknows.com

IN-formed

KITCHEN SYNC

Joe Schofield, Head Bartender of Tippling Club in Singapore, looks at the kitchen kit inspiring bartenders and their drinks.

This issue: Garnishes.

The technique One advantage of working in a restaurant is being able to work in such close proximity with the pastry department. It is a great resource to have when creating garnishes. As most of our garnishes are based on sugar, it means that they are very stable, cost effective and very quick to add to the drink.

Not to mention that it adds a unique element to our drinks programme that our guests love.

Why do it?

Creating our own garnishes helps us add a certain element that contributes to the overall ‘story’ of the drink. Take our Campfire cocktail, it essentially has the same flavour as a toasted marshmallow. To add to the story we created our own campfire-flavoured marshmallow which gets toasted in front of the guest adding another emotive and sensory trigger as the aroma of toasted marshmallow fills the air.

The culinary world has evolved so much over the last century, with advancements in presentation, technique and ingredients, so why as bartenders are we still finishing our drinks with the same garnishes as 150 years ago? We understand the importance of aroma coming from an orange peel, but does an orange wedge add much to a drink when it's sat on top of the rim of a glass?

At home Information on how to create new and relevant garnishes is accessible to everyone. There are hundreds of cookbooks

written by pioneers of the food industry easily available. Not to mention the amount of information that can be found on the internet.

Try this Campfire Marshmallow 7tbs gelatin powder 500ml cold water 1kg sugar 1/2 tsp salt 10ml Campfire Flavouring Powdered sugar Method: In a mixing bowl add the gelatine powder and 250ml cold water. Dust a 2-inch deep hotel pan with powdered sugar.

Bloom gelatin mix for 30 mins and then whisk it until it's like apple sauce. In a saucepan add 1kg sugar and the other 250ml cold water and bring to 118˚C with a thermometer.

Use the whip attachment on a Kitchen Aid and then whip the gelatin. Gradually add the water and sugar mix. Add salt and Campfire flavouring. Pour the marshmallow mix into the pan and spread evenly. Dust with powdered sugar. Portion and dust sides with powdered sugar. Store in an air tight jar or sealed vac pac bag.

BLUE SKY THINKING

When bartender, author and journalist Jim Meehan of PDT in New York speaks, bartenders listen. More importantly, they learn. And they’re going to pick up all kinds of invaluable tips from his latest gem, let us tell you. It’s what he calls a ‘why’ book, covering everything from the history of the American cocktail through to bar design and hospitality. There are recipes too, plus insights from big names in the biz – in short, it’s a professional bartenders manual that consumer audiences can also get stuck into.

We say your drinks reference library isn’t complete without it.

Meehan’s Bartender Manual is published by Random House. amazon.com

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IN-ternational

There are many things to get your head around when thinking about drinking in Dubai. And no, that isn’t an oxymoron… You’re right, Dubai is a Muslim city and yes, it does adhere to Sharia Law, but as it’s a huge draw for visitors (did you know, it’s the fourth most visited city in the world with an estimated 14.9 million people staying overnight or longer last year alone?), it’s little wonder that the powers that be are willing to make exceptions for expats and visitors… Which means as a non-Muslim there’s no need to worry if you want to partake in a tipple or two. Just be aware that certain restrictions apply and you should know exactly what they are.

First things first. Just because you’re permitted to imbibe liquor doesn’t mean that it’s okay to abuse it – even visitors must respect certain rules. Such as only drinking in establishments that have been licensed for such purposes – this even applies to having a few bevvies at a non-Muslim, Dubai resident’s house. They should know the drill and the licences are relatively straightforward to obtain. If they earn more than AED 3,000 a month, they just need to fill in the form (available from Mercantile Maritime International, (mmidubai.com) for around £32.99) and within two to three weeks, if all’s well, they’ll have their licence. Even then they can only buy alcohol from certain establishments, and only as a visitor can you bring some in from Duty Free…

A few more things to be aware of… You must be 21 to drink and there’s no sipping in the street or public places.

That’s the serious stuff. Other factors to bear in mind are that the venues that do serve alcohol are usually attached to hotels or clubs, so although they do exist, don’t go expecting to get your drink on in many independent venues. But independent, fun-loving spirits? You’ll find them in every bar in the city. Dress up, prepare to party and get ready to have a good time.

At.mosphere at Burj Khalifa Burj Khalifa, Downtown Dubai. atmosphereburjkhalifa.com Nowhere does tall buildings like Dubai, and At.mosphere is lofty, even by Dubai standards. Tip: take one of the complimentary sweets offered at ground floor reception – you’ll need it. For this drinking experience, you’ll be heading 828 metres upwards to the 122nd floor at express speed and as you can you imagine, the journey skywards is like popping candy for the ears.

at.mosphere

Obviously it’s expensive, vistas like this don’t come cheap. Make the most of it and book a window seat – again, more pricey but worth it for the outlook of Downtown Dubai and the Arabian Gulf. Even better, go for the first sitting at 5.30pm and enjoy your cocktails while admiring the sunset.

Not that the wraparound room doesn’t hold its own in the looks department. Glam without being too glitzy, it provides a good backdrop for the full range of drinks from classics such as Old Fashioneds and Sazeracs to signatures including Galaxy (pear vodka, limoncello, ginger, blood orange and mint), and Funky Monkey Thyme (gin, sloe gin, lime juice, sugar syrup, fresh raspberry and thyme).

Coya Restaurant Village, Four Seasons Resort, Jumeirah Beach Rd, Jumeirah 2, Dubai. coyarestaurant.com You can’t help but feel happy in Coya. The mood is up, the colour is on and the food and drink are absolutely banging. Whether you’re going for the full dining experience in the restaurant, chilling in the member’s club or purely here for the drinks, start your evening in the fun and funky Pisco Lounge with a Pisco Sour.

The dreamy, pale yellow concoction is such a staple here that Coya has its own allocation of the Peruvian grape brandy. Much to the delight of the guests and the entire population of Peru.

There are other clever and creative house cocktails too.

As befits the vibrant space and pumping soundtrack, the beautiful people that make their way here don’t just stop by for the exquisite food and drink. Think of it as a club without the entry fee, with first-rate offerings in the taste department.

The Cocktail Lovers - 63

clockwise from top left: zuma dubai; gold on 27; drinks at at.mosphere; inside hendricks, zuma old fashioned

Gold on 27 27th floor, Burj Al Arab Jumeriah, Jumeirah Beach Rd, Dubai. goldon27.com Bling not your thing? Maybe give this one a miss… The brief for Keane Design (see p. 52) was to design the most exquisite bar, something inspired by the riches of the city – something that befits the status of the only 7-star hotel in the world. Hence the gold. It’s everywhere: bold as anything in the dramatic overhead sculpture, shimmering from the walls, dripping from the ceiling, adding glitz, glamour and high gloss to bar stools and of course, the crowning glory, the bar.

Such a theatrical setting calls for drinks with the wow factor. Hence the menu. The introductory page focuses on cocktails made by the team members who have won various competitions including Patron Perfectionists and Chivas Masters, while the rest of the menu is divided into two parts, one reflecting Old Dubai and the other its Modern counterpart. Prepare yourself for all kinds of wondrous vessels, each one more attentionseeking than the last. They certainly befit the setting.

Hendricks Four Seasons Hotel, Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeirah 2, Dubai. fourseasons.com Hendricks (nothing to do with the gin btw) is the kind of place where you’ll want to pull up a seat to sink into for an entire evening. Unlike most of the hot spots in Dubai, it doesn’t attempt to be a party bar. There’s no standing for a start, this is very much a grown-up spot, somewhere to cool down from the heat outside and chill out with a well-made drink. Or a top notch whisky and cigar should you wish, it’s your call.

We love the Britishness of the place – the dark wood panelling, the deep, rich leather walls and the cool, clever and creative list of gins. There are many drinking

64 - The Cocktail Lovers

rituals to explore, including the gin and tonics which the team proudly tailor to your needs, or the Seven Deadly Sins Negroni Trolley, boasting a range of bottled serves – softer on the palate than the regular kind, each named after a woman and based on Lust, Greed, Pride, Envy, Sloth, Gluttony and Wrath.

The main menu takes guests on ‘The Journey of Sir James Hendricks’ which took place between 1900 and 1980.

Travelling from North America, South America and the Caribbean to Europe and Asia, each chapter of his travels includes dates, location and drinks inspired by the region with an exquisite selection of savoury and sweet bar food to match. It’s beautifully and very thoughtfully put together and well worth spending time exploring.

LBD The Conrad Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. knocktoenter.com Did we mention that Dubai loves to party? You’ll find evidence of that here. Don’t be fooled by the fact that the interior is decked out to represent a modern gentleman’s club, once the evening gets going, the LBD gent slips off his tie, throws down his jacket and really gets into the groove.

The soundtrack is on point – covering everything from old-school hip-hop, to Motown, house and a bit of funky jazz. It’s loud though, so prepare to shout to be heard. What will you be calling out across the bar?

Take your pick from drinks grouped together under The Intellectual, The Traveler, The Rock Star, The Old Soul, The Sweet Tooth, The Giver and The Designated Driver. There are plenty to choose from but your choice is made a little easier by the listing of the spirit first, then whether it’s light, medium or full-bodied, overriding flavour, plus technique. So Choco Zulu in The Old School section is described as: Rum – Medium – Rich & Sweet – Stirred. Simple but effective.

Bright spark: Inspired by Voyager's 40 years in space, Loreta Toska's new menu at Theory Bar & More in Athens features a cocktail for each of the solar systems. This one is Uranus, featuring Mastiha, cognac, Luxardo and triple sec.

theorybar.com