ISSN 2052 0603
AUTUMN 2018
THE
LUXE ISSUE
- Photos: Fotolia
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
IN-tro
T H E R E
A R E
LIT TLE, E VERYDAY
L U X U R I E S AND THERE IS ALL OUT
L U X E We're leaning towards the latter in this issue, from checking in to the American Bar at The Savoy for five-star service and first-class drinks (p. 30), to checking out some shiny bits of extravagant kit for the home bar (p. 44). But first we speak to Thomai Serdari, an expert on the subject, about what luxury means, where it's headed and how it fits into the world of drinks (p. 12). Scene set, it's over to the people who create the feeling of opulence in the bar; read how a music, lighting, packaging and product designer bring their talents into play on p. 16. Elsewhere Douglas Blyde goes shopping in the opulent, new Wine & Spirits Room at Harrods (p. 58), Miles Watson meets the collectors who splash their cash on vintage drinks (p. 40), Jane Ryan rounds up the experiences every cocktail lover should have on their wish-list (p. 35), and fashion writer Julia Robson says that bling's the thing when it comes to the new dress code for the cocktail hour (p. 46). Dive in, then splash out – life's too short not to spoil yourself with a few luxuries every now and again.
Please imbibe responsibly
Ms S & Mr G thecocktaillovers.com
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The Cocktail Lovers - 5
IN-gredients
7. IN-the know
30. IN-the spotlight Haute stuff
Balancing history and inspiration with Declan McGurk at the American Bar at The Savoy
34. IN-the spotlight 25 reasons to be a cocktail lover this season
Pimping our ride, getting cocktail ready and upgrading our seats, just a few of the things on our radar in the next few months
12. IN-the hotseat Thomai Serdari
Lifting the lid on luxe with Thomai Serdai, strategist in luxury marketing
16. IN-spire
Bringing luxury to the bar
Ultimate drinks experiences
From dinner at a maison in Champagne to selecting your own cask in Scotland, Jane Ryan rounds up her wish list
40. IN-the spotlight A sip in time
Dusty bottles are big business as Miles Watson find out
44. IN-dulge The A List
Barware essentials for high rollers
Meet the people who make five-star drinks experiences their business
26. IN-spire
The look (and feel) of luxe
Jane Ryan on the timeless touches that let you know you're drinking in a top-notch establishment
46. IN-style
Dressing for the cocktail hour It's code word glam, says Julia Robson
50. IN-style Rich pickings
Deluxe drinks for every taste and budget
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IN-gredients
58. IN-formed
Editors: Sandrae Lawrence Gary Sharpen Sub-editor: Sally Briggs Creative Director: James Cheverton at Burnt Studio burntstudio.com Photographer Adam Goodison adamgoodisonphotography.com
Suite spirits
Douglas Blyde is educated, informed and entertained at the recently relaunched Fine Wines & Spirits Rooms at Harrods
61. IN-formed Mains & Martinis
Making time for some laid-back luxury at Hampton Manor
62. IN-formed Word Up
News, views and reviews from the cocktail front
66. IN-ternational
Contributors: Douglas Blyde Isaac Dann Imogen Frost Julia Robson Jane Ryan Miles Watson On the cover: Baron Yukiwa gold and matt shaker from urbanbar.com Photographed by Adam Goodison
For all editorial and advertising enquiries, please contact: mail@thecocktaillovers.com T: 020 7242 2546 thecocktaillovers.com
Printed by Stephens & George Distributed by Gold Key Media
Having a Dam good time Called to the bars of Amsterdam
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 and 2017
Reproduction in whole or part of any contents of The Cocktail Lovers Magazine without prior permission from the editors is strictly prohibited. The Cocktail Lovers Issue No. 29 Autumn/Winter 2018 The Cocktail Lovers magazine is published by The Cocktail Lovers Ltd. in London, UK PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY
The Cocktail Lovers - 7
Contributors
Julia Robson
Douglas Blyde
Journalist, writer and broadcaster, Julia Robson, has written about fashion for national British newspapers including The Daily Telegraph, The Financial Times and The Daily Mail, and international publications including The National in UAE, and magazines Elle, British Airways High Life and InStyle for two decades.
Drinks columnist for the London Evening Standard Magazine and consultant presenter to banks and brands, media mogul Douglas Blyde has been described as “one of the most respected (and well-fed) experts on eating out in the capital…”
Projects include a prison magazine, The Beauty’s Inside written by and for women offenders which won The Times Educational Outreach award, and a recently completed documentary film about the craft of fashion journalism in a digital age. Her work extends from reporting to teaching fashion in higher education at London College of Fashion, Central Saint Martin’s and Regent’s University London. In this issue Julia writes about Dressing For the Cocktail Hour (p. 46).
Memorable experiences on his journey of tastes have included dining in, then ultimately legitimately escaping from, the restaurant at high security prison, HMP Highdown; shooting, being blooded by, then eating grouse for lunch on the Glorious Twelfth of August in the Highlands – malt in hand; and discovering the spiritual home of the fragrant Mojito in humid Havana. He heads to the recently revamped Fine Wines & Spirits Rooms at Harrods for this issue and talks to spirits buyer Nick Fleming (p. 58).
Miles Watson
Adam Goodison
The newest addition to The Cocktail Lovers team, Miles popped his bartending cherry working at award-winning Hawksmoor Spitalfields. He'll be sitting on the other side of the bar in his new role as writer and reviewer for the print and online editions of The Cocktail Lovers Magazine.
Adam Goodison is a photographer and filmmaker whose stilllife work is in demand by an array of clients and publications including Burberry, House of Holland, Wonderland, The Guardian, London Evening Standard Magazine, Rake's Progress and Tank. Exhibitions take in ASVOFF – Video Screening, 'Daisy Lowe: 3D Dream Girl and Berliner Liste.
In this issue Miles, speaks to three of the most prominent collectors of vintage spirits in the UK for his feature, A Sip In Time (p. 40).
8 - The Cocktail Lovers
Adam trained with esteemed photographer Nick Knight and captures the luxury of spirits on the cover and in our Rich Pickings feature (p. 50).
25
IN-the know
REASONS TO BE A COCKTAIL LOVER THIS SEASON Keeping up with the gins'es, having a ball and sounding the Bassoon – just three of the things we're looking forward to in the next few months
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If you’re looking for visual clues on how to really do glam, you won’t do better than Cecil Beaton: Thirty from the 30s Fashion, Film and Fantasy, the display exhibition showing at the Fashion and Textile Museum. Mr B knew a thing or two about elegance; his stunning photographs of fabulous faces from the era, including Elsa Schiaparelli, Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn are visual proof of that. Soak up the style then sink into a Martini at Hide Bar down the road. Cecil Beaton: Thirty from the 30s Fashion, Film and Fantasy is showing from 12 October 2018 to 28 January 2019 at the Fashion and Textile Museum, ftmlondon.org
merle oberon wearing a pearl headdress designed by cecil beaton and costume by oliver messel, on the set of 'the private life of don juan', photograph by cecil beaton, 1936, courtesy of the cecil beaton studio archive, sotheby's
Channelling the seduction of the 1930s
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IN-the know
3
2
Having a ball
…but if you prefer your punch a bit less on the bling side, try this. Tulip punch bowl and glasses by Robert Schinkel at retail.libbey.eu
We all need a little glitter ball action in our lives. Particularly in the run-up to the festive season. Get your party on with the Pikes at RSG disco ball cocktail sharer from rockettstgeorge.co.uk
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four
o
Bringing Champagne to the street You’ve got to love Virgil Abloh. Not only is he shaking things up at Louis Vuitton, he’s got his street-style vibe going down at sister brand Moët & Chandon too. Raise a glass to his limited-edition ‘Do Not Drop’ design for Moët’s Nectar Rosé, available Stateside from 1 October.
05 Getting cocktail ready
How’s this for a cocktail lovers manicure? Clean your nails with Cocktail Napkins, soak in Club Soda Fizz, then apply Simple Syrup base coat. After adding your choice of colour (try Caviar Cocktail or Kir Royale), seal with Vodka or Dry Gin top coat, spritz with Dry Martini, et voila! You’re ready to drink. tinibeauty.com
No. six
Trying a new take on tea
Kombucha, schmombucha – right now it’s all about sparkling tea. Take your pick from the non-alcoholic and alcoholic varieties from the Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company at fortnumandmason.com
9. Pimping our ride And while we’re in luxe mode, can we take a moment to fantasise about living this kind of life? Mulliner drinks cooler and cabinets fitted to order at bentleymotors.com
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EIGHT … which means we’ll just have to have a cabinet reshuffle… Isle Crawford’s Brass Cabinet oozes glamour with a capital G. studioilse.com
Upgrading our seats Sod economy, we’re going Upper Class. Starting with our bar stools. Here’s to gilt-y pleasures all round. essentialhome.eu
IN-the know
10
Going stemless Yes, stems have their place but do you need them all the time? Not really. Try these and dare to drink differently. rowenandwren.co.uk
14
11 Taking our pick Ooh, sexy! Anette cocktail picks with holder. aerin.com
Unlocking doors
Of the boozy advent calendar kind. Take your pick from the collections of 24 wee drams of deliciousness from around the world including rum, mezcal, Armagnac and a host of whiskies. Be quick though, they don’t hang around for long. masterofmalt.com
12 13. Covering up
Cocktail wallpaper really does exist. Isn’t it time you showed your walls a little cocktail love? Colours cocktail wallpaper. diy.com
If you love Pina Coladas and want to reign, you’re sure to fall in love with Judith Leiber’s crystal embellished clutch bag. (Guys, best leave this one for the ladies…) judithleiber.com
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Keeping up with the gins’es
SIXTEEN
15
Making faces Put a new spin on your gin with Prometheus gin and cocktail tumblers by Sieger by Fürstenberg at artedona.com
Carrying our drinks
Telling drinks stories If you liked Tim Federle's Tequila Mockingbird, check out the follow-up. Are You There God? It's Me, Margarita comtinues the theme with aplomb. runningpress.com
The race is on! Cool, niche tonics are catching up with the gins. Here’s one more label to add to the collection. Artisan Craft Mixers, coming to a bar near you very soon…
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IN-the know
EIGHTEEN Putting on the glitz
Yes, it’s corny but your guests will love it. Add an instant shimmer to your glass with sparkle drops from notonthehighstreet.com
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Discovering new liqueurs Whiskoffy, Tequilomile and Whinger – small batch whisky and tequila liqueurs for mixing or drinking on the rocks, from Marvolio’s Nostrums, marvolios.com
TWENTY TWO Keeping it green
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Checking in, checking out...
One more reason to book a night at the Langham, London. After you’ve enjoyed the fab drinks in the Artesian, head up to your room for the minibar – bottled cocktails courtesy of our friends at World of Zing. langhamhotels.com/en
21 Sounding the Bassoon
Michael Sager and cocktail whizz Marcis Dzelzainis have given the drinks list at the swanky Bassoon bar a serious overhaul. Expect corking New Orleans cocktails with a killer soul/funk/house soundtrack. Definitely one to have on your radar. corinthia.com/en
Biodegradable, reusable, indestructible coffee cups made from coffee grounds? Count us in! Espresso, cappuccino and takeaway styles available from kaffeeform.webshopapp.com
TWENTY FOUR Breaking barriers Styled like a convenience store AvroKO’s Genuine Liquorette in London is the place where guests can play bartender while bartenders help guests concoct fun, enjoyable drinks. Get involved now! eatgenuine.com
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Overhauling our snacks The Made for Drink snack range do exactly what they say on the tin. Try them paired with your favourite cocktails. madefordrink.com
25
Rocking out to tea
Our new fave reviver? Winter glam rock afternoon tea at K West Hotel. Accompanying the mini ham club sarnies and charred halloumi sliders are drinks such as the Tea Rex and Born to Rum, all served on a retro turntable. k-west.co.uk
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Fever-Tree Citrus Tonic Water, a blend of tangerine, bitter orange, and lime carefully selected to balance out the sweet citrus pepper y notes of Patrรณn Silver Tequila to create a delicious refreshing long drink.
W
CRAFTED TO PERFECTLY COMPLEMENT PATRร N TEQUILA
IN THE HOTSEAT
THOMAI SERDARI LUXURY
EXPERT
Thomai Serdari, Ph.D is a strategist in luxury marketing and branding, and Director of Research & Adjunct Associate Professor at New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business
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photograph: rod goodman photography
IN-the hotseat
IN-the hotseat
Luxury means different things to different people, what’s your definition of the word and why? Luxury can be defined in many ways because we all relate to it differently. We’re all driven to it, we all agree that it exists even though we can’t define it. But it has certain traits that, for me, are essential. They are scarcity, beauty and culture. By culture I mean that we need to be able to understand that something is scarce and beautiful to appreciate it as luxury. Then there’s the object or the experience itself – for me, it has to be a multi-sensory experience that truly impacts us on three levels: physical, emotional and intellectual. What do you think the general perception of luxury is and why? The perception is that luxury is something very glitzy, very sparkly and design driven. Most people think about it in relation to fashion but that’s not correct. In fact, I don’t believe that fashion is luxury – it’s disposable because it’s trend driven, and based on large scale, outsourced production. But still most people want to see good design in terms of the products and how the brand is expressed. And of course they want exclusivity, this is what allows them to feel better than other people, to operate in this collective environment and yet feel unique and elevated. How, if at all, has the market for luxury goods and services evolved in the time that you’ve been specialising in the subject? It’s been a very interesting industry to observe since I started in 2008. Not only because the firms that are producing true luxury goods have survived and even thrived through the crisis, but because immediately after the economy recovered, the market changed completely. Rather than the wealth coming from western countries, the markets shifted entirely to eastern markets: Asia, in particular China, has been driving luxury for the last eight years. What’s changed is the demographic – people who participate in the luxury market today are coming from all over the world. More people who are making good money here in the US are also more interested in experiences – not necessarily in physical goods. This is a typical millennial philosophy; that you only live once and therefore you should enjoy the best life possible. This can be interpreted in several ways but mostly it means more interest in adventure and travel, which as an industry has grown in recent years and created opportunities for companies to re-examine the notion of luxury and create new offerings. This has created a more service orientated economy.
What do you put this down to? Technology has made everything seem much more accessible – we can research things, see what other people consume and do – it’s not only about technology serving the market as an immediate selling point, but educating us about what a luxury lifestyle is by watching friends and celebrities. This drives aspiration and makes people want to consume certain experiences and products. Technology has made us much more visually trained. Before everything was driven by language, now people see an image and recognise it immediately – there’s much more inherent coding and symbolism. Does the market for luxury now have a wider reach? Completely and that’s driven by technology. Here in the US being in the know is an indication of someone participating in an elevated lifestyle. Then you have eastern cultures where the price tag indicates that this is what they should go after. A lot of companies exploit that, using pricing as the only strategy to reach people. Technology facilitates that sort of clustering.
Luxury in its purest form is a good company with heritage and pure product that delivers quality Does luxury mean the same across all sectors? If so, what are the key factors that bind them? Luxury in its purest form is a good company with heritage and pure product that delivers quality – that’s the same in any industry. These true luxury companies are very much customer or service experience driven and want to maintain very high quality product. What part does exclusivity play in the perception of luxury? A huge and very interesting part. It can be real or manipulated and for a lot of companies the main part of their strategic plan is how to appear more luxurious. Again, it has a lot to do with culture… I refer to China again because of its size and wealth – it’s a very powerful market. As a type of consumer, they’re really drawn to clubs. They want that exclusive experience but in the presence of others. In the western world exclusivity takes
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