The Cocktail Lovers

Nothing is new, not really. Things are simply reimagined, refined – given a reboot if you will, all with the aim of making our lives just that little bit easier. Or a tastier, as is the case with everything we’re talking about this week.

We start by looking at two hotels that have jooshed up their cocktail cabinets with own-label products – not novel granted, but purposely created to elevate the guest experience. We have a tasting of The Krasnapolsky Thai Blend Geneva from Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam, and explore the range of bespoke products on offer at Virtú at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi.

Eve Bar in London’s Covent Garden has done much the same by focusing on three classics: Champagne, Caviar and Cocktails – each of which they showcase in a fabulous selection of in-house products and an array of clever serves

And last but by no means least, on to this week’s guests: Maura Lawrence Milia and Liana Oster. We talk to them about how what was the old American Embassy has taken on a new lease of life as the luxury five-star Chancery Rosewood and their respective roles as the dream team heading up two very distinct spaces at Eagle Bar.

For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.com

For the products featured in this episode, see websites below:

What we're drinking:

Apple Blossom

45ml calvados
45ml sweet vermouth
3 dashes Orange Bitters
Dehydrated apple or slice of apple to garnish (optional)

Method:
Stir ingredients over ice. Garnish with the dehydrated apple or apple slice and pour into chilled cocktail glass.

Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam
Eagle Bar Upper East at Chancery Rosewood
Eagle Bar Upper West at Chancery Rosewood
Eve Bar
Virtù at Four Seasons Otemachi

Diary dates:
3 Sep-30 Oct: A Man Under The Influence: 63 Days of Steven Soderbergh’s Selects at Everyman at The Whiteley
6-8 Sep: The Cambridge Global Series at the Cambridge Public House, Paris

Guest shifts at Cambridge Public House
(from 5.30-8.30pm)
6 Sep: True Laurel, Donna NYC and Smoke & Bitters
7 Sep: Bar Gabriel, Mius and Tres Monos
8 Sep: Mirror Bar, Alquímico and Angelita

Seminars at Bonnie Club
7 Sep: (from 12- 4pm)
On Education: Bar Gabriel, Mius and Tres Monos.
On Environment: True Laurel, Angelita and Smoke & Bitters,
On Community : Mirror Bar, Alquímico and Donna NYC.

14-20 Sep: Aperitivo Week
21-22 Sep: Tales on Tour at the Square Washington. For tickets and details

The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' Watson
Edited by Christian Fox
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s more than a dash of elegance in the mix in this episode, and we make no apologies for that. In fact, we positively applaud ourselves that we've made a feature of it.

We start by opening up a very distinctive bottle to unveil the unique taste of Bitter Cedrino – a very special Italian liqueur, blended from Mediterranean herbs with a touch of Sardinian sea water.
Then we head off to Ma/Na, an ever-so stylish, incredibly hot new spot in London’s Mayfair - to experience Japanese inspired precision, rhythm and heat in an exceptionally aesthetic space, serving equally exceptional cocktails.

We’ve also news of cocktail glassware innovations, which are as chic as they are functional. Hardly surprising when one is the creation of Giorgio Bargiani, of the Connaught Bar. While the other comes from Lorenzo Antinori of Bar Leone, with another two from bartenders creating barware in gorgeous ceramics.

And our guest is elegance personified, it's Minakshi Singh who shares her story from the challenges she faced as a young, female bartender in India 20 years ago, up to the present day, where she’s now one of the driving forces on the country’s bar scene, as the co-founder of five venues.

For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.com

For the products featured in this episode, see websites below:

What we're drinking:

Lillet Rose Spritz

50ml Lillet Rose
100ml tonic water
Grapefruit wedge to garnish

Method:
Add the Lillet Rose to an ice-filled wine glass. Top with tonic water and gently combine. Garnish with the grapefruit wedge.

Amar The Maker
Ariane Fine Porcelain x Whyte Tales Barware
Bar/Giani x Nude
Bar Leone x BOBO Glassware
Bar Stormy
Bitter Cedrino
Ma/Na
Nine Lives
Sidecar
The Standard, London

Diary dates:
20th August, 5pm-9pm: Sprout Sessions x A for Athens, Templeton Garden, 1-15 Templeton Place, London SW5 9NB

1st September, 5.30pm-11pm: Equal Measures Charity Auction, Nancy's Cocktail Bar, Coelchurch House, Bridge Walk, London SE1 2SX
Tickets and more info available here
Online auction opens 23rd August

The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' Watson
Edited by Christian Fox
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re zoning in on flavour in this episode – that’s flavour with ‘ou’ as in the taste of our featured product which is the super lush Johnnie Walker Blue Label Scotch Whisky, and the Indian ingredients highlighted at newly-opened bar Tryst. It’s also found in the veritable smorgasbord of goodies we’re highlighting in our new news section.

Then there’s the flava with an 'a', used in hip-hop and informal speech, the kind of flavour that describes the style, vibe and distinct effervescence of our very special guest – the force of nature that is Kapri Robinson, bartender, educator, mentor and all-round bringer of good vibes. We're thrilled

For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.com

For the products featured in this episode, see websites below:

What we're drinking:

Lagerita

45ml blanco tequila
20ml triple sec
25ml fresh lime juice
Mexican Modelo Especial beer
Lime wheel to garnish

Method:
Shake first three ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Pour into chilled tall glasses rimmed with salt (optional). Top with a light Mexican lager beer (about 100ml). Stir gently and garnish with a lime wheel.

Allegory
Archive & Myth
Avra at the Four Seasons Astir Palace, Athens
Bar Stormy
Bar Visconti at Castello di Casole
Chocolate City's Best
Emory Rooftop Bar
Johnnie Walker Blue Label Scotch Whisky
Monkey Shoulder Selects
Tales of the Cocktail
Tryst

Guest shift:
From 6pm, 26th August: Sip & Guzzle at Scarfe's Bar

The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' Watson
Edited by Christian Fox

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a rather prolonged break, we’re back! Having completed season 10 with a very special 100th episode (check it out if you haven’t already), we’ve decided to shake things up – just a little mind – going forward.

We’ll still be sharing our experiences of the bars we visit, at home and further afield, starting with a venue which describes its offering as 'New York style, British spirit', the recently-opened Cato in London’s Covent Garden. And we'll continue to share our views on an array of wonderful products, such as our pick this week which is the ever-so luxe L’Époque Cognac Baroque XO.

We'll occasionally be reviewing books but we've added a new section which focuses on just that: news. That includes openings, menus, guests shifts and more from across the globe.

And as ever, we’ll be welcoming some incredible guests from the international drinks world. And who better to get the season started with than the person who recently took the No.1 spot as the most influential bar industry figure on the Drinks International’s Bar World 100, and is soon to be recipient of The Tales Visionary Award? It's everybody's role model, Jean Trinh founder of Alquímico in Columbia.

For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.com

For the products featured in this episode, see websites below:

What we're drinking:

Spicy Watermelon Margarita

50ml blanco tequila
Kazimo Spicy Watermelon Mixer
Lime wedge to garnish

Method:
Pour tequila into a rocks glass over ice. Top with Kazimo Spicy Watermelon Mixer. Pull through and garnish with lime wedge.

1986 Steakhouse
Casual By Tayer
Cato
Dokidoki
Kazimo Mixers
L'Epoque Cognac Grande Champagne XO
Sample
The Museum Bar & Gift Shop
Tres Monos Hotel Bar at Dua Miami Hotel

The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' Watson
Edited by Christian Fox
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

15 competitors, four judges, four mentors, seven brands, three winners – that’s the global final of SIP Supernova in numbers; in words, the stats are just as impressive.

In the true ethos of Share, Inspire, Pioneer, aka SIP, the global advocacy platform powered by Pernod Ricard, SIP Supernova is about celebrating and empowering hospitality professionals at every level, be they wait staff, managers or bartenders. The only stipulation is that they’ve been working in the industry for less than 6 years.

Over four days, from May 9th to 13th, the 15 finalists from around the world will be in Tokyo and Kyoto where they’ll be tested across a variety of disciplines. In this bonus episode we hear from from Cloé Auger, Global Trade Advocacy Leader at Pernod Ricard; Hedda Bruce, one of the judges and Danil Nevsky one of the mentors to hear more about SIP Supernova from their unique perspectives.

Follow SIP at join-sip.com
Find out more about SIP Supernova here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.