Londoners 'thirsting for classic cocktails'

TV and film are driving force for retro fashion for "elegant" drinks
Rachael Sigee19 May 2014

Londoners are turning their backs on flashy molecular mixology in favour of timeless classic cocktails, according to drinks experts.

Classically trained bartenders are reviving retro cocktails which have fallen out of style, like Ernest Hemingway’s favourite, the Daiquiri.

TV series Boardwalk Empire and last year’s film of The Great Gatsby have put Prohibition-era drinks of the Twenties and Thirties back in the spotlight and seen speakeasy style bars open all over the capital.

Tatiana Mercer, founder of online bar guide Barchick.com, said: “As great as it to try something new, it’s nice to know what to expect when you’re spending up to £12 on a cocktail. Gimmicks and thrills often don’t work and it’s a classic cocktail done well that’s the real skill in bartending.”

Shervene Shahbazkhani, an expert bartender and brand ambassador for Bacardi, said: “There has been a fad for complex theatrical cocktails, but they don’t have the soul of the heritage recipes.

“Something like Mad Men has definitely influenced tastes, bringing a class to the London cocktail scene - people want well-made, elegant drinks.

"You can see the popularity of vintage cocktail tools and glassware in bars in London, all making the experience more authentic."

The classic recipes are typically simple, easy and quick to replicate and made using ingredients bars will have to hand.

Tom Walker, bartender at the Savoy’s American Bar agrees that London cocktail drinkers are looking for nostalgia.

Mr Walker, 28, said: “You’ve got to get the basics right. There’s something quite beautiful about making a 100 year old drink and having it taste pretty much the same as it would have then.”

He was recently crowned winner of the annual Bacardi Legacy competition to create a new iconic cocktail, beating 26 other bartenders from around the globe.

His winning Maid in Cuba recipe was inspired by 1930s Savoy bartender Harry Craddock who published The Savoy Cocktail Book, referred to as “the bartender’s bible”. He said: "I wanted to take something traditionally American and make it relevant to The Savoy."

The Maid in Cuba is made with Bacardi Superior rum, lime, sugar, mint, cucumber and Absinthe spritz. It is now listed in 44 bars around the world.

This month Bacardi have launched a heritage 44.5% ABV rum, the same alcohol strength used in the early 1900s, to recreate the classic cocktails still drunk today.

The limited edition bottles are the same design used in 1909 the Daiquiri first became popular.

Bacardi's latest campaign, Untameable Since 1862 reveals the tumultuous 152-year history of the spirit company which thrived during Prohibition and survived exile from Cuba.

Find out more about Bacardi Untameable Since 1862 at www.facebook.com/Bacardiunitedkingdom

Shervene's Picks - Where to try the classics

The American Bar at The Savoy, The Strand

Best for: Nostalgia. Steeped in history and impeccable service. Try Tom’s signature Maid in Cuba.

Trailer Happiness, Notting Hill

Best for: A real good time. A 30s-style Tiki bar run by rum aficionados. Try the Zombie - also known as a “skull-puncher”.

Milk & Honey, Soho

Best for: Consistency and classic drinks. The first bar to introduce exams for its bartenders, they can make any obscure drink. Best for a classic Daiquiri.

Artesian at The Langham, Regent Street

Best for: Showmanship and creativity. Named the World’s Best Bar for the last two years, the Piña Colada is outstanding.

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