Blame it on Mad Men, the 1960s American TV drama which is famously awash with stiff bullet-bra corsets and even stiffer drinks – so much so that they’ve made their own Mad Men cocktail guide – or the recession-fueled trend for all things nostalgic. But from London to LA, from high-end hotspots to at-home shindigs – classic cocktails are back.
Trendiness may be the antithesis of the Slow Movement, but the craze for classic cocktails is one I hope remains. These are drinks that demand respect and attention, from both the creator and the consumer.
The quality of ingredients is key, as is the method used (cocktail manuals such as the pioneering 1862 classic How To Mix Drinks by Jerry Thomas and 1948’s The Fine Art Of Mixing Drinks by David Embury have both made a comeback).
Drinking a classic cocktail can be a literal eye-opener for one accustomed to sugary sweet concoctions where the taste of alcohol is barely present. With the cocktail’s spiritual home being in America, the rest of the world has adopted their tastes, including the 75-year Prohibition hangover where the habit of masking the taste of alcohol has only finally been broken.
For someone used to knocking back beer, wine and contemporary cocktails with a certain ease, my first Classic Martini (straight up, with a twist) was a revelation. Cosily ensconced in the stylish surroundings of a hotel bar, the drink took me over an hour to finish. And I loved every minute of it. I’ve now branched out and discovered the joys of a bitter and sweet Old Fashioned and the tasty lime sharpness of a Vodka Gimlet.
As The Atlantic has reported, bars such as Drink in Boston, Apothecary in Philadelphia and Apotheke in New York have been initiating the masses into the joys of classic cocktails even further by having the bartender/mixologist taking a pharmacist approach and prescribing a cocktail.
In London, 69 Colebrook Row has made a name for itself as the connoisseur’s cocktail bar and a very innovative one at that, but will be going back to basics by offering masterclasses for those keen to learn their classic Martinis from Manhattans.
But perhaps my real conviction on the Slow benefits to classic cocktails is the advice a bartender gave me when trying that first Classic Martini. “Just remember, two is never enough but three is too much.”
Image courtesy of AMC
