'A Cognac Lover's Guide to Classic Cocktails' by Matthias Lataille by prukbeat

A COGNAC LOVERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GUIDE TO CLASSIC COCKTAILS

#CordonBleuChallenge

A brief (hi)story of Cognac in cocktails

A brief (hi)story of Cognac in cocktails It is the end of the dinner and Talleyrand serves a nice glass of Cognac to Fouché, who drinks the precious liquid in one single motion. Talleyrand surprised, intervenes: – “Allow me, it is not the correct way to drink Cognac. Please let me show you. We take the glass in the palm of our hand and warm it up slowly. We swirl the Cognac in a nice circular motion in order to release its perfume. Then we take it to our nostrils and smell the aromas…” – “And then?” asks Fouché. – “Then…” replies Talleyrand. “We put it back on the table and talk about it!” Here goes the tale of Fouché & Talleyrand, two French ministers under Napoleon 1st, and their Cognac experience. As much as I love this story, it is certainly not a true representation of how Cognac has been consumed over its rich history. The large balloon glass, the whole warming and swirling of the liquid, were all theatre and showmanship at a time and place where status and opulence was prevalent. It was certainly not consumed as a shot either. It was rather mixed with other ingredients, and so it was well before the first-ever mention of the word ‘cocktail’ circa 1806. Take the Mint Julep, for example, arguably a great Cognac Classic cocktail. The Julep is believed to have originated somewhere in the Middle East and was initially made of a mixture of local Arrack sweetened with a little sugar and infused with rose petals. It was then known as ‘Julab’. It was very much a sailor’s favourite way to

A brief (hi)story of Cognac in cocktails

enjoy their daily ration of alcohol on their travels back from India, dating as far back as the 15th century if not before. As sailors started to explore new routes, and eventually travelled from Europe to America, Cognac replaced Arrack and the more abundant mint replaced rose petals as its main flavouring agent. Unfortunately, the 1870’s saw the destruction of the Cognac vineyard by the phylloxera epidemic, and American bartenders across the pond started to prepare the iconic Cognac concoction using the local Bourbon Whiskey, which was much more abundant over there. Since the period happened to be the Golden era of cocktail and American bartending, the Bourbon survived its French counterpart as the main ingredient used in the Mint Julep to this day. Quite a shame if you ask me! The Classic Champagne cocktail is another great example. Luckily, it remained true to its Cognac origin and has been for over 300 years. Sugar, bitters, Cognac and Champagne… what’s not to like? It is actually a personal favourite of mine, and inspired me to create my beloved ‘Tribute to Martell’ cocktail in celebration of the 300-year anniversary of the Martell House – see next page for my cocktail recipe. From a geographical perspective, Cognac was historically mostly consumed in the UK, where most of the export stock ended up landing. Since it was easier (and cheaper) to ship Cognac to London via the water routes of the Charentes river and the Atlantic Ocean than it was to transport to Paris via donkeys on dirt roads, the French never really had the opportunity to develop a taste for it. Also consider that most founders of the great Cognac Houses as we know them were foreign traders. Consequently, Cognac consumption in France only accounts for 2% of the entire production today. Almost nothing. In 18th-century London, for instance, Cognac was very much a luxury tipple while bathtub Gin was still the drink of the masses. Indeed, Cognac was a special occasion drink and was only served at upper class gatherings such as the Sublime Society of Beef Steaks. Gentlemen would get together in clubs to enjoy the best red meat that the country had to offer and would traditionally open their evening with a lovely glass of Cognac, likely mixed with a little port and served in a form of punch (possibly using citrus juice, sugar and tea).

A brief (hi)story of Cognac in cocktails

It was later during the very prolific Victorian era that Cognac experienced a boom. It was mainly consumed two ways back then: the famous Café-Cognac and Brandy & Soda. The working class would typically add un petit peu de Cognac in their coffee in the morning before heading to work, while the ladies de la haute Société would generally drink it with soda water as an aperitif – note that Scotch & Soda would have not come to fame without the phylloxera epidemic of the 1870’s, which again made Cognac widely unavailable. Where is the whole balloon warming, digestive by the fireplace myth coming from then? Well, I think it is just a misinterpretation of how Cognac is consumed in the Cognac region, which has been spread across the world by travellers recalling their unforgettable experience of the precious liquid. Imagine yourself at a time when word of mouth is the main means of communication. You take a trip to France and decide to visit the beautiful town of Cognac. Obviously, you go and check out one of the many Cognac houses where you have the chance to taste some wonderful elixirs. I would like to think that your tasting is taking place in a damp cellar, and because of the cooler temperature, the cellar master invites you to pick up your glass in the palm of your hand, warm it up slowly, etc, etc… Back home, you hurry to share with all your friends and family your amazing experience of Cognac in its birthplace. Guess what? Cognaçais (the inhabitants of Cognac) enjoy Cognacs at lunchtime as an aperitif and they mix it with Schweppes (Tonic Water) or with Canada Dry (Ginger Ale) for the sweeter tooth – a drink also known as the ‘Horse’s neck’. When it comes to the after-dinner occasion, locals would indeed treat themselves with a serving of Extra Old Cognac, though they would rather sip it from a bulbous tulip-shaped glass rather than a snifter. Voilà! This is the story I wanted to tell you as an introduction to my book. A book very much inspired by the Cordon Bleu Challenge and the compelling history of Cognac in cocktails (I trust you won’t mind the inclusion of some great Cognac Classic cocktails here). I truly hope that you can use it as an inspiration to have fun with Cognac and find a delicious drink that suits you best. Santé! Matthias Lataille

A brief (hi)story of Cognac in cocktails

Tribute to Martell cocktail Instagram sanmatthias Venue London Author’s note Created as a ‘Tribute to Martell’ for the 300-year anniversary of the great Cognac House

Style Floral & bubbly Origin 2015, London, UK Cocktail Era Modern Ingredients 15ml Cordon Bleu 100ml Perrier Jouet Grand Brut Glass Nick & Nora Garnish Edible flower Method Spray chilled coupette with Violet Liqueur and build up

Introducing the Cordon Bleu Challenge

Introducing the Cordon Bleu Challenge By Michael Butt

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The flavour of any classic cocktail can be improved by the substitution of the main ingredient with Martell Cordon Bleu.â&#x20AC;? Like many of the most profound statements, this was made with the inhibitions of politeness stripped away by the warming effects of a drink or two. We were sitting on the other side of the mahogany after a long day behind the stick, and I was fresh back from a transformative trip to Cognac. I had been on distillery trips before. I knew one end of a still from the other, understood the cause of Distilleries Shadow and what it meant for the liquids residing in the ageing warehouses, but it was not until we reached Paradis, the citadel of ancient eaux-de-vie, that I truly began to understand the majesty of distilled spirits and the people who make them.

Introducing the Cordon Bleu Challenge

The master blender, the Golden Nose, was like the archetype of a mixologist, blending eaux-de-vie, each one reflecting their age and parcel terroir, to create products to demonstrate creativity or to deliver a profile which their long-time predecessors had created more than a century ago. Their confidence in the quality of their ingredients was demonstrated in an off-the-cuff blend of pre-phylloxera eaux-de-vie, the knowledge that all their ingredients were of fantastic quality allowed them the liberty to experiment. Balancing the characters of the individual components of a blend to allow each to contribute to the final profile has given the blenders an understanding of the art of cocktail bartending. The goal is the same â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to produce a delicious drink â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the bartender has a much wider array of components to work with, a greater potential for error, but also the knowledge that a misstep in the shaker is only one ruined drink, not a whole bottling run. The care and attention, the creative process and the joy of constructing a mixture greater than the sum of its parts makes the job of mixing an eternally rewarding challenge The Cordon Bleu challenge is an extension of that philosophy, a bartender can substitute with impunity, if the original recipe is good, and the Cordon Bleu variation will also be good. The mixologist is building on the work started in the vineyards, continued in the distillery and hopefully leading to a successful conclusion in the coupette or tumbler. What started as a game to be played after work has become a serious investigation into the art of flavour combination. The drinks that follow are the initial results, be sure that we will continue to experiment, and we also look forward to hearing about your efforts. The more players, the better the game.

20th Century

20th Century Bartender Cannelle Vigilant Venue The Hawksmoor Guildhall London Author’s note Named after the express train that travelled between NYC and Chicago during most of the 20th century

Original base Spirit Gin Style Straight up & sour Origin C.A. Tuck, 1937, Café Royal, London, UK Cocktail Era Prohibition Ingredients 35ml Cordon Bleu 15ml Lemon juice 15ml Dolin Blanc 10ml Briottet dark Crème de Cacao 2.5ml Sugar syrup Glass Martini Garnish Lemon zest Method Shake well and fine strain into chilled glass

Alexander

Alexander Bartender Jeremy Le Blanche Instagram jeremy_l_b Venue German Gymnasium London

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note Very underrated drink in my opinion

Original base Spirit Gin Style Creamy Origin Unknown, circa 1917 Cocktail Era Pre-Prohibition Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu-infused propolis wax 25ml Homemade Chocolate Wine 10ml Sugar syrup Few dashes Peychaudâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bitters Glass Sazerac Garnish Double cream & almond milk on the side Method Stir well with cubed ice and strain over a rock of ice

Algonquin

Algonquin Bartender Ronan Collins Instagram whiskey4breakfast Venue London

Original base Spirit Rye Whiskey Style Short & fruity Origin Algonquin Hotel, NYC, United States Cocktail Era Prohibition

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note I prefer to use fresh pineapple over pineapple juice, and personally like it better over ice

Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 4 chunks Fresh pineapple 25ml Lillet Blanc 1 dash Peychaudâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bitters Glass Rocks Garnish Pineapple wedge and a cherry Method Shake well and fine strain over cubed ice

Army & Navy

Army & Navy Bartender Bobby Hiddleston Instagram bobbyhiddleston Venue Bar Swift London

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choice

Original base Spirit Gin Style Straight up & sour Origin Army & Navy Club, Washington DC, United States Cocktail Era Prohibition Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 2 dashes Fee Brothers barrel aged bitters 1 dash Orinoco bitters 20ml Fresh lemon juice 25ml House almond orgeat 10ml Amontillado Sherry Glass Coupette Garnish None Method Shake well and fine strain into chilled glass

Interview with the Influencer

Bobby Hiddleston

@bobbyhiddleston

Favourite Cocktail Army & Navy

Interview with the Influencer

Can you please introduce yourself? I am Bobby Hiddleston, Bar Manager and one of the Managing Directors of Bar Swift in Soho, London. What is your story with Martell Cognac & Cordon Bleu in particular? I have always had a soft spot for the brand. It was house pour when I worked at Milk & Honey, and it has been a stalwart ever since. Where, when and how did you first encounter the Cordon Bleu Challenge? My group head bartender at Milk & Honey at the time, Alex Orwin, came in and ordered a Champs Elysées cocktail with Cordon Bleu. I very happily obliged, but as the night went on, every drink his table ordered was requested with a base of Cordon Bleu. Curiosity got the better of me, and he introduced me to the concept of the Cordon Bleu Challenge.

What is your favourite Cordon Bleu Classic? I’m a big fan of the Army & Navy. Historically, a three-ingredient drink with gin, almond and lemon. My recipe plays more on the nutty flavours, which lends itself to Cordon Bleu perfectly. Any advice to young bartenders willing to get involved today? Be a sponge! There is so much information out there these days and so many people willing to teach, we are in a great place in terms of education. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Keep trying new things. Have fun! Anything else you wish to share with us…? If you want to fund a Martell L’Or Challenge, I’m all ears…

Can you describe the bar scene back then? This was in 2010, so not a ridiculous length of time ago, but London was still doing well on a global scale. The general consumer was not as educated as they are today, but there were elements of knowledge creeping into our guests. There were far fewer niche products on the market than there are now.

Avenue Cocktail

Avenue Cocktail Bartender Georgia Billing

Original base Spirit Bourbon

Instagram georgiajulep

Style Straight up & strong

Venue Din Tai Fung London

Author’s note Orange flower water works very well with the floral notes of Cordon Bleu

Origin W.J.Tarling, 1937, Café Royal, London, UK Cocktail Era Modern Ingredients 30ml Cordon Bleu 30ml Calvados 30ml Mango and pineapple purée 5ml Apple cider vinegar 5ml Hazelnut syrup Glass Coupette Garnish Edible flower & orange blossom water spray Method Shake and strain into chilled glass

Aviation

Aviation Bartender Pedro Paulo Instagram ppauloldn Venue One Aldwych London

Author’s note Violet and Cordon Bleu is a match made in heaven

Original base Spirit Gin Style Straight up & sour Origin Unknown, circa 1916 Cocktail Era Pre-Prohibition Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 10ml Crème de Violette 30ml Fresh lemon juice ½ barspoon White sugar 15ml Merlet Cerise Glass Coupette Garnish A cherry and lemon zest Method Shake first four ingredients and fine strain into chilled glass. Drizzle Cerise liqueur on top

Batanga

Batanga Original base Spirit Tequila Style Taste of Mexico Bartender Don Javier Delgado Corona Venue La Capilla Tequila Mexico Author’s note “Los sabores vienen del cuchillo” dixit Don Javier

Origin Don Javier Delgado Corona, 1962, Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico Cocktail Era Tiki! Ingredients Heathly measure of Cordon Bleu Half lime, hand squeezed Pinch of salt Mexican Coca-Cola & Soda water top Glass Chunky Highball Garnish Lime wedge Method Build up with cubed ice and stir with your knife

Between the Sheets

Between the Sheets Bartender Jeremy Le Blanche Instagram jeremy_l_b Venue German Gymnasium London

Original base Spirit Rum Style Straight up & sour Origin Harry MacElhone, circa 1930, Harryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New York Bar, Paris, France Cocktail Era Prohibition Ingredients 45ml Cordon Bleu 15ml Lemon juice 10ml Simple sugar 15ml Dark Rum 35ml Triple Sec Glass Coupette Garnish Two orange peels spray atop the drink & one orange peel spray atop the guestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drinking hand Method Shake and fine strain into chilled glass

Meet the Bartender

Jeremy Le Blanche @jeremy_l_b

Can you please introduce yourself? My name is Jeremy Le Blanche, I am the head mixologist at German Gymnasium in London. I have been working there for two years now. I started as a cocktail bartender and became assistant bar manager after having been promoted to senior and head bartender. I also worked four months at The Gibson in London for Marian Beke, and I think this was the most challenging place I have ever worked at. I never learned as much anywhere else in four months of my life, but for health reasons I had to stop unfortunately. Before moving to London, I used to travel a lot. I worked with Anne-Sophie Pic at the BAR at the Beau Rivage Palace hotel, one of the top three cocktail bars in Switzerland. It was an amazing experience, where I learned and developed myself a lot. Before, I spent a year in Australia, where I had a chance to meet a lot of talented bartenders who taught me some different techniques to work with. In terms of hobbies, I like art, gastronomy and fashion design. During my days off, I like to discover new places, new flavours, new garnishes, new senses. I like to bring those moments to life through my drinks creations, too, they are my inspiration. This is how I built our latest menu at the German Gymnasium, for example. Talking a little more about my current place of work, German Gymnasium is an amazing place. It’s a huge venue spread over two floors. Downstairs you’ll find the Grand Café, serving German craft beers, German wines and nice classic cocktails. Upstairs is the fine dining restaurant and the Meister bar, which is much more focused on mixology, new experiences and new flavours.

What lights you up the most about your job today? What’s your vision for yourself in the hospitality industry? Creativity and new concepts behind the bar is what lights me up the most today. I really like the concept of our cocktail menu, which revolves around the topic of art and fashion. Inspired by how fashion designers or artists such as YSL or Jackson Pollock made a piece of art from a simple dress, we are creating a masterpiece from a simple drink. For me, it’s about reaching perfection in terms of balance, garnish, glassware and, of course, the experience the guest is having with us at the bar. Finally, the vision for myself in the hospitality industry is quite blurry at the moment. What I know for sure is that I am doing what I love, being creative. Then, let’s see what the future holds for me. What is your relationship to Cognac and Cognac in cocktails? First, I discovered the region with Matthias. Such a peaceful place, very relaxing in contrast to London. I enjoyed it a lot and I wouldn’t mind going back at some point. As a Frenchman, of course I like Cognac, Champagne and good products. Cognac for me is the best to finish a nice dinner with. It’s an elegant product, very tasty, luxurious and noble. This is why I like Cognac. If I have to make a drink with Cognac, it has to be a Sazerac or perhaps a Vieux Carré. As a noble product, I don’t want to mix it up with too many ingredients. Few dashes of bitters for balance, tiny touch of sugar, bit of dilution and you are ready to enjoy the moment.

Meet the Bartender

What is your favorite Cognac Classic Cocktail and why? It would be a Sazerac, as I said earlier. Fewer ingredients involved. We are rinsing the glass with liquorice for contrast. It is served very cold without ice to avoid dilution. I like my Sazerac with a lemon peel garnish. To push this cocktail further, we age our Sazerac for six months in American barrels at the Meister Bar. It’s made of a blend of Martell Cordon Bleu, Martell VSOP and Bourbon instead of Rye. There is no need for further dilution, you don’t even need to cool it down. Even served at room temperature, it is an amazing drink with an unexpected woodiness and smoothness. For me, it’s the perfect drink right here! Where, when and how did you first encounter the Cordon Bleu Challenge? It was at the German Gymnasium when Matthias came in with his colleague Fabien

about one year ago. I made a drink crossing the Sazerac and the Brandy Alexander. What Classic cocktail did you choose for the Cordon Bleu Challenge and why? I made a Between the Sheets cocktail. The idea behind it was to sublimate the Martell Cordon Bleu Cognac in a drink from the Prohibition era. I slighted tweaked the specs as I wanted it to be more on the sour side. Anything else you wish to share with us…? The only thing I would like to say is thank you to Matthias for this amazing experience. Thank you to him for the trip to Cognac, he looked after us very well. The dinner was absolutely amazing, so was the distillery tour. I keep a lot of very good memories.

Big Appleberry

Big Appleberry Bartender Michael Butt

Original base Spirit Cognac

Instagram buttmichael

Style Long & fruity

Venue Soulshakers London

Origin Match W1, London, UK

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note Upgraded version of the original recipe made with Reserve de Martell

Cocktail Era Modern Ingredients 60ml Cordon Bleu 5 Red grapes 3 Raspberries 1 Blackberry 1 string of Redcurrants (Depending on the fruits, 5-10ml of Simple syrup) 60ml Apple juice Glass Sling Garnish Some of the fruits Method Shake well and strain over cubed ice

Interview with the Influencer

Michael Butt

@buttmichael

Favourite Cocktail Big Appleberry

Interview with the Influencer

Can you please introduce yourself? My name is Michael Butt. Along with my long-time friend and colleague Giles Looker, I run a bar consultancy and events company called Soulshakers. I fell in love with hospitality during my very first shift behind the bar after an abbreviated sojourn at university studying law. I worked for a couple of years in Leeds and then set off to London to seek my fortune. I am still looking… What is your story with Martell Cognac & Cordon Bleu in particular? The bar where I worked in Leeds, although great fun was not particularly high end. The Cognac list started at Courvoisier VS and finished at Remy Martin VSOP, with nothing in between. When I moved to London in 2000, after an extremely short and painful time in a premium mainstream venue, the late and unlamented Bar38, I got a job at the also late Match W1 on Margaret St, at that time one of the very best bars in London. In the speedrail was Reserve de Martell, a sadly discontinued ‘mixing Cognac’ made with eaux-de-vie from Borderies. I loved the stuff, particularly for its ability to provide backbone to softer fruit-led cocktails without overpowering. As a particular example, we had two drinks on the list at the time: the Big Mak and the Big Appleberry. Two fruity drinks, the Mak was with Maker’s Mark, the Appleberry with Reserve de Martell, both popular and tasty, but it always felt that the Bourbon was either fighting to make its presence felt or stridently overpowering, depending only on tiny variations in spec. The Cognac cocktail, however, was much more forgiving, adding an extra 10ml was less a change of balance but an increase in amplification. The team and I sold lots of the stuff, so when Martell invited a number of bartenders to compete in a competition in their Chateau, which was quite a novel idea in those days, we made up the bulk of the invited entries.

We flew to France on a 12-seater turboprop, and spent the first day of our trip having our eyes opened to the magic of the whole production and ageing process; tasting pre-phylloxera eaux-de-vie in Paradis, and trying our hands at blending eaux-de-vie together. We also got to taste l’Art de Martell and Martell L’Or; in fact, if I close my eyes I can still taste L’Or now! When discussing the distilleries output with the staff and tasters it was clear that there was a favourite – Cordon Bleu. We had always tried to sell the XOs of various houses in their fancy bottles as the ultimate (before spending silly money on Louis XIII or the like). After repeated tastings that evening, we began to agree with them. The next day had both highs and lows. The competition happened, which is important for our story. The winner was Paul Van Heerden with his drink ‘Thanks for the bottle of Cognac’. His recipe was a Cosmopolitan with some of the Cointreau replaced with passion fruit syrup and the vodka replaced with Cordon Bleu. It was delicious and planted a seed. We then headed out to the town for ‘a few drinks’, which ended up in a conversation with the local Gendarmes about an underdressed excursion in the town fountain and later an ill-advised fire back in the chateau, the effects of which were to convince Martell to NEVER bring UK bartenders to stay. Our chagrined journey home was made even more punishing by huge storms throwing our minibus-withwings all over the sky. We already felt like death from hangovers, but we came pretty close to actually meeting it on that journey home. Where, when and how did you first encounter the Cordon Bleu Challenge? In your case, how did you start it all? On my return to work, listening to Paul crowing about victory, the idea behind the Cordon Bleu challenge began to crystallise.

Interview with the Influencer

Our rejoinder to Paul was of course that he hadn’t really invented a new cocktail, just taken a successful recipe and substituted the sponsor’s product to win the competition. We also got to taste the drink. It was (and is) delicious! We soon started making Cordon Bleu drinks as premium versions of the brandy cocktails on the list, primarily the Big Appleberry – a CB Appleberry would be my death-row drink, but also Sidecars and importantly for the challenge, CB Harvards, which we would recommend in preference to Manhattans. This substitution became the basis for the Cordon Bleu challenge. Simply put: “There is no drink that is not improved by the substitution of its main ingredient with Martell Cordon Bleu.” At the time, staff had the ability to buy spirits at the bar for cost price for ‘experimental’ purposes, and more than a few bottles of Cordon Bleu were purchased to challenge the rule. Espresso Martinis and Irish Coffees? Check. Brambles and Hedgerow Slings? Check. Even a Cordon Colada or two. We are still searching… Can you describe the bar scene back then? The early 2000s were the true beginnings of the modern cocktail renaissance; the time when all the pieces required to create fault-free cocktails were assembled. Of course, there were great bars before this – one of the most important pieces of the puzzle was the critical mass of professional bartenders who had begun bartending in the 90s and found it a satisfying career. But the citrus juice was still bought in, bars had stale vermouth and inadequate ice machines and glassware freezers. Dale DeGroff’s seminal ‘Craft of the Cocktail’ was probably the starting gun for the movement in the UK, backed up with a preservice charge reliance on tips and a number of bar owners who had come to the industry with fresh ideas and a willingness to invest.

What is your favourite Cordon Bleu Classic? Big Appleberry, but I also love Cordon Bleu Harvards, Soul Happinesses, Mai Tais, Straight up sours, Pink Ladies, Clover clubs, Irish coffees, Espresso Martinis, St. Lawrences, Sazeracs and many more… Any advice to young bartenders willing to get involved today? The Cordon Bleu Challenge is the perfect way to become a better bartender. Far too much emphasis is placed on creativity in the bar world today. Bartenders should consider themselves blessed if they invent even a couple of truly fantastic drinks over their whole career. The process of researching other people’s recipes that have stood the test of time, deciding which ones would work especially well with a particular spirit and then making them absolutely perfectly is the essence of modern professional bartending. I find that using an expensive spirit like Cordon Bleu focuses the mind, ensuring that the drink made has no avoidable technical errors. It also encourages a rigour in the choice of other ingredients; it is a crime to sully the Cognac with inferior spirits. Anything else you wish to share with us…? A toast to, and with, one of the finest creations of man – Martell Cordon Bleu.

Bijou

Bijou Bartender Shaun Teeluck

Original base Spirit Gin

Instagram shaunyteeluck

Style Short & strong

Venue 34 Mayfair London

Origin C.F. Lawor, 1895, The Mixicologist Cocktail Era Golden

Author’s note Named the ‘Ultimate Bijou’ for the occasion

Ingredients 30ml Cordon Bleu 30ml La Quintinye Vermouth Rouge 20ml Green Chartreuse 2 dashes Orange bitters Glass Tulip Garnish Orange twist Method Stir and strain into chilled glass

Meet the Bartender

Shaun Teeluck @shaunyteeluck

What lights you up the most about your job today? What’s your vision for yourself in the hospitality industry? I love my job. I have a very strong, talented team who put a lot of effort and charisma into their work. Helping my team progress gives me great satisfaction. As for myself, I would like to open something in the near future, it would be something very simple but market effective. What is your relationship to Cognac and Cognac in cocktails? I do work with Cognac in cocktails. We have two cocktails in our current menu, which features a twist on a Manhattan with Cognac called ‘We Bear News from Waterloo’, and we also have a Vieux Carré using Martell Cordon Bleu. Cognac is a very particular spirit, which leads you to create a cocktail that inherits its characteristics.

Can you please introduce yourself? My name is Shaun, I’m the Bar Manager at 34 Restaurant in Grosvenor Square. I’m always intrigued with new trends on the bar scene, mixology and exciting products. I was born in London, with a very mixed background, including Mauritian from my dad’s side. I’m engaged to a wonderful woman called Paulina, and thanks to her we tend to do a lot of travelling together. We have been to some incredible places such as Havana and all around Thailand.

What is your favourite Cognac Classic Cocktail and why? My favourite classic cocktail that features Cognac is the East India No.1. I think it’s a complex drink with a lot of flavour and texture that is perfect for the consistent Cognac drinker. Where, when and how did you first encounter the Cordon Bleu Challenge? I went to Cognac with a group of incredible individuals from many different backgrounds and bars across London. We had pretty much a day to create a cocktail as part of the Cordon Bleu challenge. It was a lot of fun.

Meet the Bartender

What Classic cocktail did you choose for the Cordon Bleu Challenge and why? I chose to do a Twist on a ‘Bijou’. As bijou means jewels in French, there is a link between jewellery. In 2012, Martell celebrated 100 years since Eduard Martell released the iconic Martell Cordon Bleu. The celebration was held at the House of Bucheron, which is one of the oldest Parisian Jewellery Houses in France. The Ultimate Jewel was launched there. It is a Martell Cordon Bleu in a one-pieced iconic bottle. I loved the Luciole Bar, and luckily they had the ingredients I was looking for.

Anything else you wish to share with us…? This was one of the best experiences of my life. A massive thank you to Pernod Ricard for giving me the chance to visit one of the best Cognac houses in France.

Billionaire

Billionaire Bartender Ivan Villegas Instagram ivanivan Venue Bar Swift London

Original base Spirit Bourbon Style Straight up & sour Origin Dushan Zaric, Employees Only, NYC, United States Cocktail Era Modern Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 15ml Apricot Brandy 15ml Pomegranate juice 20ml Fresh lime juice Glass Coupette Garnish None Method Shake well and fine strain into chilled glass

Bleu Lagoon

Bleu Lagoon Original base Spirit Gin & Vodka Style Blue! Bartender Jean Dupont

Author’s note No comment!

Origin Andy MacElhone, 1960, Harry’s New York Bar, Paris, France Cocktail Era Disco, obvs! Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Fresh lime juice 25ml Blue Curaçao 25ml Sugar syrup Glass Hurricane Garnish Orange slice Method Blend together with crushed ice and pour into chilled glass

Blood & Sand

Blood & Sand Bartender Carina Jolly

Original base Spirit Scotch Whisky

Instagram creative-cari23

Style Straight up & strong

Venue Mojo Liverpool

Origin 1922 for the launch of the Rudolph Valentino film ‘Blood and Sand’ Cocktail Era Prohibition

Author’s note A Scotch lovers’ favourite

Ingredients 35ml Cordon Bleu 12.5ml Buckfast tonic 12.5ml Cherry Heering 25ml Fresh orange juice 2 dashes Orange bitters Glass Coupette Garnish Orange zest Method Stir well with cubed ice and strain into chilled glass

Bloody Mary

Bloody Mary Bartender John Flynn Instagram johnflynn16 Venue The Arts Club London

Original base Spirit Vodka Style Long & spicy Origin Fernand Petiot, 1920, Harryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New York Bar, Paris, France Cocktail Era Prohibition

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note Possibly one of the most surprising cocktails I have had to date!

Ingredients 45ml Cordon Bleu 12.5ml Ancho Reyes 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce Half drop Chocolate bitters Glass Coupette Garnish Orange zest Method Stir well with cubed ice and strain into chilled glass

Boulevardier

Boulevardier Bartender Miles Watson

Original base Spirit Bourbon

Instagram spitalfieldsbar

Style Short & strong

Venue The Hawksmoor Spitalfields London

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note The Boulevardier calls for a larger amount of base spirit compared to the Negroni

Origin Harry MacElhone, circa 1922, Harryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New York Bar, Paris, France Cocktail Era Prohibition Ingredients 40ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Cocci di Torino 20ml Campari Glass Rocks Garnish Cherry & orange zest Method Stir well with cubed ice and strain over a rock of ice

Bramble

Bramble Bartender Jean Dupont

Original base Spirit Gin Style Short & fruity

Author’s note A true modern Classic

Origin Dick Bradsell, circa 1980, Fred’s Club, London, UK Cocktail Era Disco Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Lemon juice 15ml Sugar syrup 10ml Crème de Mûre Glass Rocks Garnish Float Crème de Mûre on top & blackberry Method Build up first three ingredients with crushed ice and swizzle

Brandy Crusta

Brandy Crusta Bartender Dominic North Instagram the_artful_bartender Venue Sexy Fish London

Original base Spirit Cognac Style Zingy & sour Origin Joseph Santina, 1852, Jewel of the South, New Orleans, United States Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 15ml Fresh lemon juice 15ml Cointreau 5ml Maraschino Liqueur 2.5ml Sugar cane syrup 1 dash Angostura Glass Champagne flute Garnish Sugar crusta & lemon peel Method Shake well and fine strain into chilled glass

Breakfast Martini

Breakfast Martini Bartender Jean Dupont

Original base Spirit Gin Style Straight & Marmalady

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note Bonjour, bonjour...!

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choice

Origin Salvatore Calabrese, 1996, The Lanesborough, London, UK Cocktail Era Modern Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Fresh lemon juice 5 Sugar syrup 1 spoon of Bonne Maman orange marmalade Glass Martini Garnish Croissant on the side Method Shake and fine strain into chilled glass

Bronx

Bronx Bartender Jean Dupont

Original base Spirit Gin Style Straight up & strong Origin Johnny Solon, 1906, Waldorf Astoria, New York, United States Cocktail Era Pre-Prohibition Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Dolin Blanc Vermouth 25ml Dolin Rouge Vermouth 20ml Fresh orange juice Glass Coupette Garnish Orange twist & cherry Method Stir well and strain into chilled glass

Brooklyn

Brooklyn Bartender Cristian Tobă

Original base Spirit Bourbon

Instagram cristian.toba

Style Straight up & strong

Venue The Luggage Room London Author’s note Named ‘Bleuklyn’ for the occasion, as it should be

Origin St George, circa 1908, New York, United States Cocktail Era Pre-Prohibition Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 15ml Lillet Blanc 2.5ml Amer Picon 2.5ml Maraschino Liqueur 1 dash Angostura bitters 1 dash Orange bitters Glass Nick & Nora Garnish Lemon oils and skewered cherry Method Stir well with a rock of ice and strain into chilled glass

Meet the Bartender

Cristian TobÄ&#x192; @cristian.toba

Meet the Bartender

What lights you up the most about your job today? What’s your vision for yourself in the hospitality industry? The challenges that I face every day being at work and the fact that I can experiment with different ingredients for new drinks. I would like to bring some new knowledge into the hospitality industry in Romania and, maybe someday, have my own little bar back home. What is your relationship to Cognac and Cognac in cocktails? I do appreciate a fine Cognac, and my preferred style of Cognac drinks is stirred as I like how the flavours open up with a bit of dilution. I do like a well-made Sidecar, too. Can you please introduce yourself? My name is Cristian. I was born and bred in the beautiful city of Drobeta Turnu-Severin, on the Danube river in the south-west of Romania. When I came to London in 2013, my first job was with an agency as waiting staff. I started as an event waiter, and because I wanted to learn more about the industry, I became a wine waiter and bar staff (doing mainly spirits and mixers, wine, beer etc.). Soon after that, I decided to look for a new challenge. I applied for a barback position at Luggage Room and I fell in love with the art of making good drinks. One year later, I was offered the opportunity to be a junior bartender and gladly accepted it. It’s been a long journey so far, but I've loved every bit of it. Now I’m the Senior Bartender at the Luggage Room, and I’m very proud of it. As for interests and hobbies, I like reading about technology and spend my days off (when I do have the time) trying new video games and watching Superhero TV shows (other than trying new bars around London). An interesting fact about myself would be that I studied translation and interpretation of English-French-Romanian back home, and I graduated with a good enough grade (I cannot speak French, though).

What is your favourite Cognac Classic Cocktail and why? My favourite Cognac Classic cocktail has to be an all Cognac Sazerac, preferably with Martell Cordon Bleu. Where, when and how did you first encounter the Cordon Bleu Challenge? It happened when Matthias came to the Luggage Room and introduced me to it. I was excited because it was a new challenge for me. What Classic cocktail did you choose for the Cordon Bleu Challenge and why? I chose the Brooklyn, a Classic cocktail first mentioned in 1908 in ‘Jack’s Manual’ by Jacob A. Grohusko. Martell Cordon Bleu launched in 1912, four years later. Put the two together and you get yourself a Bleuklyn. The combination of Cordon Bleu, Lillet Blanc, Maraschino and Amer Picon makes this an elegant, timeless libation perfect for any occasion. Anything else you wish to share with us…? Just thank you for taking the time to read my story and… Santé!

Caipirinha

Caipirinha Bartender Jean Dupont

Original base Spirit Cachaรงa Style Short & refreshing Origin Do Brazil! Cocktail Era Unknown Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 15ml Sugar syrup 4 Lime wedges Glass Rocks Garnish Lime wedge Method Muddle lime wedges with sugar, add Cordon Bleu and swizzle with crushed ice

Champagne cocktail

Champagne cocktail Bartender Christian Teducci Instagram chri190 Venue China Tang London Author’s note My favourite way to start an evening in style!

Original base Spirit Cognac Style Zingy & bubbly Origin First record in Jerry Thomas, 1862, ‘How to Mix Drinks’ Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 5ml Sugar syrup 5ml Green Chartreuse 4 dashes Peychaud’s bitters Perrier Jouët Grand Brut Champagne top Glass Flute Garnish None Method Stir first four ingredients with cubed ice and strain into chilled glass. Top up with Champagne

Champs Elysées

Champs Elysées Bartender Swanand Korgaonkar

Original base Spirit Cognac

Instagram swanand78

Style Boozy & sour

Venue China Tang London

Origin Unknown

Author’s note Named after the famous French avenue in Paris

Cocktail Era Unknown Ingredients 45ml Cordon Bleu 15ml Green Chartreuse 12.5ml Caster sugar 20ml Fresh lemon juice 3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters Glass Coupette Garnish Lemon twist Method Shake and strain into chilled glass

Clover Club

Clover Club Bartender Robert Wood Instagram bonvivantbartender Venue 18/81 Birmingham

Author’s note Without a shadow of a doubt, my favourite sour to make… and drink!

Original base Spirit Gin Style Fruity & sour Origin Paul E. Lowe, 1909, ‘Drinks - How to Mix and Serve’ Cocktail Era Pre-Prohibition Ingredients 40ml Cordon Bleu 10ml Rubis red wine & chocolate 15ml Fresh lemon 10ml Black mission fig & miraville raspberry oxymel (figs, honey, raspberry, RWV) Glass LSA Port Garnish 70% Chocolate Method Shake and strain into chilled glass

Collins

Collins Bartender Jean Dupont

Original base Spirit Gin Style Long & refreshing

Author’s note My go-to Cognac apéritif. Simple, yet sophisticated

Author’s choice

Origin John Collins, circa 1800, Limmer’s Hotel, London, UK Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Fresh lemon juice 15ml Sugar syrup Soda water top Glass Highball Garnish Lemon slice Method Build up over cubed ice and stir

Corpse Reviver #2

Corpse Reviver #2 Bartender Gabor Onufer Instagram gabor.onufer Venue Claridges London

Author’s note “Four of these taken in swift succession will unrevive the corpse again” dixit Harry Craddock

Original base Spirit Gin Style Straight up & sour Origin 1930, ‘The Savoy Cocktail Book’, London, UK Cocktail Era Prohibition Ingredients 25ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Fresh lemon juice 25ml Italicus 25ml Homemade Vin d’Orange 2 dashes Red vineyard peach & hop bitters Glass Coupette Garnish Galliano spray Method Shake well and fine strain into chilled glass

Cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan Bartender Paul Van Heerden Venue London

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note The very drink that planted the seed of the Cordon Bleu Challenge on a sunny day in 2001 in Cognac!

Original base Spirit Absolut Citron Vodka Style Pink & sour Origin Cheryl Cook, 1980s, The Strand, South Beach, Miami, United States Cocktail Era Disco Ingredients 40ml Cordon Bleu 15ml Cointreau 15ml Fresh lime juice 25ml Cranberry juice 10ml Passion fruit syrup Glass Coupette Garnish Flamed orange twist Method Shake and fine strain into chilled glass

Daiquiri

Daiquiri Bartender Tim Stones

Original base Spirit Rum

Instagram stones_tim

Style Straight up & sour

Venue Sydney Australia

Author’s note This is a twist on a Dry Daiquiri to be precise. A modern cocktail created by Kevin Armstrong in 2007 while working for Match Group

Origin Jennings Cox, 1896, Santiago, Cuba Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Fresh lime juice 10ml Campari 15ml Sugar syrup 1 dash Passion fruit syrup Glass Coupette Garnish None Method Shake well and fine strain into chilled glass

Interview with the Influencer

Tim Stones

@stones_tim

Favourite Cocktail Daiquiri

Interview with the Influencer

Can you please introduce yourself? I’m Tim Stones. I’m a former bartender and have been lucky enough to work in some wonderful bars, most notably LAB and Trailer Happiness in London. I spent the best part of eight years as the Global Brand Ambassador for Beefeater Gin, and nearly two years ago I moved to Australia and am now the Head Distiller at Manly Spirits Co. in Sydney, where I make Gin, Whiskey and liqueurs. What is your story with Martell Cognac & Cordon Bleu in particular? I was always aware of the existence of Martell as a brand, but I didn’t come across Martell Cordon Bleu until I started working at LAB in 2003. Reserve de Martell was our house pour and it was frankly f***ing delicious. We drank quite a lot of it as shots if I remember correctly. But Cordon Bleu was on the backbar, and I remember tasting it and being very impressed with it. I was never a Cognac fan, ever, until I came across Reserve de Martell and Cordon Bleu. Johnny Hunter, our rep from Pernod Ricard, was in Lab one evening and we were talking about Cordon Bleu. I don’t know how it came about, but I ended up coming up with a drink for Johnny called the Hunter Old-Fashioned. It was an Old-Fashioned made with brown sugar syrup, Cordon Bleu and a drop of Chartreuse Elixir instead of bitters. It remains one of the better drinks I have created. I ended up showcasing this drink at one of the old London Bar shows in a bit of a competition about twists on Classics versus completely new drinks. I think it went down pretty well. I’ve always been a keen cook, and Cordon Bleu started to feature at the end of a nice meal. It has become one of my favourite spirits, and this is coming from someone who genuinely didn’t like Cognac at all.

Where, when and how did you first encounter the Cordon Bleu Challenge? I may be wrong, and that has been known to happen, but I seem to recall that it was myself and James Wynn-Williams, a.k.a. Dub Dub, who came up with the Cordon Bleu Challenge. I heard different stories over the years, but to my mind we were the guys who started it. Dubs and I were working at Trailer Happiness, which back then was part of Match Group, and for reasons I never fully understood, there had been a fairly large stock transfer of Martell Cordon Bleu from Milk & Honey over to Trailer. I got an e-mail from my boss saying that the stock was being transferred over and I was to sell it. One quiet early weeknight at Trailer, there was only a couple of customers in and we were a bit bored. I said to James, “We’ve got all this Martell Cordon Bleu that I’ve been told to get rid of. Shall we make some drinks with it?” I think the first drink we tried was a Piña Colada. We made a pretty decent Piña Colada down at Trailer, and it was actually pretty tasty with Cordon Bleu. A few of those later, we decided to try it in a Cosmo or possibly a Dry Daiquiri. I can’t quite remember which one it was. Anyway, we stuck it in a couple of drinks and it was pretty tasty. We started to wonder what other cocktails can we put this very expensive Cognac in and see if it works. So we ended up doing Daiquiris, Piña Coladas, Cosmos, Sex on the Beach, basically anything a bit cheesy and disco. Lo and behold it worked in every single drink and it was delicious. So we agreed that Martell Cordon Bleu makes any cocktail even better than it was before. And from what I can remember, it kind of grew from there. Over the years, I have heard other people saying that they came up with the concept, and that may be true. It may have been a light bulb moment for a few people at a similar time. Just a bit of synchronicity. But as I remember it, it was a drunken bored night at Trailer for me and Dub Dub.

Interview with the Influencer

Can you describe the bar scene back then? Man, my memory of this time is super hazy, but this was kind of the heyday of the Milk & Honey vibe, and smaller, intimate venues were paving the way for the likes of Happiness Forgets. We’d generally moved away from the fruity concoctions of the late 90s and early 2000s, and were understanding and using spirits a lot better. Molecular Mixology (an awful term) was moving away from foams and gels and into something you’d recognise as a drink. The whole ‘World’s Best Bars, Tales of the Cocktails’ thing was in its nascence and social media had yet to properly take hold. People still cared about what Ben Reed had to say (Love you, Ben!). ‘Startending’ wasn’t a thing. Drinks were more spirit-led, drinking habits were moving towards the ‘drink less but better’ side of things and people were taking cocktails a bit more seriously. That’s why the Cordon Bleu Challenge was quite funny because I felt we were taking a piss a little bit. We were taking this delicious, expensive Cognac that would normally be savoured in a brandy balloon, and stuck it with Coco Lopez and pineapple. What is your favourite Cordon Bleu Classic? I think the Dry Daiquiri was my favourite Cordon Bleu twist. Any advice to young bartenders willing to get involved today? I think older Cognacs still suffer a bit from the idea that they must be revered and only enjoyed on their own, and this prevents people from mixing with it. It’s a wonderful, complex spirit that mixes really well, so my advice is to screw the stuffed shirt brigade and mix it with whatever the hell you want. Anything else you wish to share with us…? When mixing drinks, if in doubt, go full disco.

Daisy

Daisy Bartender Luca Ponte Instagram lucaponte2910 Venue Claridges London

Author’s note Named the ‘Martell Daisy’ for the occasion

Original base Spirit Any Style Straight up & sour Origin Unknown Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 45ml Cordon Bleu 10ml Orange Curaçao 10ml Almond syrup 25ml Lemon juice Soda top Glass Coupette Garnish None Method Shake and strain into chilled glass. Top up gently with Soda water

Meet the Bartender

Luca Ponte @lucaponte2910

Can you please introduce yourself? I’m Luca, originally from Italy, where my interest in hospitality began. I moved to London in my late 20’s with the aim of improving my knowledge. In the UK, I’ve worked at The Connaught hotel and Claridge’s, and have to say I’ve been very lucky to have such opportunities. I am a wine lover (I have to finish my sommelier degree!) looking forward to the next challenge in my career. I’m eager to continue studying, you never really stop learning! What lights you up the most about your job today? What’s your vision for yourself in the hospitality industry? I like to keep myself busy, there are so many things to learn and do nowadays. Especially as this city is an amazing place to make contact with new people, reality and products everyday. Sharing knowledge, comparing with others is something that always really excites me and keeps alive the love I have for this job. I see myself as an eternal student, progressing my career, though without losing passion in the process. What is your relationship to Cognac and Cognac in cocktails? I like Cognac a lot. It is a refined spirit and one of the most noble we have in Europe. I don’t work with it a lot, just for some Classic and signature drinks from our menu. I love the Classic drinks, and whenever possible we always try to suggest them to our customers. My favourite are sours and punches! Cognac is very versatile and never lets you down with its versatile flavours and capacity to adapt in cocktails.

What is your favourite Cognac Classic Cocktail and why? I have two! Sidecar is a must, but the Vieux Carré has always been my Cognac cocktail. Where, when and how did you first encounter the Cordon Bleu Challenge? To be honest, I found out at the end of my trip to Cognac with the other fellas. I knew we were about to do some cocktails but not in a challenge kind of set up. It was back in March 2018, a very nice trip indeed. I loved it and the cocktail challenge was easygoing, some bartenders came up with very good ideas! What Classic cocktail did you choose for the Cordon Bleu Challenge and why? I chose the Daisy cocktail and called it Martell Daisy. It is a Classic cocktail from a very long time ago. I wanted to play easy with the classic ingredients: a citrus juice, a sweet part etc. and the Daisy was perfect. It worked well even if I didn’t win! I was happy with my creation. Anything else you wish to share with us…? I enjoyed the trip a lot and the time I had in Cognac, which is such a beautiful small town. I hope that with this book the word of Martell and his method will spread more fun around the world. It really deserves to be tasted because it is one of the most refined and elegant Cognacs. As a bartender, I will do my very best to make this happen. Thanks!

Meet the Bartender

Dark ‘n’ Stormy

Dark ‘n’ Stormy Bartender Jean Dupont

Original base Spirit Dark Rum Style Long & spicy Origin Bermuda Cocktail Era Unknown Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Fresh lime juice 10ml Sugar syrup Ginger beer top Glass Rocks Garnish Lime wedge Method Shake first three ingredients and strain over cubed ice. Top up with Ginger beer

El Diablo

El Diablo Bartender Joe Wild

Original base Spirit Tequila

Instagram wild5507

Style Long & fruity

Venue Liverpool

Origin California, circa 1940s Cocktail Era Tiki Ingredients 35ml Cordon Bleu 5ml Fresh lime juice 10ml CrĂ¨me de Cassis Ginger ale top Glass Highball Garnish Mint sprig and a blackberry Method Build up the first two ingredients with cubed ice, top up with Ginger ale and drizzle CrĂ¨me de Cassis on top

El Presidente #3

El Presidente #3 Bartender James Hawkins

Original base Spirit Rum

Instagram jjhawkins94

Style Straight up & strong

Venue Sexy Fish London

Origin Victor Bergeron, 1972, ‘Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide’ Cocktail Era Tiki Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Noilly Prat Original 10ml Cointreau 2.5ml Grenadine 1 drop Lavender bitters 1 drop Sweet violet droplets (Javier de las Muelas) Glass Coupette Garnish Lemon zest Method Stir well with cubed ice and strain into chilled glass

Espresso Martini

Espresso Martini Bartender Eleonora Biason

Original base Spirit Vodka

Instagram elebiaely

Style Straight up & frothy

Venue Scarfes Bar at The Rosewood London Author’s note Shall “wake you up and f**k you up”

Origin Dick Bradsell, 1983, Soho Brasserie, London, UK Cocktail Era Disco Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 40ml Coco coffee 15ml Cherry Liqueur ½ barspoon Brown sugar Glass Coupette Garnish Grated tonka bean Method Shake well and fine strain into chilled glass

Fish House Punch

Fish House Punch Bartender Matthias Lataille Instagram sanmatthias Venue London

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note I love Cognac punches, and the Fish House Punch is a great place to start when playing around with Cognac

Original base Spirit Cognac Style Punch Origin State of Schuylkill social club, 1732, Philadelphia, United States Cocktail Era Pre-Golden Ingredients 35ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Havana Club 7 15ml CrĂ¨me de Figues 20ml Fresh lemon juice 5ml Sugar syrup 10ml Chilled water Glass Wine Garnish Orange slice Method Stir well and strain over cubed ice

Flying Grasshopper

Flying Grasshopper Bartender Nathan Shearer Instagram nathanshearer159 Venue Bar Swift London

Original base Spirit Vodka Style Creamy Origin Circa 1912, Tujague, New Orleans, United States Cocktail Era Golden to disco

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choice

Ingredients 40ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Cream 25ml Cacao 25ml Denim Glass Nick & Nora Garnish Grated nutmeg Method Shake well and fine strain into chilled glass

French 75

French 75 Bartender Matthias Lataille Instagram sanmatthias Venue London

Original base Spirit Gin Style Fresh & bubbly Origin MacGarry, circa 1925, Buck’s Club, London, UK Cocktail Era Prohibition

Author’s note One for Champagne cocktail lovers

Ingredients 35ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Freshly squeezed lemon juice 10ml 2:1 Sugar syrup 5 drops White balsamic vinegar Champagne top Glass Flute Garnish Lemon twist Method Shake first three ingredients and strain into chilled glass. Top up with Champagne

French Martini

French Martini Bartender Joe Hall

Original base Spirit Vodka

Instagram joehall93

Style Straight up & sour

Venue Satan’s Whiskers London

Author’s note Named the ‘Dench Martini’

Origin 1980s, New York, United States Cocktail Era Disco Ingredients 25ml Cordon Bleu 40ml Fresh pineapple juice 25ml Chambord Glass Coupette Garnish Raspberry Method Shake and strain into chilled glass

Gimlet

Gimlet Bartender Jean Dupont

Original base Spirit Gin Style Short & strong

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note What makes the drink for me are the lime oils sitting on top

Origin A long, long time ago on British ships Cocktail Era Pre-golden Ingredients 60ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Roseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lime cordial Glass Nick & Nora Garnish Lime zest Method Stir with cubed ice and strain into chilled glass

Greenpoint

Greenpoint Bartender Richie Lear

Original base Spirit Rye Whiskey

Venue The Hawksmoor Manchester

Style Straight up & strong Origin Milk & Honey, 2000s, New York, United States Cocktail Era Modern Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 10ml Yellow Chartreuse 10 Punt e Mes 10ml Cocci di Torino 2 dashes Angostura Glass Coupette Garnish Lemon zest Method Stir with cubed ice and strain into chilled glass

Hanky Panky

Hanky Panky Bartender Maxim Schulte

Original base Spirit Gin

Instagram maximschulte

Style Straight up & strong

Venue American Bar at The Savoy London

Author’s note A drink that always tastes better when one drinks it at The American Bar at The Savoy

Origin Ada ‘Coley’ Coleman, 1900s, The American Bar at The Savoy, London, UK Cocktail Era Pre-Prohibition Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Cocchi Sweet Vermouth 20ml Cocchi Dry Vermouth 10ml Fernet Branca Glass Coupette Garnish Orange twist Method Stir well with cubed ice and strain into chilled glass

Hedgerow Sling

Hedgerow Sling Bartender Jean Dupont

Original base Spirit Gin Style Long & fruity

Author’s note Easy drinking, yet complex

Origin Spike Marchant, circa 1999, Alphabet, London, UK Cocktail Era Modern Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Plymouth Sloe Gin 25ml Fresh lemon juice 15ml Sugar syrup Soda water top and Crème de Mûre lace Glass Catalina Garnish Lemon slice & blackberry Method Build with cubed ice and cap shake. Top with crushed ice and soda water. Lace 15ml Crème de Mûre on top

Horse’s Neck with a Kick

Horse’s Neck with a Kick Bartender Dub Dub Instagram iamdubdub Venue Proof and Company Australia

Author’s note Apparently it tastes like Dr Pepper!

Original base Spirit Bourbon or Cognac Style Long & refreshing Origin 1910s Cocktail Era Pre-Prohibition Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu Red Bull top Glass Highball Garnish None Method Build up with cubed ice and stir

Interview with the Influencer

James Marcel Bernard Chew WynnWilliams

@iamdubdub

Favourite Cocktail Horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Neck with a Kick

Interview with the Influencer

Can you please introduce yourself? My parents gave me a stupidly long name, getting married only made it longer. One of the first chefs I work with shortened my initials to Dub Dub. I grew up in Christchurch, New Zealand, and moved to London in 2007, where somehow I managed to get a gig at Trailer Happiness before working at All Star Lanes as the Group Bar Executive. Since leaving the UK in 2013, I had a good stint working for Bacardi in Sydney and recently made a shift to Proof and Company as they expand into Australia. What is your story with Martell Cognac & Cordon Bleu in particular? When I moved to London, my mind was getting blown by the range of spirits that was available compared to my native New Zealand. Martell Noblige was our house pour at Trailer Happiness when I started but there was a stock pile of Cordon Bleu that was stored underneath the booth seating. Apparently, it was bonus stock given to Milk and Honey and someone thought it would be safer if it was stored at Trailer Happiness, because all the staff drank rum… right? This stockpile was never counted in the weekly stocktakes and quickly became a go-to for staff drinks. Where, when and how did you first encounter the Cordon Bleu Challenge? Honestly, I have no idea! As a kid who was used to drinking New Zealand double measures of 30ml of spirit, the London serves of 50ml really messed up my recollection of the 2007-10 period. I know for sure that Tim Stones and I had a really good crack at it on slow Monday and Tuesday nights, so he was already versed in

the challenge. I can remember having long chats about how any drink could be improved if you subbed out the base spirit for Cordon Bleu and experimenting at length on this theory. Speaking with Tim, he tried to credit me with introducing the challenge to him. Man, those were some long nights! Can you describe the bar scene back then? To me, London was so exciting and new, just seeing cantilever bar stations that were built for making cocktails by volume blew my mind. Bars like The Player and Match just had a cool factor, and the world hadn’t discovered craft distilleries yet. What is your favourite Cordon Bleu Classic? Cordon Bleu and Redbull…. It tasted like Dr Pepper! Any advice to young bartenders willing to get involved today? Cordon Bleu and Lucozade doesn’t work even if saying “Cordon Bleucozade” sounds good. Also, get an understanding of how unrecorded experimentation of Cognac cocktails can mess up a weekly GP result and don’t ruin your owner’s profits. Anything else you wish to share with us…? If you see me in a bar past midnight, please send me home. I am old now.

Hotel Nacional

Hotel Nacional Bartender Gabriel Goma Venue The Hawksmoor Borough London

Original base Spirit Rum Style Straight up & sour Origin William P. Taylor, 1930s, Hotel Nacional, Havana, Cuba Cocktail Era Prohibition Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Fresh lemon 15ml Apricot Brandy 15ml Pineapple syrup 2 Pineapple wedges Glass Coupette Garnish None Method Shake and fine strain into chilled glass

Hurricane

Hurricane Bartender Jean Dupont

Original base Spirit Rum Style Strong & refreshing

Author’s note The origin of Tiki

Origin 1939, Hurricane bar, New York, United States Cocktail Era Tiki Ingredients 60ml Cordon Bleu 10ml Wray & Nephew 30ml Fresh orange juice 30ml Passion fruit purée 15ml Grenadine 15ml Sugar syrup 15ml Fresh lime juice Glass Hurricane Garnish Burnt umbrella Method Shake and strain over crushed ice

Irish Coffee

Irish Coffee Original base Spirit Irish Whiskey Bartender Eimear Dane Instagram jameson_london Venue London

Author’s note Can’t beat the French touch!

Style Hot & delicious Origin Joe Sheridan, 1942, Foynes Airport Cocktail Era Tiki Ingredients 40ml Cordon Bleu 75ml Dark roast filter coffee 20ml Rich demerara syrup Fresh double cream float Glass Irish coffee Garnish 3 coffee beans Method Build first three ingredients and float the cream on top

Jack Rose

Jack Rose Bartender Matt Millard

Original base Spirit Applejack Brandy

Instagram stickeronfruit

Style Straight up & sour

Venue Bar Swift London

Origin 1920s, New York, United States Cocktail Era Prohibition Ingredients 60ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Fresh lemon juice 20ml Raspberry syrup 10ml Sugar syrup 2 dashes Orange bitters Glass Coupette Garnish Lemon zest, discard Method Shake and strain into chilled glass

Japanese Cocktail

Japanese Cocktail Bartender Jacopo Palumbo Instagram jkfox Venue The Artesian at The Langham London Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note I like the addition of Peychaudâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bitters for an extra hit of spice

Original base Spirit Cognac Style Short & strong Origin Jerry Thomas 1887 Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 45ml Cordon Bleu 15ml Homemade Bronte pistachio orgeat 2 dashes Aromatic bitters Glass Coupette Garnish Lemon zest Method Shake well and fine strain into chilled glass

Jungle bird

Jungle bird Bartender Zak Newmarch Instagram abcprukzak Venue London

Original base Spirit Rum Style Short & fruity Origin Circa 1978, Aviary bar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Cocktail Era Tiki Ingredients 35ml Cordon Bleu 15ml Campari 20ml Fresh lime juice 15ml Sugar syrup 50ml Fresh pineapple juice Glass Rocks Garnish None Method Shake and fine strain over a rock of ice

Knickerbocker

Knickerbocker Bartender Jessica Hellicar

Original base Spirit Gin

Instagram jhellicar

Style Straight up & strong

Venue The Hawksmoor Air Street London

Author’s note Inspired by the Knickerbocker Royale, an original recipe by Kevin Armstrong

Origin Jerry Thomas, 1862, ‘Bartender’s Guide’ Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 25ml Cordon Bleu 10ml Curacao Triple Sec 10ml Sugar syrup 5ml Fresh lemon juice 2 Raspberries Champagne top Glass Flute Garnish None Method Shake and strain into chilled glass. Top up with Champagne

Last Word

Last Word Bartender Stephanie Heron Instagram steph91h Venue Chiltern Firehouse London

Original base Spirit Gin Style Straight up & sour Origin Frank Fogarty, circa 1920, Detroit Athletic Club, Detroit, United States Cocktail Era Prohibition

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note HE-LLO...!

Ingredients 25ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Maraschino Liqueur 25ml Green Chartreuse 25ml Fresh lime Glass Nick & Nora Garnish Lime wedge Method Shake and fine strain into chilled glass

Long Island Ice Tea

Long Island Ice Tea Original base Spirit All white spirits Style Long & refreshing Origin Robert ‘Rosebud’ Butt, 1972, Oak Beach Inn, Long Island, New York, United States Bartender Jean Dupont

Author’s note Ultimate challenger, it surely does taste better with Cordon Bleu

Cocktail Era Disco Ingredients 12.5ml Cordon Bleu 12.5ml Cordon Bleu 12.5ml Cordon Bleu 12.5ml Cordon Bleu 12.5ml Triple Sec 25ml Fresh lemon juice Coca-Cola top Glass Catalina Garnish Lemon wedge & cherry Method Build first six ingredients with cubed ice, cap shake and top up with Coca-Cola

Mai Tai

Mai Tai Bartender Ian Daws

Original base Spirit Rum

Instagram pilsburyian

Style Short & refreshing

Venue Matthew Clark

Origin Victor Bergeron, 1944, San Francisco, United States Cocktail Era Tiki

Author’s note “Mai tai roa aé!”

Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Orange Curaçao 15ml Fresh lime juice 15ml Orgeat 2 dashes Angostura bitters Glass Rocks Garnish The usual orange, cherry, pineapple leaf and umbrella Method Shake and strain over crushed ice

Interview with the Influencer

Ian Daws

@pilsburyian

Favourite Cocktail Mai Tai

Interview with the Influencer

Can you please introduce yourself? My name is Ian Daws. I’ve been in the industry for about 16 years, with ten of those behind the jump in various different locations. I started off at Brass Monkey in Nottingham, then moved to Bristol with time spent at the Park and Severnshed before the inevitable move to London (via the Alps, Chamonix first). In the city, I worked for the Match group starting off at Sosho, then over to Milk & Honey followed by the Player before taking the Head Bartender’s job at Match EC1. Since those days, I’ve dabbled in the pub business before moving back to Bristol to work with Matthew Clark where I’m still today as a Spirit Development Specialist. (Bit long winded, eh?) What is your story with Martell Cognac & Cordon Bleu in particular? Martell landed on my radar big time out in Chamonix. I was back behind the bar with Phil Duffy as head bartender out there, and was keen to get up to speed with category knowledge before the end of the ski season. I spent a few intensive months brushing up my skills and tasting as many types of alcohol as possible, and it was here that Martell made its impression on me. Cordon Bleu itself didn’t hit me until I was at the Player, again working with Phil. He had just returned from a trip to Martell, and appeared for his first shift back with about four bottles of the stuff. We proceeded to ‘taste’ the liquid before getting into a busy weekend shift as my memory recalls. There were a lot of lay-backs and many highballs throughout that night and my love for Cordon Bleu had begun. Where, when and how did you first encounter the Cordon Bleu Challenge? It was on the very same night at the Player that the Cordon Bleu challenge was first mentioned

to me. As we were ploughing through the first bottle of Cordon Bleu, Phil mentioned that Mike Butt claimed you could make any cocktail with Cordon Bleu and it would taste better than the original. Obviously, I wanted proof, and apparently his go-to demonstration of this claim was the Mai Tai. It was a long time ago now but I was blown away by the result of recreating the Trader Vic Classic. Can you describe the bar scene back then? The bar scene back then was impressive, places like the Player and Milk & Honey were still high on the lists of places to visit by other bartenders country wide. Most shifts at the Player would produce one or two industry voyeurs who would sit at the bar and ask questions about different drinks and variations of Classics. It was also great to see industry pioneers at the bar as well. Dick Bradsell had an Old-Fashioned on one occasion, and Dale DeGroff popped in pretty much every time he was in London. He used to sit and tell us stories of his time at the Rainbow Rooms, which was always entertaining. What is your favourite Cordon Bleu Classic? I have two favourites when it comes to the Cordon Bleu challenge. The Mai Tai being the original from the first time I heard about it, and the second came from a hangover cure and my introduction to the Prairie Oyster. Any advice to young bartenders willing to get involved today? I’d say just the one thing. Don’t be scared to experiment with anything. Question every method, every recipe, and if you want to adjust something by 5ml or a dash of bitters then try it. Working on the same drink and spending weeks perfecting it is a passion. Enjoy it!

Manhattan

Manhattan Bartender Ridas Dapkus

Original base Spirit Bourbon

Instagram ridasdapkus

Style Straight up & strong

Venue Balthazar London

Author’s note Works best on the sweet side of Manhattan

Origin O.H. Byron, 1884, ‘The Modern Bartender’s Guide’ Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Sweet Vermouth 2 dashes Orange bitters 1 dash Angostura bitters Glass Coupette Garnish Orange zest Method Stir well with cubed ice and strain into chilled glass

Meet the Bartender

Ridas Dapkus @ridasdapkus

Margarita

Margarita Bartender Chris Calvert Instagram calvert1715 Venue Avenue restaurant London

Author’s note I like to believe the Picador to be the very first printed mention of a Tequila daisy as such

Original base Spirit Tequila Style Straight up & sour Origin 1937, ‘Café Royal Cocktail Book’, London, UK Cocktail Era Tiki Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Fresh lime juice 15ml Agave syrup 20ml Cointreau Glass Martini Garnish Lime wheel Method Shake and fine strain into chilled glass

Martinez

Martinez Bartender Guillaume Le Dorner

Original base Spirit Gin

Instagram g_69cb

Style Straight up & strong

Venue Bar Luciole Cognac

Origin O.H. Byron, 1884, ‘The Modern Bartender’s Guide’

Author’s choice

Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 40ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Sweet Vermouth 5ml Cherry Liqueur 2.5ml Maraschino Liqueur 3 dashes Homemade walnut bitters Glass Coupette Garnish Orange zest, discard Method Stir well with cubed ice and strain into chilled glass

Martini (Dry)

Martini (Dry) Bartender Agostino Perrone

Original base Spirit Gin

Instagram agodragos

Style Straight up & strong

Venue The Connaught Bar London

Author’s note This is simply a must have in your lifetime!

Origin Tim Daly, 1903, ‘Bartenders’ Encyclopedia’ Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients Large measure of Cordon Bleu Touch of Dry Vermouth Dashes of ginseng & bergamot bitters Glass Martini Garnish Lemon twist Method Stir well with cubed ice and strain into chilled glass

Miami Vice

Miami Vice Bartender Phil Duffy Instagram amathusphil Venue London

Original base Spirit Rum Style Kitsch Origin Unknown Cocktail Era Probably Disco Tiki

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note All we know: itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delicious!

Ingredients 1 part Blended Cordon Colada 1 part Blended strawberry Daiquiri Glass Hurricane Garnish Tiki as! Method Pour together into chilled glass at the same time so they layer vertically. Good luck with that!

Interview with the Influencer

Phil Duffy

@amathusphil

Favourite Cocktail Miami Vice

Interview with the Influencer

Can you please introduce yourself? Hello there, my name is Phil. I’ve spent the past two decades, my entire working life and half my actual life in and around the drinks industry. Over that period, I’ve drank most things and enjoyed a good proportion of them; I have a particularly soft spot for Cognac. I’m a Cognac Educator and something of a bore on the subject, but thankfully I tend to shut up when drinking fine ‘nyak’. What is your story with Martell Cognac & Cordon Bleu in particular? I first encountered Martell when working as a KP in my first-ever job. I think the restaurant owner gave me something called a ‘Basketball’ on NYE, which involved mixing Cognac & Sambuca 50/50 in a balloon, lighting it, licking your palm and placing it over the top so the glass stuck to your hand, swirling it (without holding it: risky), opening a small gap and inhaling the vapours and finally downing the lot. I don’t recommend it. A few years later, when I’d not only managed to lie my way into a bar job but had even moved up to a pretty good bar (by reputation in the area at least), we had Martell Reserve as our house Cognac. (It was £16 a bottle; if I’d known then a fraction of what I know now I’d have cases of the stuff stashed away.) Anyway, in addition to drinking lots of after work shots of Cognac (we used to watch ‘Cocktail’ a lot: ‘Beer is for breakfast, drink or be gone!’ as the great Coughlin tells us). We also had Cordon Bleu on the back bar, which was the most expensive bottle in the building and treated with reverence. Apart from by the GM, who drank three-quarters of the bottle after work one evening and topped it up with Reserve before the stocktake… We bought him a bottle of CB and a balloon glass for a leaving gift when he moved on, and dropped lots of incriminating hints in front of the owner at his leaving do to make him

sweat. Names and places withheld to protect the guilty. Anyway, I developed something of a crush on Cordon Bleu, which I brought with me to London. Twelve years later, it’s still one of my top Cognacs. Where, when and how did you first encounter the Cordon Bleu Challenge? Well, it was definitely in London, and definitely within the first year or so of me arriving, so probably 2006. Beyond that is a bit tricky; they were blurry times. It was certainly during a shift at either Sosho or Milk & Honey. The most likely scenario is that someone told me about it and the immediate response was ‘let’s try it!’ I can remember making more and more outlandish suggestions behind the bar at Sosho to test the theory to the limit. Later, it became a regular feature of mid-shift drinking at the Player, especially if we had new members of staff who hadn’t heard the eternal truth and beauty of The Challenge. Can you describe the bar scene back then? As I experienced it, a rather heady mixture of long hours, obsessive learning and a huge amount of pride. And lots of dashes of passion fruit syrup. The training we had in the Match Group was peerless at the time, and although the drinks and techniques have changed over the years, the values of great hospitality, quick service, banging drinks and killer atmosphere are still the benchmarks for top bars. Sorry, I’m not painting a great picture. There was a lot of variety across the scene: even within the Match Group you had M&H, Sosho, Trailer Happiness and the Player, all different. All fairly influential, too. I must say my favourite, and probably all-time favourite bar was the Player, which had a glorious mix of top-end drinks and fun. It wasn’t unusual to get a dispense ticket with Sazeracs, Piña Coladas, Martinis, Melon Balls, Manhattans and Blue Lagoons.

Interview with the Influencer

Watching that mix go out, including some sparklers as garnishes, as the disco balls spin and the DJ puts on Prince: perfection. Other than that, it’s all a bit fuzzy. Overall, it was some of the hardest and happiest work I’ve ever done: there are people on the bar teams I worked with who I remain very close to based on the intensity of the time. With others, no matter how long I don’t see them for, it’s like rejoining family! What is your favourite Cordon Bleu Classic? Certainly. Take one bottle of Martell Cordon Bleu. Smile and nod slowly in appreciation. Open, listening to the cork pop elegantly and then throw away the stopper. A tulip glass is preferable but by no means essential. Raise your glass/bottle/receptacle of choice to Nick Faith and savour… Otherwise, Miami Vice! Any advice to young bartenders willing to get involved today? In the Challenge? Yes indeed: try it all. We went in the most ridiculous directions we could think of, from fruity and citrussy to austere Classics, and Cordon Bleu stood up to whatever we threw at it. Drinks have evolved a lot since then but I’d still back CB all the way! I’d also like it as a call to arms in general for the joys of Cognac and its mixability. Cordon Bleu is the exceptional example, thanks to its dry intensity and complexity, but all Cognac mixes well and I’d love to see it on more menus. Get cracking! Anything else you wish to share with us…? Can I have a glass now? Or even just a bottle?

Mint Julep

Mint Julep Original base Spirit Arrack Bartender Lukas Bulika Instagram silly.luke Venue Zuma London

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note Stood the test of time!

Style Short & refreshing Origin A long, long time ago on European ships Cocktail Era Pre-Golden Ingredients 40ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Sweet Vermouth 6 to 8 Fresh mint leaves 10ml Morello cherry syrup 10ml Grenadine Glass Julep cup Garnish Mint sprig Method Build with crushed ice and churn

Meet the Bartender

Lukas Bulika @silly.luke

Meet the Bartender

What is your relationship to Cognac and Cognac in cocktails? Cognac to me is related to ‘class’. It’s something you drink when you beat your goals, when you meet an old friend or enjoy a nice evening with a family member. It is a drink of elegance and style, and therefore elegant Classics are the way to go with Cognac.

Can you please introduce yourself? My name is Lukas Bulika, and I’m 27 years old. I moved to the UK when I was 19 and started working in bars as a way of supporting myself, only to fall in love with the hospitality industry as a whole. I’ve worked in many roles from barback to bartender to bar manager. I am currently working as Head Bartender (Assistant Bar Manager) at Zuma restaurant. I’ve been lucky to be involved in competitions, great training sessions and travel experiences, and all of these have turned my-day-to-day job into more than just work – it has become my hobby. What lights you up the most about your job today? What’s your vision for yourself in the hospitality industry? What I like most about my job is the guests’ appreciation of what I do – the smile on their faces and excitement in their eyes when they taste and experience something new! My vision is to keep widening guests’ experiences and to make them appreciate, and respect, the hospitality industry and the professionals that work within it. I have also had thoughts that, maybe one day, I will have a place of my own for all of you to visit.

What is your favourite Cognac Classic Cocktail and why? My personal favourite would be the Sazerac cocktail, or a slight twist on it, replacing a sugar cube by a touch of Maraschino Liqueur and some sweet vermouth. It’s a drink you can have any time of the day, any season of the year, from breakfast to dinner. Where, when and how did you first encounter the Cordon Bleu Challenge? First time I met the Cordon Bleu Challenge was when Matthias walked into the bar I was working at and asked us to make a Classic with Martell Cordon Bleu. Couple of rounds later, I believe we came up with a pretty decent serve! What Classic cocktail did you choose for the Cordon Bleu Challenge and why? At the Luciole bar in Cognac I chose to make a Julep. It’s such a great old Classic yet has been forgotten somehow. It is a shame we don’t see people ordering those any more. On a hot day, like it was back in Cognac, a nice julep felt like the right choice. By adding some fruit and cutting off the ‘boozyness’, I thought I had it perfect. Try the drink for yourself! Anything else you wish to share with us…? The whole experience that Matthias and Martell gave us is unforgettable. I’ve seen and tried things I’ve never thought I would. Whoever has a chance to do the same, don't ever hesitate!

Mojito

Mojito Bartender Chris Madden Instagram chr1smadden Venue Petit Pois Bistro London

Original base Spirit Rum Style Long & refreshing Origin La Bodeguita del Medio, circa 1920s, Havana, Cuba Cocktail Era Prohibition

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note One that deserves to be loved

Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Fresh lemon juice 15ml 1:1 Sugar syrup 1 dash Orange bitters 6 Mint leaves Glass Highball Garnish Mint Method Build up with cubed ice and stir. Top up with Soda

Morning Glory Fizz

Morning Glory Fizz Bartender Phil Huckle Instagram chivasphil Venue London

Original base Spirit Scotch Whisky Style Long & sour Origin O.H. Byron, 1884, ‘The Modern Bartender’s Guide’ Cocktail Era Golden

Author’s note “Drink immediately, or the effect will be lost. It’s a morning beverage, a tonic and a nerve quieter”

Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 3 to 4 dashes Absinthe mixed in a little water 3 dashes Lime juice 1 tablespoon Sugar 1 Egg white Glass Rocks Garnish Lime wheel Method Shake well and strain into chilled glass. Top up with Soda water

Moscow Mule

Moscow Mule Bartender Jean Dupont

Original base Spirit Vodka Style Long & spicy Origin John Martin & Jack Morgan, circa 1941, New York, United States Cocktail Era Tiki Ingredients 35ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Fresh lime juice 15ml Sugar syrup 2 dashes Angostura bitters Ginger beer top Glass Highball Garnish Lime wedge Method Build up with cubed ice and stir. Top up with Ginger beer

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Negroni

Negroni Bartender Claudio Furio Instagram furios_cardinal Venue City Social London

Original base Spirit Gin Style Short & strong Origin Fosco Scarselli for Count Camillo Negroni, 1919, Florence, Italy Cocktail Era Prohibition

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note No brainer!

Ingredients 20ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Cocci di Torino 20ml Campari Glass Rocks Garnish Orange slice Method Build up with cubed ice and stir

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New York Sour

New York Sour Bartender Eduardo Rodriguez Instagram edubili Venue The Hawksmoor Knightsbridge London

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choice

Original base Spirit Bourbon Style Straight up & sour Origin Circa 1880s, Chicago, United States Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 15ml Fresh lemon juice 15ml Sugar syrup 20ml Egg white Bordeaux red wine float Glass Coupette Garnish One blackberry Method Dry shake, shake and strain into chilled glass. Float Bordeaux red wine on top

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Old Cuban

Old Cuban Bartender MarciaÂ Juan

Original base Spirit Rum

Instagram marcia_159

Style Straight up & refreshing

Venue Dandelyan London

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note This was the winning drink during the 2018 Cordon Bleu Challenge competition, which took place at Bar Luciole in Cognac

Origin Audrey Saunders, 2004, New York, United States Cocktail Era Modern Ingredients 45ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Lime juice 15ml Sugar syrup 5ml Ginger syrup Mint leaves Glass Coupette Garnish 2 dashes of Angostura Method Shaken and fine strain into chilled glass. Top with Champagne and bitters

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Meet the Bartender

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Meet the Bartender

Marcia Juan @marcia_159

Can you please introduce yourself? My name is Marcia Juan, I’m from Saint-Etienne in France. At 18, I went to hospitality school for two years. After graduating, I started working in a café. Eventually I moved to London to work at the Experimental Cocktail Club in Chinatown, and I am now at Dandelyan. I spent a year in between at 1806 in Melbourne, Australia. What lights you up the most about your job today? What’s your vision for yourself in the hospitality industry? My favourite thing about my job now is the team that I get to work with. Making drinks is always fun, and working in such a fast-paced environment with high-quality drinks is amazing! What is your relationship to Cognac and Cognac in cocktails? I like to drink Cognac on special occasions, most of the time neat. But the good thing about Cognac in cocktail is that you can make something delicious, whether stirred down and strong, or shaken light and fresh. You can find something for anybody to enjoy.

What is your favourite Cognac Classic Cocktail and why? My favourite cocktail with Cognac is a classic Sazerac, or if I want to go for something a bit more different, it will probably be a Coffee Cocktail. Where, when and how did you first encounter the Cordon Bleu Challenge? I first encountered the Cordon Bleu Challenge earlier this year, when I went to Cognac to visit the Martell distillery. What Classic cocktail did you choose for the Cordon Bleu Challenge and why? I chose to make a twist on an Old Cuban, because I wanted to create something fresh and bright to display the versatility of Martell Cordon Bleu. Anything else you wish to share with us…? I just wanted to say that the region of Cognac is beautiful, and everyone should visit it once in their life.

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Meet the Bartender

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Old-Fashioned

OldFashioned Bartender Pedro Paulo Instagram ppauloldn Venue One Aldwych London

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go wrong with a good old Old-Fashioned

Original base Spirit Whiskey Style Short & strong Origin 1806 Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 60ml Cordon Bleu 15ml Homemade Old-Fashioned syrup 3 dashes Angostura Glass Rocks Garnish Chocolate cherry & orange zest Method Stir well and strain over a rock of ice

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Painkiller

Painkiller Original base Spirit Rum Style Long & fruity Bartender Elliot Davies Venue Genuine Liquorette London

Origin Soggy Dollar bar, Virgin Islands Cocktail Era Probably Tiki, maybe disco Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Fresh orange juice 80ml Pineapple juice 20ml Coco Lopez Glass Hurricane Garnish Candied pineapple and pineapple leaf Method Super blend with 5 ice cubes

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Paloma

Paloma Bartender Joe Wild

Original base Spirit Tequila

Instagram wild5507

Style Long & refreshing

Venue Liverpool

Origin Don Javier Delgado Corona, Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico Cocktail Era Tiki

Author’s note Likely to derive from the Batanga, it is now the national drink of Mexico

Author’s choice

Ingredients 35ml Cordon Bleu 15ml Orange blossom honey 20ml Fresh lemon juice 50ml Fresh pink grapefruit juice 1 dash Rose water Glass Highball Garnish Grapefruit zest Method Shake in tin and fine strain over cubed ice. Top up with Soda water

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Pegu Club

Pegu Club Bartender Angelo Sparvoli

Original base Spirit Gin

Instagram angelo_sparvoli

Style Straight up & sour

Venue American Bar at The Savoy London

Origin Circa 1920, Pegu Club, Burma Cocktail Era Prohibition Ingredients 45ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Fresh lime juice 15ml Cointreau 3 Angostura bitters Glass Coupette Garnish Lemon zest Method Shake and strain into chilled glass

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Pendennis Club

Pendennis Club Bartender Maxim Schulte Instagram maximschulte Venue American Bar at The Savoy London

Original base Spirit Gin Style Straight up & sour Origin Pendennis Club, Louisville, United States Cocktail Era Unknown Ingredients 60ml Cordon Bleu 30ml Apricot Brandy 25ml Fresh lime juice 3 dashes Peychaudâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bitters Glass Coupette Garnish Lemon twist Method Shake and strain into chilled glass

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Penicillin

Penicillin Bartender Timos Spanos

Original base Spirit Scotch Whiskey

Instagram timos.spanos

Style Short & strong

Venue Door 4 Cheltenham

Origin Sam Ross, 2005, Milk & Honey, New York, United States Cocktail Era Modern Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 15ml Homemade ginger syrup 15ml Verjus 10ml Agave syrup Mezcal mist on top Glass Rocks Garnish Homemade florentines (toasted almond, candied ginger & dark chocolate) in a Penicillin box Method Shake and strain over cubed ice

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Perfect Lady

Perfect Lady Bartender Max Ostwald Instagram max.ostwald Venue The Ned London

Author’s note Won the British Empire Cocktail competition back then!

Original base Spirit Gin Style Straight up & sour Origin Sidney Cox, 1936, Grosvenor House, London, UK Cocktail Era Prohibition Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Merlet Crème de Pêche (apricot also banging) 25ml Lemon juice 5ml 2:1 Sugar syrup 20ml Egg white Glass Coupette Garnish Orange oils and nutmeg Method Dry shake, then shake and fine strain into chilled glass

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Interview with the Influencer

Max ostwald

@max.ostwald

Favourite Cocktail Perfect Lady

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Interview with the Influencer

Can you please introduce yourself? My name is Max Ostwald. I live in Highgate with my missus, Erica, and our four kids. I am the Head of Bars at The Ned and have been working in hospitality for over 15 years. What is your story with Martell Cognac & Cordon Bleu in particular? For me, Martell and Cognac are synonymous. As long as I have been working with spirits, I have been pouring Martell. Cordon Bleu first came into my life when I was working at Match W1 and Angus Winchester came in for a double espresso and a glass of Cordon Bleu. Where, when and how did you first encounter the Cordon Bleu Challenge? We used to play the Cordon Bleu challenge at Match Bar. I think it was my Head Bartender, Divy Chauhan, who first showed me a Corpse Reviver #2 with it… game changer!!!

Can you describe the bar scene back then? I think of those years as a kind of second renaissance for the London industry. There were a handful of great bars, all full of amazing bartenders. Most of whom are now operating some of the best bars in the world… Ali Burgess was at Milk & Honey, as was Jack McGarry. Zdenek Kastanek was at Quo Vadis. Damian Williams was heading up the crew at The Player. Good times! What is your favourite Cordon Bleu Classic? The Perfect Lady. Any advice to young bartenders willing to get involved today? Go wild! I cannot remember playing this game without ever being pleasantly surprised! Anything else you wish to share with us…? Matthias Lataille is one of my favourite human beings in the world.

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piña Colada

Piña Colada Bartender Samuel Boulton Instagram thevermouthambassador Venue The Vanguard Birmingham

Original base Spirit Rum Style Long & fruity Origin Ramon Portas Mingot, 1963, Barrachina, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico Cocktail Era Tiki

Author’s note Named the ‘Cordon Colager’, obviously

Author’s choice

Ingredients Serves 8: 400ml Cordon Bleu 150ml Coco Real 1000ml Fresh pineapple juice 100ml 2:1 Sugar syrup 5 cans Tiny Rebel Clwb Tropicana beer Glass Hurricane Garnish Pineapple leaves and lime wheel Method Blend and serve in a coupe with 10ml Cordon Bleu

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Interview with the Influencer

Jake Burger

@jakefburger

Favourite Cocktail PiĂąa Colada

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Interview with the Influencer

Can you please introduce yourself? Jake Burger, Bartender Emeritus at The Distillery, 186 Portobello Road. Most noted for winning two cocktail competitions ages ago: one proper one, where I won a £10,000 diamond; and one stupid one, where I made a Piña Colada with Viagra and served it in a penis pump. Known in some circles as one of the creators of Portobello Road Gin and The Ginstitute. Erstwhile host of The Alternative Bar Awards and long-serving bartender at the Portobello Star, Jake’s Bar Leeds and The Townhouse Leeds. What is your story with Martell Cognac & Cordon Bleu in particular? These days, most people (understandably seeing as I make it) think of me as the gin guy. When I was a bartender I worked most closely with the worlds of American Whiskey and Tequila, and I’ve developed such a reputation for my love of weak American beer that people have started smuggling it over the Atlantic for me. I love all those things, and indeed there are very few drinks categories with which I don’t have an affinity. But when I drink at home, when I go out for a quiet drink, if I was stuck on a dessert island, if I knew this was my last drink before I die? Cognac would be my choice. The King of Spirits, and within the Cognac category there are a handful of bottles which you can trust, you know Cordon Bleu is going to be delicious, it always is, it always has been. Truly one of the world’s classic drinks. Or a Martini, that’s good, too!

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Where, when and how did you first encounter the Cordon Bleu Challenge? Can you describe the bar scene back then? Around 2007 I moved to London when we purchased and remodeled the famous Portobello Star on Portobello Road. Now there were some fairly drunken nights during this particular time of my life, both that bar and our close neighbours Trailer Happiness kind of engendered that type of behaviour. Suffice to say that my memories of the exact names, dates and faces involved have been somewhat diminished by time. I do recall, though, that around this time there had been some nefarious stock manipulation activities at one of Trailer Happiness’s sister venues, but quite how this worked I didn’t even understand at the time. Anyway, when this misdeed was uncovered following the departure of its chief protagonist it meant that the then owners were left with a great deal of Cordon Bleu on their hands, like a lot of Cordon Bleu. The Cordon Bleu was all taken to Trailer and they were instructed to use it as their house Cognac. Now Trailer is, and always has been, rightly famous for its rum drinks. Its Cognac drinks not so much. I have literally zero memory of who was involved, but I do remember they quickly started making some of their famous Tiki rum drinks with Cordon Bleu instead, realising they were at least as good and frequently better than when made with rum. They quickly applied the concept to the whole cocktailian lexicon. Pre, post and during work visits to Trailer Happiness at this time, we would often end up lost in the game. Bleudy Mary’s, Bleu Lagoons etc., the list went on. To my mind, I think it only lasted a few weeks, probably until the excess stock ran out, I presume. Any or all of this could be wrong, but that’s how I remember it.

Interview with the Influencer

What is your favourite Cordon Bleu Classic? Easy! Cordon Coladas. Cognac-based Piña Coladas are the ‘National Drink’ of the Bronx. Truth be told, they generally don’t use Cordon Bleu and they don’t call them Cordon Coladas. They’re delicious as they are but with Cordon Bleu? ‘Fuggedaboutit’, as they’d probably say in New York!

Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu A squirt of Coconut cream A small handful of Pineapple chunks The right amount of ice cubes.

Any advice to young bartenders willing to get involved today? Do it! I mean we probably tried all the obvious classics back then (hint, they all work), but I’m sure it will work just as well with the modern liquid masterpieces of today, I’ll freely admit to not understanding most of what you all do these days, but switching out the base spirit for Cordon Bleu is not going to make your drinks any worse. That sounds like I’m being mean about modern drinks, it wasn’t supposed to. Keep it up younger generation, you’re doing fine. Anything else you wish to share with us…? For many years I was as guilty of this as the next man. Because of how Cognacs are perceived, and literal, value or expense, bartenders were scared to put it in cocktails. Sure we all made a Sidecar on demand (incidentally, Sidecars are awful, but I digress), but generally in the modern era Cognac has not been a spirit that many cocktail bartenders have embraced. We missed a trick. Cognac is wonderful in cocktails. I just wrote a new 18-strong drinks menu for The Distillery and I put three Cognac cocktails on there. I think they are three of my favourites on the list. I’ll not bore you with how versatile it is or how its flavour complements so many other flavours, just try it. Cognac works.

Glass Hurricane, with a drizzle of heavy caramel syrup Garnish Pineapple leaf & a cherry Method Blend for a long time, then pour into a chilled glass

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Planters Punch

Planters Punch Bartender Jean Dupont

Original base Spirit Rum Style Long & punchy

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note A perfect place to start when playing around with punch recipes

Origin Fred L. Myers, circa 1890s, Jamaica Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Fresh lemon juice 25ml Sugar syrup 2 dashes Angostura bitters 50ml Chilled water Glass Tiki highball Garnish Orange, mint sprig & grated nutmeg Method Shake well and strain over crushed ice

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Porn Star Martini

Porn Star Martini Bartender Chelsi Abbott-Pace Instagram theginambassador Venue Birmingham

Original base Spirit Vodka Style Sweet & fruity Origin Douglas Ankrah, The Townhouse, London, UK Cocktail Era Modern Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Lime juice 15ml Passoa 10ml Vanilla and passion fruit syrup Â˝ Passion fruit Glass Coupette Garnish Â˝ Passion fruit & Champagne on the side Method Shake and fine stain into chilled glass

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Ramos Fizz

Ramos Fizz Original base Spirit Gin

Bartender Dominic North Instagram the_artful_bartender Venue Sexy Fish London

Author’s note Named the ‘Chanteloup Fizz’ for the occasion, after the home of Martell: Chateau Chanteloup

Style Long & fluffy Origin Henry Charles Ramos, 1888, Imperial Cabinet Sloon, New Orleans, United States Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Lemon juice 12.5ml Sugar syrup 1 barspoon Bittermans orange cream citrate 25ml Egg white 25ml Whole milk Glass Highball Garnish None Method Dry shake, then shake and strain oved cubed ice. Top up with Perrier water

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Meet the Bartender

Dominic North @the_artful_bartender

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Meet the Bartender

Can you please introduce yourself? I work as Assistant Bar Manager at Sexy Fish and have been here since the opening three years ago. Before committing to bartending, I studied and practiced fine art painting. I think this helped me to hone an attention to detail and a feel for the creative process which is very useful in this job. Interesting facts, hobbies? Well, I love to practice freestyle trampoline in my free time, especially trampwall. What lights you up the most about your job today? What’s your vision for yourself in the hospitality industry? The thing that lights me up about my job today is seeing the whole team’s collective efforts come together. Like a theatrical production, all the work, blood, sweat and tears behind the scenes create this smooth, harmonious service. It’s magical and great to see our guests seduced by it. What is your relationship to Cognac and Cognac in cocktails? I love Cognac. By itself it’s delicious, and its complexity makes it a great ingredient to work with while adding a decadent flair to many drinks. Sometimes I like to go for rich full flavours, or go the other way, with light top notes.

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What is your favourite Cognac Classic Cocktail and why? Brandy Crusta. Personally, I think it’s one of the best. You get the aromatic, oily lemon rind as you go in. It’s tangy, and sour, the Maraschino adds a touch of dryness, and the sugar crusta gives you those bursts of sweetness and texture. The Cognac really develops through the finish as well. I think I need to go and make one right now! Where, when and how did you first encounter the Cordon Bleu Challenge? I was at Bar Luciole on a Martell trip when we had a mini impromptu cocktail competition based on the Cordon Bleu Challenge. It would have been a bit intimidating as I was surrounded by some great talent and experience, but luckily I had a couple of Martell ginger ales, so I just jumped in there. What Classic cocktail did you choose for the Cordon Bleu Challenge and why? I decided to go for a Ramos Gin Fizz as the base for my drink because I wanted to stay away from the dark, stirred cocktails that were initially popping to mind when I thought of classics that could be converted to Cordon Bleu. I was also attracted to the historical link to New Orleans in the 1800’s. The marriage of French culture with the blossoming American craft of cocktail of the time appealed to me, as well as the party atmosphere that I wanted to pay homage to.

Meet the Bartender

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Remember the Maine

Remember the Maine Bartender Matt Millard

Original base Spirit Bourbon

Instagram stickeronfruit

Style Short & strong

Venue Bar Swift London

Origin Charles H. Baker Jr, 1939, ‘The Gentleman’s Companion’ Cocktail Era Prohibition

Author’s note “Treat this one with the respect it deserves, [lady and] gentleman”

Ingredients 60ml Cordon Bleu 30ml Cocchi di Torino 5ml Cherry Heering 4 dashes Pernod Absinthe 3 dashes Angostura bitters Glass Coupette Garnish Lemon zest Method Stir well with cubed ice and strain into chilled glass

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Russian Spring Punch

Russian Spring Punch Bartender Lucy Savage

Original base Spirit Vodka

Instagram lucy_savage

Style Long & fruity

Venue Leeds

Origin Dick Bradsell, 1980s, London, UK Cocktail Era Disco

Author’s note “A sledgehammer of a cocktail” dixit Dick

Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 15ml Framboise 25ml Fresh lemon juice 3 Raspberries Champagne top Glass Highball Garnish Lemon twist Method Shake first four ingredients and fine strain over cubed ice. Top up with Champagne

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Sangaree

Sangaree Bartender Matthias Lataille Instagram sanmatthias Venue London

Original base Spirit Cognac Style Long & fruity Origin 19th-century America Cocktail Era Golden

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note A boozier and tastier version of the traditional spanish Sangria

Ingredients 35ml Cordon Bleu 10ml Triple Sec 10ml Port 25ml Freshly squeezed orange juice 10ml Freshly squeezed lemon juice 5ml 2:1 Sugar syrup Soda water top Glass Highball Garnish Orange slice Method Build up first six ingredients with cubed ice. Stir and top up with Soda water

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Sazerac

Sazerac Bartender Matthias Lataille Instagram sanmatthias Venue London

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note I personally like to stir the drink with the lemon peel inside the mixing glass. It cuts through the sweetness very nicely while preserving the Absinthe aromas

Original base Spirit Cognac Style Short & strong Origin Circa 1850, Exchange Coffee House, New Orleans, United States Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 5ml Sugar syrup 3 dashes Peychaudâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bitters 1 Lemon zest Glass Absinthe-rinsed rocks Garnish None Method Stir all ingredients well and strain into chilled glass

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Seabreeze

Seabreeze Bartender Jean Dupont

Original base Spirit Vodka Style Long & refreshing

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note One of the very first cocktails I ever made behind the bar

Origin 1990s, New York, United States Cocktail Era Disco Ingredients 35ml Cordon Bleu 50ml Pink grapefruit juice 75ml Cranberry juice Glass Highball Garnish Lime wedge, squeezed Method Build up over cubed ice and stir

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Sex on the beach

Sex on the beach Bartender Jean Dupont

Original base Spirit Vodka Style Long & fruity

Author’s note “I’ll have a Sex on the Beach, please?” Bartender: “Let’s get to know each other more. Shall we grab a drink first?”

Origin 1980s Cocktail Era Disco Ingredients 25ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Archer’s peach schnapps Cranberry & orange juice top Glass Highball Garnish Lime wedge Method Build up with cubed ice and stir

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Shaky Pete’s Ginger Brew

Shaky Pete’s Ginger Brew Bartender Pete Jeary

Original base Spirit Gin

Instagram shakypete

Style Long & spicy

Venue The Hawksmoor Spitalfields London

Author’s choice

Origin Pete Jeary, 2012, The Hawksmoor, London, UK Cocktail Era Modern Ingredients 35ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Fresh lemon juice 25ml Ginger syrup 5 Ice cubes London Pride beer top Glass Beer tanker Garnish None Method Blend and pour into chilled glass. Top up with London Pride beer

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Sherry Cobbler

Sherry Cobbler Bartender Georgia Billing Instagram georgiajulep Venue Din Tai Fung London

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note Fusion of the cobbler cocktail and the cobbler desert. Enjoy with a spoon-straw

Original base Spirit Sherry Style Short & refreshing Origin Unknown, mid-1800â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 50ml Palo Cortado Sherry 25ml Marmalade and spiced honey syrup 2 thick slices of Fresh peach Vanilla ice cream Glass Sling Garnish Vanilla ice cream and dark chocolate-covered crystallised ginger Method Muddle peach, add other ingredients and shake with crushed ice. Pour into chilled glass

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Sidecar

Sidecar Bartender Matthias Lataille Instagram sanmatthias Venue London

Author’s note The original recipe is unbalanced to me and most 21st-century palates, hence why I use a little Pineau des Charentes to add extra sweetness. This is my ‘Sidecar des Charentes’

Original base Spirit Cognac Style Straight up & sour Origin Harry MacElhone, circa 1919, Harry’s New York Bar, Paris, France Cocktail Era Prohibition Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Fresh lemon juice 15ml Cointreau 15ml Pineau des Charentes Glass Coupette Garnish Lemon zest Method Shake and fine strain into chilled glass

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Singapore Sling

Singapore Sling Original base Spirit Gin Style Long & fruity Bartender Stuart Hudson Instagram forhospitality Venue London/Barcelona

Origin Ngiam Tong Boon, circa 1900s, Raffles Hotel, Singapore Cocktail Era Pre-Prohibition Ingredients 45ml Cordon Bleu 30ml Fresh pineapple juice 20ml Fresh lime juice 10ml Cointreau 10ml D.O.M BĂŠnĂŠdictine 2 dashes Angostura bitters Glass Sling Garnish Pineapple wedge and lime wheel Method Shake and strain over cubed ice, drizzle with 10ml Cherry Heering across the top. Serve with a smile and enjoy!

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Interview with the Influencer

Stuart Hudson

@forhospitality

Favourite Cocktail Singapore Sling

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Interview with the Influencer

Can you please introduce yourself? My name is Stuart Hudson, I have been bartending and working in bars and restaurants for about 25 years now. I love hospitality, and always loved this industry so always stuck to this. I have a particular affinity for Cognac and Cordon Bleu in particular, and I have had a lovely time over the last decade and a half mixing with it. For most of this year I have been working on Champagne cocktails, tracing its history back about 300 years. I am currently finishing off the book I am writing with Jane Ryan on Champagne cocktails, something that Cognac played a large part of. What is your story with Martell Cognac & Cordon Bleu in particular? I always remembered seeing bottles of Cordon Bleu when I first started out in restaurants and bars in Australia. Seeing that bottle, it was very iconic, and what actually made it iconic was this very old, traditional classic bottle, which I thought was beautiful. I guess my first real experience getting to know Cordon Bleu was when I started at Milk & Honey mid-2005. Pretty much all top cocktail bars in London at the time had Reserve de Martell as a house Cognac. It was just the best entry level stuff. Through that, we also worked with the rest of the range, and Cordon Bleu especially at that time, as it was ridiculously cheap for the quality of the liquid in the bottle. We had a very cool Brand Manager/Brand Ambassador for Martell that looked after us, a guy called James. We had quite a lot of training, exposure to it, and getting to play around with it as well. At Milk & Honey, being a Classic cocktail bar, Prohibition-style, we were using a lot of Cognac in our drinks.

Where, when and how did you first encounter the Cordon Bleu Challenge? Again, the first time was probably just after I started at Milk & Honey, sometime late 2005 early 2006. I have a fairly vivid memory of it, obviously it sounds like a cool game. Being at Milk, we were required to be incredibly well versed in Classic cocktails as did most of the Match Group bartenders. We were tested heavily on that kind of stuff. I remember I was on the ground floor bar at Milk when guys from Match EC1, Kevin Armstrong and Fraser Chapman, paid a visit after work. Generally, whenever they finished, probably once or twice a week, they would come in after their shift because we were open the latest of all the group, and would stand there and have a drink. I remember Fraser always had the same drink, it was a Golden Fizz. That was his go-to at that point. And they got chatting about this Cordon Bleu Challenge. Kevin turned to me and asked me if I have ever heard of it. Since I had not, they informed me about what the Cordon Bleu Challenge is. You can take any Classic cocktail, simply replace the base ingredient with Martell Cordon Bleu Cognac and you get equal, or better cocktail as a result. Obviously, I was quite sceptical, and had to try that so was like, “Ok, let’s play!” and we made a few recipes. It must have been a Monday or Tuesday night because the ground floor was kind of quiet at around midnight, all the members had moved up to the Red room. We had time to play and to experiment properly during service, which is really cool, making Daiquiris, etc… That was my first memory of Kevin, one of the most senior bartenders of the Match Group at that point.

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Interview with the Influencer

Can you describe the bar scene back then? It’s kind of weird. The bar scene was very good, just a lot smaller then. I was very lucky to be working at a venue considered one of the best at the time, and there was a very good group of bars running at that top-end level. You had LAB at the time, with some of the best bartenders in the country, you had Milk & Honey, Trailer Happiness just opened and was smashing out awards. It was a much more constricted group of high-quality bars and very talented bartenders. I think London almost experienced that first explosion, when cocktails were really getting into the public domain. Consumers really started to come out at that time. I mean Green & Red was kicking around that time as well. It was just as we were saying. Now, it’s like everywhere does cocktails. Regarding the quality level, there is a much bigger pool of really top-end bars with top-end bartenders. Think of it as an inverted pyramid. We were lucky, and it was fun times. There was a good scene, but it was a lot smaller. What is your favourite Cordon Bleu Classic? This is actually a very hard one, and I have spent a lot of time and money playing this game. I don’t think I came across one that doesn’t work… The one perhaps that stands out is the Singapore Sling. The Singapore Sling is one of my favourite drinks. I am talking of the original Singapore Sling as it was created back in 1916, using pineapple juice, lime and Beefeater Gin as called for.

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Any advice to young bartenders willing to get involved today? Yeah. The first reaction when you hear about this game is “Nah, that can’t work.” And this is the only time I would ever recommend that mentality be applied to bartending… “Nah, this can’t work.” Use that and then try everything you possibly can with this. I am still trying, I still can’t find something that doesn’t work. Take a negative attitude into that thought process, into this use of Martell Cordon Bleu, and I think you’ll be richly rewarded. Again, the only time you should ever take a negative attitude to anything in hospitality is a negative attitude into this game. Anything else you wish to share with us…? Now I am going to play the game a little further. Maybe we are going to check out a ‘nose dive’ with Martell Cordon Bleu, a Classic Savoy cocktail book shot. The only shot you can order at The Savoy. Have fun, enjoy this game because it is life changing!

Soul Happiness

Soul Happiness Bartender Michael Butt

Original base Spirit Tequila

Instagram buttmichael

Style Straight up & delicious

Venue Soulshakers London

Origin Michael Butt & Giles Looker, circa 2006, Soulshakers, London, UK Cocktail Era Modern Ingredients Serves 4: 150ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Fresh lemon juice 25ml Watermelon syrup Glass Martini Garnish Watermelon wedge Method Shake well and strain into chilled glass

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Southside

Southside Bartender Dan Waddy

Original base Spirit Gin

Venue Street Feast London

Style Straight up & sour

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note Add a soda top to make it a Southside Fizz

Origin New York or Chicago, United States Cocktail Era Pre-Prohibition Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 4 or 5 Mint leaves 20ml Fresh lime juice 20ml Simple syrup Glass Coupette Garnish None Method Shake and fine strain into chilled glass

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Spitfire

Spitfire Bartender Pedro Paulo Instagram ppauloldn Venue One Aldwych London Author’s note Named the ‘Iconic Spitfire’ for the occasion

Original base Spirit Cognac Style Straight up & sour Origin Tony Conigliaro, 2006, Shochu Lounge, London, UK Cocktail Era Modern Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 30ml Lemon juice 15ml Sugar syrup 15ml Egg white 7.5ml Tawny Port Glass Coupette Garnish Lemon twist and caramelised orange oils Method Shake and fine strain into chilled glass

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Meet the Bartender

Pedro Paulo @ppauloldn

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Meet the Bartender

Can you please introduce yourself? My name is Pedro, I am 32 years old. I am originally from Portugal, where I took a degree in hotel management. It was always my dream to become a General Manager, but when I moved to London eight years ago I fell in love with the bar industry, and with hospitality more related to bar, and further down the line with flavours. When you come from Portugal, where the industry is not as developed (you barely have 25 bottles on your backbar, 20 of which are Gins), and you come to a place like One Aldwych, one of my first places of work in London, where you have over 200 bottles, you need to understand the different flavours and different categories. That’s what made me fall in love with the industry. So many different bottles tell so many different stories. I started in 2010 in London. But soon after, in 2011, I lost my father and that made me reassess my whole vision in life. Am I going to wake up tomorrow? What am I doing? Is it worth it? If not, why am I doing it? When you lose someone so close, life gets a different kind of meaning. It reminds you that we are only here for a certain amount of time and you shouldn’t be wasting any of it really. Things started to shift in my life and my career. I started to become more successful because I was trying to point toward the right direction. In 2012, I won the Galvin Cup, one of the biggest competitions back then. Something I really wanted to do as a homage to my father as he never had the opportunity to see me succeed at anything. Then, in 2013, I won the UKBG Bartender of the Year and went on the represent the UK on the world IBA stage where I placed sixth. One thing led to another, and I started to judge competitions, allowing me to see things from a fresh perspective. On a separate note, I am a motorcycle enthusiast – I have three of them. This is my second passion after hospitality. When I am not at work, you can find me in my garage, fixing

the bikes, changing, selling and buying parts. I also enjoy exploring the origins of things, and I have been to honey, milk and cheese factories. I really enjoy getting a sense of how things come to life. Nowadays, we tend to take everything for granted, food comes in packages and we don’t question where it came from. Most of my free time involves travelling to the source of things. I have been to Cognac, Champagne, the Douro Valley, many Gin distilleries… What lights you up the most about your job today? What’s your vision for yourself in the hospitality industry? The vision for myself in hospitality is to keep working in the direction of my goal, to become a General Manager before the age of 40. I chose to do this job because I mostly enjoy the interaction with customers, and now as a Manager. I enjoy passing that on to the team, my associates and to help them make people feel special. That’s what makes me get up every day, coming to work knowing that one way or another we’ll make somebody’s day special, either through a conversation, or through a drink, the tasting of a new product, or just general empathy. What is your relationship to Cognac and Cognac in cocktails? The main challenge with Cognac is people’s perception of it. When I first started, people would say, “Don’t touch Whiskey. It is to be drunk neat, or worst-case scenario with ice.” I started to learn about Whiskey, and I think at that moment my peers started to say: “Actually, mix with Whiskey.” For me, Cognac was pretty much the same. It was always a product I had general respect for, to drink in a nice snifter on a special occasion. Although I have always tried to demystify that and break it down to something more approachable to people’s taste. I have made a few drinks. My favourite is the

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Meet the Bartender

elegance of the way the cocktail presents itself with the sugar cube at the bottom releasing those bubbles. That will always be my first memory when I think about Cognac in cocktails. Where, when and how did you first encounter the Cordon Bleu Challenge? Right here at One Aldwych. I was just going through a shift when I first met Matthias who asked me if I had heard about it. I had but never got involved, so I stepped behind the bar and started making an Old-Fashioned with Martell Cordon Bleu. I have tried with other Cognacs before, but not with the Cordon Bleu. The syrup we developed for that particular Old-Fashioned is very much in line with the tasting notes of Cordon Bleu and magically… it worked!

Old-Fashioned with Cognac. We also have a Cognac Punch on the menu, which we strip down to a very rich punch, and the Cognac supports that beautifully with its very complex notes. What is your favourite Cognac Classic Cocktail and why? Like most bartenders, one of the first cocktails I made was the Classic Champagne cocktail with Cognac. I remember a customer asking me for a Classic Champagne cocktail at one of my first jobs back in 2008 in Portugal, and I didn’t know how to make it. I went through a very old book and found some specs. Made it, tried it and it was delicious! Not only that, but the

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What Classic cocktail did you choose for the Cordon Bleu Challenge and why? What I wanted to bring to the table at that contest was a sense of place and a sense of character… and also a bit of my personality. I made the Iconic Spitfire. I love the Spitfire, a cocktail created by Tony C., someone who influenced my career by the way he plays with flavours. He also partly owns Luciole in Cognac, the place where the competition took place, so I wanted to tie that together with my origins, hence the use of Port wine in my recipe. I called it the Iconic Spitfire because of Martell Cordon Bleu being an iconic Cognac. The Spitfire itself is an aviation icon, and Port wine was the very first wine in the world to be protected by a denomination of origin. That made a beautiful combination for a nice aperitif with a lot of character and a lot of complex notes.

St Lawrence

St Lawrence Bartender Michael Butt

Original base Spirit Bourbon

Instagram buttmichael

Style Short & sour

Venue Soulshakers London

Origin Michael Butt, 2001, Match W1, London, UK

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note Tastes just as good as it did 17 years ago!

Cocktail Era Modern Ingredients 60ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Fresh lemon juice 20ml Maple syrup 2 dashes Angostura bitters Glass Rocks Garnish Large orange twist Method Shake well and strain into chilled glass

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Stinger

Stinger Bartender Matthias Lataille Instagram sanmatthias Venue London

Original base Spirit Cognac Style Short & strong Origin Reginald ‘Reggie’ Vanderbilt, 1923, United States Cocktail Era Prohibition

Author’s note “It’s a Stinger. It removes the sting”

Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml White Crème de Menthe Green Crème de Menthe float Glass Rocks Garnish Mint sprig Method Build first two ingredients with crushed ice and churn. Float green Crème de Menthe on top

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Stone Fence

Stone Fence Bartender Max Venning Instagram mrmaxvenning Venue Three Sheets London

Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note A must try!

Original base Spirit Rye Whiskey Style Long & refreshing Origin Unknown Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 35ml Cordon Bleu 5ml Poire 10ml Sugar syrup 5ml Egg white Dash Angostura Soda water & Cidre Breton top Glass Skinny highball Garnish None Method Shake and strain over cubed ice. Top up with 50ml Soda water & 50ml Cidre Breton

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Tommy’s Margarita

Tommy’s Margarita Bartender Matthias Lataille Instagram sanmatthias Venue London

Author’s note An all-time favourite of mine!

Original base Spirit Tequila Style Short & sour Origin Julio Bermejo, 1990s, Tommy’s, San Francisco, United States Cocktail Era Disco Ingredients 40ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Fresh lime juice 20ml Agave-based pink grapefruit sherbet Glass Rocks Garnish Lime wedge, squeezed Method Shake and strain over cubed ice

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Toreador

Toreador Bartender Marco Penitenti Instagram _wanderlust_man Venue Leeds

Original base Spirit Tequila Style Straight up & sour Origin 1937, ‘Café Royal Cocktail Book’, London, UK Cocktail Era Prohibition

Author’s note I prefer this recipe over the original Picador

Author’s choice

Ingredients 40ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Apricot Brandy 20ml Fresh lime juice 10ml Simple syrup 6 Mint leaves Champagne top Glass Coupette Garnish Lime, lemon and orange zests Method Shake and strain into chilled glass. Top up with Champagne

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Tuxedo

Tuxedo Bartender Connor Poulloura

Original base Spirit Old Tom Gin

Instagram iammr.p

Style Straight up & strong

Venue Genuine Liquorette London

Author’s note Sharp & dapper, as it should be

Origin Harry Johnson, 1900, ‘Bartender’s Manual’ Cocktail Era Pre-Prohibition Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Dolin Dry Vermouth 25ml Cocchi di Torino 2 dashes Angostura bitters 2 dashes Peach bitters 1 dash Pernod Absinthe 4 dashes Maraschino Liqueur Glass Absinthe-rinsed Nick & Nora Garnish Orange zest Method Stir well and strain into chilled glass

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Vesper

Vesper Bartender Clotilde Lataille

Original base Spirit Gin & Vodka

Instagram lesaperitifsdeclo

Style Straight up & strong

Venue London

Origin Ian Fleming, 1953, Casino Royale Cocktail Era Tiki

Author’s note “Shaken, not stirred”, s’il vous plait

Ingredients 35ml Cordon Bleu 15ml Absolut Citron 25ml Lillet Blanc Glass Coupette Garnish Orange twist Method Throw and strain into chilled glass

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Vieux Carré

Vieux Carré Bartender Matthias Lataille Instagram sanmatthias Venue London

Author’s note Named ‘Vieux Canton’ after the old market square in Cognac, where the prices of eaux-de-vie used to be discussed

Original base Spirit Cognac Style Short & strong Origin Walter Bergeron, 1938, Carousel Bar at the Monteleone Hotel, New Orleans, United States Cocktail Era Prohibition Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Byrrh 5ml Bénédictine 1 dash Angostura bitters 3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters Glass Rocks Garnish Lemon zest Method Stir well with ice and strain over cubed ice

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Ward 8

Ward 8 Original base Spirit Bourbon Style Straight up & sour Origin Tom Hussion, 1898, Locke-Ober CafĂŠ, Boston, United States Bartender DanÂ Waddy Venue Street Feast London

Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 40ml Cordon Bleu 20ml Fresh lemon juice 10ml Sugar syrup 5ml Grenadine 2 Orange slices Glass Martini Garnish Nope Method Shake well and strain into chilled glass

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Whiskey/Pisco Sour

Whiskey/ Pisco Sour Bartender Jean Dupont

Original base Spirit Whiskey or Pisco Style Sour! Origin August 25th, somewhere in America Cocktail Era Golden Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Lemon juice 15ml 2:1 Sugar syrup 2 dashes Peychaudâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bitters 1 dash Angostura bitters 1 Egg white Glass Coupette Garnish 5 drops Peychaudâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bitters Method Dry shake, then shake and fine strain into chilled glass

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White Russian

White Russian Bartender Jean Dupont

Original base Spirit Vodka Style Short & creamy

Author’s note It’s a Dude’s drink!

Origin Circa 1965, Boston Globe, United States Cocktail Era Tiki Ingredients 50ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Kahlúa 25ml Whole cream milk Glass Rocks Garnish Nope Method Build up with cubed ice and stir

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Woo Woo

Woo Woo Bartender Jean Dupont

Original base Spirit Vodka Style Long & fruity

Author’s note It’s a disco drink!

Origin Unknown Cocktail Era Disco Ingredients 25ml Cordon Bleu 25ml Archer’s Peach Schnapps Cranberry juice top Glass Highball Garnish Lime wedge Method Build up with cubed ice and stir

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Yellow bird

Yellow bird Bartender Kevin Armstrong Venue Street Feast London

Author’s note Naturally becomes a Blue Bird cocktail when made with Martell Cordon Bleu

Original base Spirit Rum Style Sweet & sour Origin Unknown Cocktail Era Definitely Tiki! Ingredients 35ml Cordon Bleu 30ml Pineapple juice 5ml Crème d’Abricot 5ml Licor 43 10ml Sugar syrup 10ml Fresh lemon 1 Banana slice Glass Coupette Garnish Banana slice Method Shake well and strain into chilled glass

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Acknowledgements The idea for this book started on a Friday afternoon in autumn 2017 as I was playing the Cordon Bleu Challenge with a colleague of mine in London. Since then, it has taken me on a rollercoaster journey around the UK, sharing the love for Cognac cocktails while meeting old friends and making new ones. This book is a compilation of Classic cocktail interpretations, and wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for all its contributors and the wonderful worldwide bartending community. Thank you all. I am very grateful to you and everyone around me who helped me see this project through to completion. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Edouard Martell for creating the exquisite Cognac that Cordon Bleu is, and also Michael Butt for coming up with the cocktail Challenge and passing on the legacy of the blue ribbon… or was it Tim Stones?

Finally, I would like to extend a special thank you to: My Team, the Brand Engagement & Advocacy Team at Pernod Ricard UK, for being awesome; My boss at PRUK, Daniel I’Anson, a.k.a. Papa BEAT, for giving me a licence ‘not to be perfect’; My sister Clotilde for being such amazing support at all times; My daughter Evie-Rose for being the most perfect Unicorn; and My wife Andy for lighting up the spark within me once again. Merci à tous, and let’s have some fun!