Dean Buchanan

DEAN Buchanan aka Eminem or Slim Shady

Beverage Director/Bartender/Distiller @ Clarence’s Company Store, 566 Beaufort Street, Mount Lawley, WA

ABOUT SLIM

My parents worked in hospitality. My dad is a chef, and my mum worked in an architecture company and ran a catering company on the side. My cabinet making apprenticeship drew me to hospitality. We built bars and restaurants, and I fell in love with the aesthetics of a venue. From there, my love for the industry grew.

The first competition I entered was World Class, and I made it to the Australian Finals, which sparked my interest. I went on to win national and local competitions over the next five years. My most recent win was the Perfect Blend Garden to Glass.

In our bar, we focus on guest experience in the form of conversation. We do all our prep when the doors are closed to spend as much time as possible, ensuring the guest has the best time.

Clarence’s Company Store is on Beaufort Street in Mt Lawley Perth is best known for creative cocktails, great food and live jazz. The concept for the bar has taken a lot of inspiration from New Orleans, so the atmosphere is fun and energetic where there is something on the menu for everyone.

SLIM’S DREAM BAR:

A Bar with Shapes for a Name, 232 Kingsland Road, London

LAST NIGHT OF SLIM’S LIFE BAR:

Re, Shope 8/2 Locomotive St, Eveleigh, Sydney

LAST NIGHT OF SLIM’S LIFE DRINK:

Anything Evan Stroeve puts in front of me

SLIM’S NIGHT OFF BAR:

Foxtrot Unicorn, Basement 101 St Georges Terrace, Perth

SLIM’S HOME COCKTAIL TIPS

I recommend organising all the drinks you want to make beforehand—glassware in the freezer, garnishes prepared, syrups, citrus, juices ready to go. A great book called Batched gives awesome tips on how to pre-batch drinks for any occasion.

SLIM’S T25 HERO COCKTAIL

There’s a lot of inspiration coming from produce and weather in this drink. WA is luckily enough to have around 300 days of hot weather a year, so spritz season lasts a lot longer than most states. The drink is built around two ingredients accessible throughout the year, with some slight technique added. This drink is easy to create at home with storebought ingredients, strawberry, Makers Mark, mango, black walnut and soda. Not only does it sound good, it is an absolute crushable highball with all the components adding layers of flavour but still remaining light and sessionable.

SLIM’S TOP 4 COCKTAILS

1. Kimberley Gimlet

INGREDIENTS:

• 45ml Coconut infused

Haiver WA Daily Gin • 45ml mango cordial* • 5ml parsley distillate METHOD: Stir with ice for about 10 seconds then strain ICE: Cubed ice for stirring GLASS: Frozen Nick & Nora

*MANGO CORDIAL • 500g water • 200g sugar • 10g citric acid • 4g malic acid • 150g diced fresh mango Method: Stir water, sugar and acids together to dissolve. Add mango and liquid to an airtight container or mason jar and infuse for 24-36 hours before straining off solids.For the parsley distillate please email dbuchanan@enigmabc.com.au

2. Big Cherry Life

INGREDIENTS:

• 50ml cacao butter and coconut oil Makers mark* • 25ml cherry sweet vermouth** • 5ml Oudh syrup METHOD: Stir with ice for roughly 10 seconds then strain ICE: Cubed ice for stirring GLASS: Nick and Nora

*CACAO BUTTER AND COCONUT OIL MAKERS MARK • 80g coconut oil • 80g cacao butter • 700g makers mark • Pinch of salt Method: Vacuum seal ingredients then Place in a water bath at 55 degrees. Cook sous vide for 180 minutes then place in freezer. Strain off liquid once fats and oils have frozen.

**CHERRY VERMOUTH • 250g Seppeltsfield aged

flor (or other dry sherry) • 250g sweet vermouth • 200g fresh cherry • 50g fresh raspberry Method: Add all ingredients to a mason jar and infuse for 24 hours. Strain, and bottle.

3. Tracker

INGREDIENTS:

• 20ml Whipper Snapper wheat whiskey • 10ml wattleseed vermouth* • 7.5ml coconut syrup** • 30ml desert oak distillate*** • 1 dash tango • 1 dash saline METHOD: Stir for approximately 10 seconds, then strain into a frozen glass

and garnish GARNISH: A drop of coconut oil ICE: Cubed ice for stirring GLASS: Chilled Nick and Nora

*WATTLESEED VERMOUTH • 20g wattleseed • 1000ml dry vermouth Method: Infuse in a mason jar for 24 hours then fine strain through coffee filters

**COCONUT SYRUP • 500g coconut water • 500g sugar Method: Stir to dissolve then bottle and refrigerate

***DESSERT OAK DISTILLATE Method: Please email dbuchanan@enigmabc.com.au

4. Pineapple Spritz

INGREDIENTS:

• 30ml Maker’s Mark • 70ml Pineapple Wine • 10ml White Chocolate

Syrup • 20ml Toasted Sesame

Hydrosol • 5 drops citric acid • ( carbonate entire drink ) METHOD: The pineapple spritz recipe is 3 pages long - if you are interested in making this at home please email dbuchanan@enigmabc.com.au

CLARENCES COMPANY STORE

New Orleans: the French Quarter. The quaint, European-styled streets come alive at night. A baritone harmonises to a horse-hoof beat and the wind carries with it a chorus of laughter. It is a place where the tradition of the old world has become one with America’s passion, and what has resulted is a story of music and style.

Clarences is one bar looking to share this story with Australia and, just like the French Quarter, it displays an eclectic mix of cultures. The traditional influence is clear, with stained-glass lightshades casting a speckled glow across French posters and art, but all this is at odds with the modern-American murals, redleather couches, and clean wood styling. With swooning jazz gracing the speakers and a distinctly Australian beer-garden out back, this venue has a lot to offer.

Although a cocktail bar at heart, Clarences also boasts a selection of New Orleans inspired dishes made for sharing with mates. Not to be shared though are the delicious cocktails prepared by Dean Buchanan. Following the same theme, these drinks are an ode to one of the world’s most important cocktail cities and offer up some fresh takes on classics alongside original creations. Also available is a variety of local beer, French and Australian wine, and an impressive spirits range.

Clarences is open Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday 4pm-10pm, and FridaySaturday 4pm-12am. It is found at 566 Beaufort St, Mt Lawley, Perth.

For more information call (08) 6186 6195.

CLICK BAIT

BY: DEAN BUCHANAN | CLARENCES SPONSOR: MAKER’S MARK

This drink is inspired by the season of bubbly cocktails: summer. This is when many of the fruits are starting to come into peak quality so we thought we’d try to showcase a few of our favourites in a very crushable Makers Mark highball!

INGREDIENTS:

• 35ml Maker’s Mark Bourbon • 20ml Kensington mango cordial* • 20ml black walnut vermouth (by Saison

Vermouth) • 5ml strawberry vinegar • 90ml soda water

METHOD: Add all ingredients to a highball glass and top with soda water.

GARNISH: Dried mango slice**

GLASS: Highball

*KENSINGTON MANGO CORDIAL • 450g water • 175g sugar • 7g citric acid • 2g ascorbic acid • 110g diced mango

Method: Infuse in an airtight jar for 24 hours before straining through filter paper or cloth. Bottle and refrigerate: this will keep for 7 days. The acids needed are readily available at any decent brew store or online.

**MANGO GARNISH: Method: Cut a circle out of a mango slice and sprinkle a pinch of sugar on top. Place this in oven at 60 degrees Celsius for 24 hours or until dried.