4 minute read
Martini Wishes & Caviar Dreams
The Continental’s Vesper Club turns back the clock to celebrate a classic cocktail
Written by Dave Mahanes with Jeremiah Jason Blake / Photos by Daniel Meigs
There are several stories of the origin of the martini. The most common story is that during the Gold Rush of the mid-1800s, a prospector who had hit it rich came into a bar and ordered champagne. However, the bar had no champagne, so the bartender improvised with what he had on hand: vermouth, maraschino liqueur, bitters, and gin with a slice of lemon. The traditional martini recipe back in the day was typically one part gin and one part vermouth. Nowadays, most establishments serve gin or vodka martinis with hardly any vermouth. Initially, the martini was a sophisticated cocktail served in a suitably sized glass, not an oversized coupe. The Vesper Club has truly turned back the clock on the martini to an earlier time with some marvelous creative twists.
Launched on New Year’s Eve, December 2021, The Vesper Club is an elegant side bar in the lounge of the Continental, Chef Sean Brock’s renowned restaurant in the Grand Hyatt Nashville. The Vesper Club specializes in varieties of one signature cocktail—the martini, a treasured classic that can be open to many interpretations. The bar menu features twelve vodka and gin martinis with an eclectic list of other vermouths, fortified wines, and exotic ingredients like oloroso sherry distillate and pistachio. The Vesper Club gets its name from a martini variant, the Vesper, created by Ian Fleming in the James Bond novel Casino Royale
The hallmark of the Vesper Club is the tasting menu of five caviars paired with 1½ ounce tasting-size martinis. The caviar/ martini tasting runs $100 and runs an enjoyable hour. No menus are distributed until the end of the experience, so the participant may relish each pairing as it is presented without preconceptions of what to expect. Four out of five of the martinis are made with vodka, which is logical given that they are paired with caviar. An elegant tortoiseshell spoonful of caviar is served with each drink. Part of the enjoyment is witnessing the drinks being created—either shaken, stirred, thrown, or frozen. The cocktail ingredients are poured from cut glass bottles into vintage-style glassware. Sipping the martini before and after tasting the caviar and comparing how differently the cocktail tastes is a true culinary adventure.
The experience began with a pairing of Siberian Sturgeon caviar with a martini made with Polish rye vodka for pepperiness, Carpano Blanc Vermouth, and aged brandy distillate. The brandy is clarified but retains the sherry cask notes and round fruit tones, finished with pistachio oil. This caviar had brown butter notes and an earthy, smooth, salty finish.
The next flight paired royal white sturgeon caviar with a Ford’s London Dry Gin martini, blended with Dubonnet Rouge, Carpano Dry Vermouth, plum vinegar, and lemon zest, freezer-mingled using Seedlip Grove. The caviar was rich and buttery with the essence of umami with silky marine notes and a salty finish.
For the third pairing, Imperial Golden Ossetra caviar was paired with a Grey Goose vodka martini containing Chambery style Dolin Dry Vermouth and hickory nut oil for the third act. The Imperial Golden Ossetra was everything you want in a caviar—rich, buttery, and decadent. A meaty texture and ocean spray saltiness complemented this classic caviar style.
The fourth pairing matched Russian Ossetra caviar with a martini made with Japanese vodka from Nikka, Lo-Fi Dry Vermouth from Napa, a bergamot liqueur called Italicus, and the bitter-sweet essence of marigold with lemon oil and a lemon twist. The Russian Ossetra tasted elegant and elongated with a gorgeous creamy undertone and long-lasting brininess.
For the grand finale, I tasted Kaluga caviar, with a burst of caviar flavor on the tastebuds—buttery, nutty, marine, and creamy. This was paired with a Ketel One vodka martini, made with Cocchi Americano to provide aperitif notes; a locally brewed sake, Diplomat, from Proper Sake, Black Locust vinegar, and finished with a house brined red pearled onion. The martini/caviar tasting at the Vesper Club is truly a unique and chic experience worth coming back for again and again. The tastings are booked by the seat, so be sure to make a reservation through Resy well in advance.
