Who better to tell us what the world’s best and most original cocktails are than the people who mix them? From all corners of the globe (including Antarctica) here are some of top bartenders’ best recipes.

Lulu’s Tipple of Choice - ‘The Ice Cave’
Served with gin, juniper, rosemary and served with 10,000 year-old glacial ice from snow falling in the centre of the continent that gets deeper & deeper until, under its own weight, it transforms into glacial ice. The blue hue comes from minute entrapped air bubbles, revealing secrets of the Earth’s atmosphere from a million years ago. 

Najib’s Tipple of Choice - ‘Midnight in Marrakech’ 
Served with Vodka, “Vin d ’Orange”, star aniseed and a slice of dried orange, this cocktail is a blend of all the ingredients. Shaken with ice and served chilled in a Martini cocktail glass, with a garnish of dried orange & a star aniseed, this is the perfect drink to start a Marrakechi night. 

Glenapp Castle, South Ayrshire, Scotland: Andrejs Snikis
Guests can meet Andrejs at Glenapp Castle, a 21-bedroom luxurious Pride of Britain and Relais & Chateaux hotel tucked away on the breath-taking Ayrshire coast, Scotland. Andrejs loves making and drinking espresso martinis. Not only is he an excellent bartender but Andrejs is the Food & Beverage Manager, making sure that guests have a great drink to be paired with the amazing food. www.glenappcastle.com
Andrej’s Tipple of Choice - ‘Espresso Martini’
Made with Grey Goose Vodka, Kahlua, Café du Monde espresso (cooled) and simple syrup, the Espresso Martini sees all the ingredients placed in a cocktail shaker and double strained into a martini glass (swiftly to ensure the foam ends up on top) and finally topping with three coffee beans, to represent health, wealth and happiness.

Dolce Sitges, Sitges, Spain: Alejandro Hernandez
Originally from Mexico, Alejandro fell in love with Sitges when he arrived. Having worked as a bartender all his life, his passion began when he started his career in Barcelona, where he has been able to work with great European bartenders. Now at Dolce Sitges, Alejandro uses his extensive experience to stir up the perfect cocktail.  www.dolcesitges.com
Alejandro’s Tipple of Choice - ‘Madison Bridge’
Made from Bombay Gin, Elderflower liqueur, Campari, rosemary gum, peach purée and cardamom - this signature cocktail of Dolce Sitges is a favourite of Alejandro’s. With a lemon zest added on top and served with plenty of ice, this cocktail is perfect for any guest wanting to take a drink out into the Spanish sun. 

Anas’ Tipple of Choice - ‘Oribu’
Made from an extra virgin olive oil washed vodka that is made in vacuum sealed bag and cooked for an hour, bergamot liqueur and olive leaf syrup, which is stirred and garnished with 5 drops of Red Basil Olive oil in a coupette, this is a cocktail that is prepared from ingredients that take meticulous precision and patience to formulate. 

The Zetter Townhouse Marylebone, London: Gregorio Soriente
After finishing his bachelor's degree in music, Gregorio fell in love with bartending at the Four Seasons Hotel in Florence. He then packed his suitcase (including his guitar) and moved to London when he first worked as Bar Manager at The Distillery in Portobello Road before joining the team at The American Bar at The Savoy - probably the most famous and celebrated bar in the world. After being Head of Bars at the Conrad London St. James Hotel, he found his (town)house at the Seymour's Parlour at The Zetter Townhouse Marylebone. www.thezetter.com/townhouse-marylebone/
Gregorio’s Tipple of Choice - ‘Cocktail N°2 (Twist On A Bellini)’
After several preparations around the raw artichoke, Greg puts the mix of Johnnie Walker Black Label and Bianco di Ampeleia together and by adding carbonation, is able to obtain a similar bellini nectar both in texture and flavour profile. The alkalinity of the artichoke is turned into a fruity yet gluttony complex.

The Xara Palace, Malta: Viktor Denovski 
Guests can meet Viktor at The Xara Collection’s ‘The Xara Villa’ in his element, stirring up a wide array of cocktails, spirits and beverages, each a work of art on their own. Viktor has been in the bartending business for decades. He is part of the Maltese Bartenders Guild and a brand ambassador for Angostura Bitters and Rums. www.xarapalace.com.mt
Viktor’s Tipple of Choice - Rosamí Negroni
Served at the fine dining restaurant, Rosami, the Rosamí Negroni is housed within French new oak barrels which give the Negroni the nutty flavour we all know and love. Good things take time, and this is why the Negroni is dry-aged in house at a controlled temperature to extract more flavour per sip. Prior to the ageing process, the barrels are soaked and primed in port to provide an extra-smooth base for the Negroni to hibernate and charge up flavour. Each Negroni is made with love, time and a little bit of smoke.

The Castle Hotel Windsor: Andi MacSporran
For the past two decades, Andi has worked as head bartender at The Castle Hotel Windsor - his longevity in this position is down to his creative and inventive approach. Andi is responsible for tailoring the products in stock, and adjusting these to reflect upcoming trends and the current market. He is also incredibly popular across the community and with local guests, he has seen families grow up and have families of their own. www.castlehotelwindsor.com
Andi’s Tipple of Choice - ‘The Mermaid’
Served at The Castle Hotel Windsor’s bar, their signature cocktail - The Mermaid - is Andi’s reinvented version of the ‘Old Fashioned’, using spirits rather than bitters and fruity flavours. In 1528, the hotel was previously known as ‘The Mermaid Inn’, and therefore it was the perfect opportunity to name their signature cocktail ‘The Mermaid’. To conjure up this cocktail, Andi imagined where mermaids might have swum, the islands visited and the people she met - Mermaids are often associated with the Caribbean, and therefore the base is a Trinidad Double-Aged Rum. Next, Allspice is added, followed by an Orange Rum Liquor, a hint of Vanilla and a touch of smokiness throughout. The Mermaid cocktail is then garnished with 2 dark rum infused cherries and a touch of fig. 

Sakis, one of The Queens Hotel Cheltenham’s gifted bartenders, takes pride in his fantastic cocktail creations, serving each drink with passion in the heart of Cheltenham at The Queens Hotel. Sakis loves working with passionate people with similar goals, and strives to always offer the best customer service possible. www.queenshotelcheltenham.co.uk
Saki’s Tipple of Choice - ‘Delilah Gin’  
The Sutton family's miniature dachshund, Delilah, inspired this art-deco style gin. Sakis’ favourite drink is Delilah Gin, made with Delilah gin, Italicus Liqueur, lime juice, sugar syrup, fresh raspberries and egg white. Served in a coupette glass and garnished with rosemary and dry raspberry powder. 

Posted 06/03/2023