Back in June, I had the pleasure of watching award-winning mixologist Charles Joly in action at Chicago’s The Aviary cocktail lounge. I was mesmerized as Joly expertly crafted on-the-fly original cocktails featuring Diageo’s new Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve and Johnnie Walker Platinum Label that suited the varying tastes of different consumers. For each cocktail, he experimented with the various tools at his bar, including egg whites, fire, angostura bitters, and a variety of extracts, spices and liqueurs, to craft unique tastes to satisfy each individual consumer. The only downside to the experience is that there were no recipes for these cocktails, and I’m afraid these perfect concoctions won’t be replicated ever again by anyone but Joly.
However, non-alcohol brands seem to be more confident in consumers’ mixology skills and are challenging them to submit their alcohol and non-alcohol cocktail recipes to win prizes.