New Takes on Favorite Cocktails
New lounges around the world are putting their own spin on traditional cocktails. Here are four of our favorites.
New Orleans
Bar
Le Phare
523 Gravier St.; 504/636-1890; drinks from $7.
The Classic
Sazerac
Absinthe, rye, or bourbon; simple syrup; Peychaud’s bitters; lemon twist.
The Twist
Local ingredients—Sazerac rye, Peychaud’s bitters—are both made in the Big Easy.
Tasting Tip
Native New Orleans bartender Jonathan Creighton gives impromptu history lessons on the Sazerac.
San Francisco
Bar
Cantina
580 Sutter St.; 415/398-0195; drinks from $9.
The Classic
Sidecar
Cognac or brandy, Cointreau, lemon twist.
The Twist
All ingredients are local—Qi White Tea liqueur, Osocalis brandy, and lemons handpicked from the owner’s mother’s backyard.
Tasting Tip
If you want to try another cocktail, Cantina has the city’s largest selection of Peruvian pisco.
London
Bar
Artesian at the Langham
1C Portland Place, Regent St.; 44-20/7636-1000; drinks from $26.
The Classic
Hot Buttered Rum
Dark rum, simple syrup, apple cider, butter, cinnamon stick, and nutmeg.
The Twist
A splash of clove-infused apricot brandy is added to dark rum, while spiced honey lends an extra-sweet kick.
Tasting Tip
This modern, lilac-hued salon stocks more than 50 types of rum.
Paris
Bar
Experimental Cocktail Club
37 Rue St. Sauveur, 33-1/45-08-88-09; drinks from $19.
The Classic
Old-fashioned
Bourbon or rye, Angostura bitters, lemon twist, maraschino cherry, sugar.
The Twist
Instead of traditional orange bitters, grapefruit peel is mixed with Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey.
Tasting Tip
The rustic-chic space was designed by New Yorker Cuoco Black, whose restaurants include Gin Lane.