Flavoured Vodka: Come Drink With Me

Flavoured Vodka: Come Drink With Me

Take four London bartenders, each showing off a home-made vodka creation in their own bar, add some secret scoring and off-the-cuff cocktails, and you get a bar crawl that’s almost good enough for TV. Clinton Cawood follows our hopefuls to keep tabs on the scores

We’re in Soho, and it’s early morning – that’s ‘noon’, for any non-bartenders out there. The streets are bustling with tourists and the sun’s attempting to shine, but that’s OK: at least two of the bars we’re visiting are in basements below ground.

Four bartenders will take part today, but vodka will be the real star of the show. More specifically, vodka that has been infused, flavoured, aged, or anything else our contestants may have subjected it to. There are perhaps other areas of London where vodka’s more of a staple cocktail ingredient (I’m looking at you, Chelsea), but this part of the capital excels in terms of sheer inventiveness and creativity.

First up is fast-talking raconteur Andy Mil of London Cocktail Club, followed by general manager at Covent Garden Cocktail Club (LCC’s sister bar), Lee Ottery. Our third competitor is the recently-promoted bar manager of LAB, formerly Academy, formerly LAB, Kyle Gibson, followed by QV Bar’s Zdenek Kastanek, breaking what was an uncommon run of easy-to-pronounce names.

They’ll each present a flavoured vodka that they’ve created themselves, and then demonstrate its use in a cocktail. Anything else they do to entertain is up to them, as they compete to win absolutely nothing at all, for charity or otherwise.

CONTESTANT 1:

Andy Mil, London Cocktail Club

Goodge Street, that bustling London centre for bars, eateries, and discount PC stores. On each corner is a café with a sign announcing a breakfast special, but there will be none of that for our contestants. London Cocktail Club’s Andy Mil does, however, welcome each of his vodka-drinking comrades with a steaming shot of espresso. The perfect food substitute.

Mil proudly waves a miniature barrel around that is neatly, if ungramatically, labelled ‘Christmas Essence’.

‘I’ve made a christmas vodka – it’s like a re-creation of Drambuie,’ he beams. Everyone gets a small sample, and his three guests set about dissecting the stuff, which contains, among other things, dried figs, juniper, star anise and pearl barley, with a Finlandia vodka base. ‘There’s also a lot of glycerine in it, I’m not going to lie.’ We’d rather you didn’t either, Andy.

There’s palpable tension at the prospect of trying this rather good essence in a drink, but first there’s a game to be played, and more to be wrung out of this christmas theme by Mil. Everyone’s given a blank festive greeting card, upon which a secret is to be written. ‘Then you all find out something embarrassing about each other, just like christmas at home,’ he explains. Shame, public humiliation – ‘tis the season...

So, while his guests spill their dirty secrets about illicit love affairs with cream liqueurs, Mil sets about making a sour-style drink with his Christmas Essence. While preparing his drink – ever the entertainer – our host cracks some racy jokes about repetitive strain caused by cocktail shaking, among other activities. Steady!

With the drinks strained into coupes, the Christmas cards double-up as cunning garnishes, one pegged to each glass. And then, finally! A cocktail! The final product meets with general approval from the group. A well-made Sour, and an ideal drink to showcase the spirit.

Drinks in hand, everyone loosens up a bit, the conversation flowing more freely. Clearly inspired by Mil’s barrel-infusion, talk turns to the idea of placing a smaller barrel into a larger one: a barrel-ageing Kinder Egg. But what would you place in each? ‘A Piña Colada aged inside a Sex on the Beach,’ says Kastanek unhesitatingly.

And on that rather revealing note, it’s time for some secret scoring. Mil’s house guests are appreciative and generous. ‘Great hospitality and awesome drinks,’ summarises Ottery.

A Christmas Secret
Glass: Coupe
Method: Shake and strain.
50ml Christmas Essence vodka
25ml lemon juice
20ml sugar syrup (1:1)
egg white
2 dashes bitters

Store-bought flavours:
‘We stock the Grey Goose flavoured range, and we also have Chase’s seasonal flavours, like their smoke vodka and the marmalade vodka. We also have Linie Aquavit potato vodka, flavoured with carraway, as well as other herbs and spices. I love the simplicity of a good flavoured vodka.’ Andy Mil

CONTESTANT 2:

Lee Ottery, Covent Garden Cocktail Club

A brisk walk brings us to Covent Garden – most of us at least. Lee Ottery, today’s second contestant, has gone ahead on his scooter, presumably to ensure that all is in readiness at Covent Garden Cocktail Club for his fellow bartenders.

On arrival, it’s clear that he’s put some effort into creating an ‘atmosphere’, but no one’s quite sure just what it is, exactly, given his choice of 90s dance hit, Bizarre Inc’s I’m Gonna Get You. Played loudly.

Ottery is looking decidedly paternal in his white woollen jumper, but that’s not likely to stop him slinging beers and cocktails with the rest of the kids. Getting right into the spirit of things, he cracks open a Tiger beer each, indulging in a little showmanship as he does so. ‘Is this a flairing bar?’ asks a bemused Kastanek.

‘It’s flair and mixo, but predominantly mixo,’ acknowledges Ottery. An awkward pause, and then attention turns to the miniature still on the bar, the source of Ottery’s rosemary vodka. ‘We usually only use it as a mist on a Dirty Martini we make using Gin Mare. It’s called a Filthy Mare.’

To make his vodka, he says, the rosemary goes into the copper pot still with a measure of Finlandia. Everyone’s treated to a sniff of this distillate at full strength, a powerful nose full of rosemary and, well… rosemary. ‘A lot of people might find it one-dimensional, being just rosemary.’ You don’t say...

Mercifully, Ottery’s using the distillate at a lower concentration for his drink, a straightforward Bloody Mary. ‘I’m taking it easy on the Tabasco today so that the rosemary can shine through,’ he says. There’s uncertainty about how moderate he’ll be with the Lea & Perrins, though, as he hefts a five litre bottle of the stuff.

After gently rolling the drink, he samples it before everyone else gets theirs. ‘It’s surprisingly tasty,’ he says. ‘Not that I didn’t expect that,’ he hastily adds. ‘I mean, it’s not like I expected it to come out shit...’ he protests, maybe too much.

His peers will be the judge of that, though. And the verdict is positive, with Kastanek approving of Ottery’s restrained vodka-to-tomato-juice ratio, and everyone suitably impressed by the harmonious yet distinct presence of rosemary.

The proof will be in the scores, although he’s guaranteed a high mark from Gibson. ‘For the tunes, if nothing else,’ he says, sprawled comfortably on one of CGCC’s couches.

rosie mary
Glass: Traditional beer mug
Method: Rolled
40ml Redistilled rosemary Finlandia vodka
3 dashes of Tabasco
15 dashes Worcester Sauce
Salt and pepper
5ml lemon juice
125ml tomato juice

Store-bought flavours:
‘We’re a gin-led bar, so that’s our flavoured vodka, really. We don’t use any other flavoured vodkas – it’s just not that kind of bar. I used Finlandia to make my distillate because it’s a well-made spirit.’ Lee Ottery

CONTESTANT 3:

Kyle Gibson, LAB

It’s just a short stroll into Soho proper, to that Old Compton Street bastion of early noughties drinking, LAB. Here it’s the turn of dark horse Kyle Gibson, a man of few words so far.

There are a few members of staff here already, readying the bar for service, which means that Gibson has an advantage over the other contestants thus far: assistants. As he works it’s all ‘Miguel, can I get some lime here’ or ‘Miguel, more ice!’

After some initial prep, and another round of beers, he’s ready to start. ‘This isn’t exactly the most adventurous of drinks...’ A confident start, Kyle.

Gibson has turned to Poland for the base of his infusion, to Wyborowa, in which he’s steeped some lemongrass. ‘The weird thing is that lemongrass vodka doesn’t really taste of lemongrass.’ And he’s right, everyone agrees, sampling the small measure of the light brown liquid he pours out. Earthy, yes, aromatic, yes, but you’d never pick it as lemongrass. The accompanying vodka, rye-based, is quite robust, as Gibson points out.

‘You could probably use a centrifugal juicer to get that flavour,’ says Mil, in a bar that clearly has nothing of the sort.

Gibson persists. ‘We infuse it for seven days, and go through about two bottles of it in a week.’

‘You know, I haven’t had a Nuclear Daiquiri in a long time,’ muses Kastanek, engrossed in LAB’s cocktail list. Not a fan of lemongrass then?

‘We use it in a Lemongrass Collins, although it’s arguably not a Collins.’ laughs Gibson. ‘But it does sell well.’

He adds some Licor 43, lemon juice, and vanilla sugar. ‘It wouldn’t be a LAB drink without vanilla sugar!’ he says. Add a generous amount of the infused vodka, and top with ginger beer. ‘I suppose the reason it sells well is the addition of ginger beer.’ And with that he’s done, and it’s ready to be evaluated by this expert panel.

‘It’s a typical LAB drink. I tried to make it a bit more on the tart side than usual, to suit gentlemen of your discerning tastes,’ he says, while the tasting’s going on. His fellow bartenders are appreciative, and the lemongrass is a distinct element of this fresh, approachable drink. An interesting discussion about balance in drinks, and the role of sweetness, continues throughout.

And with that, the time has arrived for Gibson and his lemongrass vodka to be evaluated. He’s clearly enjoyed himself: while the scoring’s being done, he’s thinking of spin-off events. ‘We could try home distillates, and call it Come Shine with Me. Or fat washes: Come Swine with Me. Dirty Martinis! Come Brine...’ OK, Kyle.

lemongrass collins
Glass: Highball
Method: Build over crushed ice,
churn and top with ginger beer
40ml Lemongrass-infused Wyborowa
15ml Licor 43
25ml lemon juice
2bsp homemade vanilla sugar
Ginger beer

Store-bought flavours:
‘When it comes to flavoured vodka, it’s all about Cariel at LAB. We sell approximately 560 bottles of this Swedish vanilla vodka in a year. It’s the only authentic-smelling vanilla vodka out there. We use it in four or five drinks, but the majority of that volume is in a Pornstar Martini. We also use a lot of the 42 Below flavours – I go through about six bottles of the passionfruit flavour a week.’ Kyle Gibson

CONTESTANT 4:

Zdenek Kastanek, QV Bar

We couldn’t have asked for a greater contrast between the previous bar and this one. The Come Drink With Me squad has the QV Bar to itself for today’s final round. Service continues in the restaurant next door, while Kastanek’s three guests make themselves at home at the distinctive bar.

Extra points already to Kastanek, the only host to change his outfit today (even if it was a requirement of his job).

He returns, in white shirt and white braces, suiting this civilised establishment perfectly. His presentation follows suit. ‘About eight months ago we made an attempt to recreate the upstairs members’ bar, down here, but to make it more accessible,’ he explains. The assembled bartenders look relieved – the mobile phone ban in the upstairs Quo Vadis Club has been a talking point throughout the day.

And a long day it’s been. Kastanek wastes no time, enlisting the occasional help from fellow bartender Ondrej Pospichal. Bar snacks and water distributed, he begins: ‘As we’re in Quo Vadis, I’m making a classic. I’m making a twist on a Vesper called the Christine Cocktail.’

In the style of Mil earlier in the day with Christmas, Kastanek now takes a theme, James Bond this time, and milks it for all of its worth.

‘Instead of Smirnoff, as in the original Vesper, I’m using Ketel One, infused with grapefruit zest.’ The infusion’s a simple and effective one, with the zest only spending two hours in the vodka before being removed.

‘I’m combining this, three to one, with gin. Instead of the traditional Gordon’s, I’m using Xoriguer.’ He explains that the inclusion of this Spanish gin is a nod to the connections that Quo Vadis owners Sam and Eddie Hart have with Spain. The menu here is defined as ‘modern British with a Mediterranean twist’, continues Kastanek.

He serves the drink in classic miniature 1930s shakers – one for each. ‘When we’re busy, I’ll give these to a customer and get them to shake it,’ which is exactly what he does now with these three drinks.

The drink is strained into goblets that are part of the shakers. ‘For ladies I do a half pour so that the other half dilutes with the ice,’ he says. Clever.

He gives the drinks an additional zesting from some grapefruit peel, and he’s done – a bracing, classic Vesper-style cocktail, cold, and much improved by the presence of the grapefruit. All this in some very distinguished surroundings. His guests are trying to act cool, but they’re impressed...

Christine No.2
Glass: Shaker and goblet
Method: Shake and strain
30ml Ketel One infused with grapefruit zest
20ml Xoriguer Gin
10ml Vermouth blended with white port
and ‘a secret QV touch’

Store-bought flavours:
‘We’re a classic bar, and we’re trying to keep it that way. The only really famous classic drink that calls for a flavoured vodka is a Cosmopolitan. We use Ketel One Citron, which did best in blind tastings against some other citrus vodkas. It’s fresh, and doesn’t smell artificial.’ Zdenek Kastanek

And so, with a fine combination of class, bar snacks, classic drinks and Bond references, Zdenek Kastanek takes the trophy home for the QV Bar, Come Drink With Me champion and master of the infusion universe…

Editorial feature from Imbibe Magazine – January/February 2012