In the first edition of Star Serves by Imbibe, we shine a light on some of the fantastic bartending talent in the UK and the drinks being created. We asked a range of brands to work with a bartender to develop a bespoke seasonal serve, hoping that the drinks featured here will give you inspiration for your own cocktail list and help you to add a seasonal twist to your drinks offer.
Whether you recreate some of the drinks on these pages or devise a seasonal serve of your own, we’d love to know what recipes you’re working on. So share your ideas and pictures with us on Twitter@imbibeUK or on Facebook.com/imbibeuk. And check out the entire Star Serves booklet online.
Bartender: Marian Beke, The Gibson
'This is a twist on a classic Martini that uses Asian flavours and ingredients: there's umami from the Sansho pepper and a citrus note of pomelo – or Asian grapefruit – that I find in Tanqueray No. Ten,' says Marian Beke.
'Our house-made Electric Bitters produce a surprising tingling sensation in the mouth, like an electric shock, which you get if you bite into the dried Sansho pepper flower garnish, too. I discovered these ingredients years ago – Dutch chefs have been using them in cooking for the last 12 years, but they aren't so common in the UK.'
Diageo, 020 8978 6000
Photography: Steve Ryan
ELECTRIC MARTINI
Glass: Nickel-plated Martini glass
Garnish: Dried Sansho
pepper flower
Method: Stir the Tanqueray
No. Ten and saké in a mixing glass
with hand-carved ice. Single-strain
with a fine tea strainer into a
chilled glass. Spritz with lemon
zest, then discard. Drip the bitters
on to the surface of the drink
over a barspoon.
50ml Tanqueray No. Ten
7.5ml Akashi-Tai Aged Saké
4-5 dashes Electric Bitters
