Agostino Perrone’s Martini Masterclass
The martini is a lifestyle.
Agostino Perrone, the legendary director of mixology at London’s famed Connaught Bar, rolled his iconic Martini trolley into Toronto this week for an eagerly anticipated, sold-out guest appearance at the Fairmont Royal York’s Library Bar. The two-day program – the latest in a cocktail-forward series organized by hotel beverage director James Grant – included a master class for local industry professionals, a dinner for international media and a one-night collaboration, showcasing three drinks from each bar.
The Connaught Bar opened in 2008 and has twice since held the number 1 spot on the World’s 50 Best Bars list. The bar has become synonymous with its theatrical tableside Martini service.
“The Martini is a lifestyle,” the sharply suited Perrone charmingly explained at a private reception before the event. “As soon as you hold a martini glass in your hand, you already feel better.”
So, how did Perrone take a simple recipe and make it his signature? More tellingly, how does he keep it fresh after serving approximately 20,000 Martinis a year (“without counting events”) at the bar? Herewith, Perrone shares his essential ingredients for a perfect Martini.
Spirits
Perrone prefers gin over vodka. The Connaught Bar uses a juniper-forward house gin and house-blended vermouth that combines extra dry, dry and bianco vermouths for a balance of dryness, floral notes and a hint of chocolatey sweetness.
Ratio
5:1
Bitters
The glass is rinsed with a half teaspoon of bespoke bitters. Drops of five aromatic tinctures are placed on a card-sized flavour map, like perfumery, and given to the guest to select their preference. The signature Dr. Ago is an uplifting blend of ginseng and bergamot. “It’s almost like in the spa, but better.”
Stirred
Never shaken. Approximately 21 seconds. Executed silently. “[Our bartenders] have to do their training in church. If they can do it there without anyone realizing that they’re making a Martini, then they’re ready for the trolley.
Ice
Crystal clear and slow frozen. The ice is “very, very pure. You obtain a fantastic silky texture. It makes the drinks more elegant to the palate. Even at nine o’clock in the morning.”
Strain and Pour
The final flourish is a two-person job that combines an aerating high pour with an Amalfi lemon twist squeezed from the side, allowing only the light oils to enter the drink. If the twist is squeezed too closely to the stream, the drink will be contaminated with concentrated oils that “attack the palate.”
Time
The most important ingredient of all. The Connaught bartenders spend five to seven minutes with each guest that orders a Martini. “This gives us a fantastic opportunity to engage with the guests and make them feel part of the bar.”
Watch this space for the soon-to-be-announced September date for The Library Bar’s next collaboration – with Washington D.C.’s Silver Lyan, the first and only bar outside Europe from Ryan Chetiyawardana, better known as Mr. Lyan.
By Alexandra Gill
