Build your Cocktail Box

A cocktail known by many names throughout its history, the origins of the Espresso Martini will remain the stuff of myth and legend for years to come. The story goes that one day a young supermodel sidled up to Dick Bradsell’s bar at the Soho Brasserie and requested a pick-me-up cocktail with coffee…although her exact words were a little different! Mixing the now infamous drink with vodka, coffee liqueur, a shot of espresso and a little sugar, the Espresso Martini was thus born. The cocktail’s name may have changed through Dick’s bartending history (the 'Pharmaceutical Stimulant' is our personal favorite), but the iconic combination of vodka and coffee has remained the same since its inception.

In 1919, Count Camillo Negroni would frequent the aristocratic Caffè Casoni in Florence, Italy. One day he wanted something a little bit stronger than his usual Americano. So he asked the barman Fosco Scarselli to add a little bit of Gin to his drink, rather than soda, in memory of his recent trips to London.

This new cocktail became “The Usual” for the Count, but soon it became the “American Aperitif Count Negroni-style" for everyone else. In the 1950's the cocktail became very popular in Italy and, soon, all over the world. Ian Fleming mentioned the Negroni Cocktail in one of the 'James Bond' movies.

The Manhattan has outlasted prohibition, it's survived countless trends, and is widely (and rightly) regarded as one of the greatest ever cocktails. If you believe the legend, it was first mixed in 1870 at a reception held by Jennie Jerome, soon-to-be mother of Winston Churchill. The venue? The Manhattan Club - where else. Or so the story goes. You can find it on cocktail menus around the world, and now, in your very own cocktail bar, too.

This story begins in Paris, at Harry’s Bar, where the famous barman Harry McElhone invented this special cocktail for Erksine Gwynne. Gwynne was well known because he was the grandson of the magnate Alfred Vanderbilt. Thanks to Gwynne, the Boulevardier became famous when he published the recipe in his “Barflies and Cocktails”, circa 1927, and he went on to create a monthly magazine called "Boulevardier”.

It's simple: Milan is the birthplace of Campari. Turin is the home of sweet vermouth. Mix the two together in a glass. garnish with orange peel, and you have the perfect classic. Legend has it that Gaspare Campari first served the Milano Torino at his Milan cafe in 1860. The Mi-To proved so popular it became the template for the next generation of bittersweet cocktails, like the Americano (with a splash of soda) and the Negroni (with an equal measure of gin). Ours includes Cocchi vermouth, from a family recipe that's over 100 years old.

The origins of this cocktail go so far back that it's tough to trust anyone who says they created it. The original name was Whiskey Cocktail, as it reflected the characteristics of the classic cocktail formula laid down in 1806: spirit, sugar, water and bitters. The proliferation of new liqueurs available to bartenders from the 1870s resulted in a fad for new and allegedly 'improved' Whiskey Cocktails, which then led to a revolt amongst those who yearned for the original drink. Hence the Old Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail.