Drink Like You’re at Art Basel With These Luxuriant Cocktails
Art-inspired Bombay Sapphire drinks from the annual extravaganza in Miami
It’s known that the libations during Miami Art Week might get just as much attention as the fairs, installations and exhibitions. For the most part, guests indulge in simple cocktails and plenty of champagne. Bombay Sapphire, however, went above and beyond once again, tapping their brand ambassador Gary Hayward to develop the extraordinary. For those of us here to see art morning, noon and night, drinks like the four below make the unwinding an experience until themselves. Hayward developed these for the eighth Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series finale party, housed at Villa Casa Casuarina (otherwise known as the former Versace Mansion). The Artisan Series also affirms the gin brand’s belief in the arts. The annual competition offers emerging artists a platform with reach—and the ultimate winner receives an opportunity to showcase a large public art installation in NYC. Bombay understands—as we hope most do—that Miami Art Week is about the art but also that flavor is a sense that understands artistry as well.
Wellspring
With opulence at its core, the Wellspring alludes to Gatsby-like celebrations. “The flavors within the cocktail are almost the opposite to its industrial visual design,” Hayward explains. “Although served in a sharp, faceted edged glass, the flavors are smooth, bright and fresh with a silky viscosity. A drink fit for the Great Gatsby.”
1 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
.5 oz Martini Ambrato Vermouth
.5 oz St Germain
2 dashes orange bitters
.5 oz simple syrup
.5 grams citric acid
1 oz Pectin-clarified cucumber juice
Combine ingredients. Garnish with a small pinch of dusted silver flakes.
Epiphany
This is “inspired by the obvious cheeky connection between creativity and the lightbulb effect,” Hayward says. “I wanted to use a vessel shape that was the total opposite of the sharp, hard edges that is designed throughout the venue. The vessels are clearly playful and fun. The cocktail is also a nod to the light bulb soda trend currently popular throughout Asia.” Regarding flavors, citrus and gin mingle but milk makes it all unexpected.
1.5oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
.75 oz lemon juice
.5 oz citrus oleo
0.5oz Earl Grey tea
1 oz milk
Citrus Oleo
2 tbsp. white sugar
1 lemon peel
1 orange peels
Pinch dried coconut
1 pineapple cube
Formations
“The first thing we all do before we take our first sip of a drink or bite off some food, is to look at it,” Hayward explains. Edible ink words and an arrow will guide people’s eyes toward a coconut, truffle, salted, sweet and sour jelly candy, placed upon a bamboo skewer, suspended. “The extreme flavors hidden within the candy will set your palate up for the rest of the flavor journey in the cocktail,” he adds, noting that it will be one of citrus and spice continuing with subtle notes of cherry and vanilla.
1.25oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
1oz fresh pineapple juice
0.5oz lemon juice
2 dashes chocolate bitters
1 barspoons Maraschino liqueur
0.5oz sweetened Chai tea
Combine all ingredients. Garnish with homemade coconut and truffle-salted sour candy.
Ginger Mosaic
An elevated variation on the Mule, with gin, Hayward “wanted to intensify each individual flavor, eliminate the dilution associated with classic ginger beer by concentrating each flavor.” Freshness abounds, botanicals shine through, and just one ice cube means controlled dilution.
1.25 oz Bombay Sapphire EAST Gin
300 ml fresh ginger juice
300 ml fresh apple juice.
20 fresh mint leaves
1 oz fresh basil leaves measurements per 32 oz house soda mix
250 ml honey
150 ml fresh lime juice
Combine and clarify ingredients using Soda Stream. Served over large ice cube.
Images courtesy of Bombay Sapphire
