They say never to mess with a classic. But what if a little messing turns that classic into a game-changer? We asked some of the world’s most talented mixologists to share with us the little hacks that can turn your great cocktail into an unforgettable one
Next time you’re at the bar, give your favorite tipple an instant upgrade with these nifty tips and tricks…
1. Tell your barkeep to change the record
If your drink doesn’t taste quite right, it could be the music in the bar that’s causing the problem. Research carried out at Oxford University’s Crossmodal Research Laboratory found that high-pitched, tinkly sounds make things taste sweeter, low rumblings increase bitterness, and sour tastes are intensified by sounds that are shrill, spasmodic or discordant.
If you want to test it out for yourself, try tasting the same drink to the different tracks on the Sonic Taste EP by sonic-branding company Condiment Junkie.
Max your Bloody Mary by pairing it with a bar snack that’s high in nucleotides, such as beef or prawns. Nucleotides—organic molecules that form the building blocks of DNA—combine forces with the glutamates in the tomato juice to produce a supercharged flavor hit known in the science world as ‘synergistic umami‘—or, to you and me, something really delicious. Alternatively, order your Bloody Mary with a splash of umami-rich dry sherry to really make those tomato flavors pop.
3. Give ‘em a good spanking
If you’re drinking a mojito or a julep, maximize the aroma of the mint garnish by laying it across your palm and giving it a sharp smack before tucking it back into your glass. The impact releases all those wonderful aromatic oils and makes your drink smell amazing. Leafy herbs like basil, sage and lemon verbena also respond well to similar treatment.
4. A frosty reception
The martini is one drink that needs to be served stingingly cold. An easy way to increase the chill factor is first to put your cocktail glass into the freezer for at least a couple of minutes (in Japan, all the top bars have freezer cabinets just for glassware). Not only will an ice-glazed chalice keep your cocktail colder longer, it will look really mouth-watering.
5. A twist on the hot toddy
If you’re in the mood for a hot cocktail, but feel like a change from the traditional Scotch toddy, try ordering an Old Fashioned—without ice—and topped up with a little hot water instead. The warmth will help to release the sweet vanilla notes of the whiskey and the spiciness of the Angostura bitters, turning this American classic into an aromatic winter warmer.
6. Elderflower gets an Asian twist
‘If your bartender runs out of their favorite ‘ketchup,’ St. Germain Elderflower liqueur, and it’s your favorite liqueur too, no worries!’ says Karl Too, owner of the Kuala Lumpur speakeasy Omakase + Appreciate. ‘Ask them to try lychee or lemongrass in your favorite cocktail instead—you’ll be amazed!’
7. Get creative with the garnish
Why stick to lemon or lime for your gin & tonic? Flavorists at the Strange Hill drinks agency in London found that Gin Mare, a Spanish gin majoring in Mediterranean botanicals—including olives, basil, thyme and rosemary—actually paired best with a slice of mango and a grind of black pepper (mango is big on the flavor compounds pinene and limonene, which are also found in a high concentration in Gin Mare). Cucumber, smashed lemongrass, rosemary or a twist of grapefruit can all be great in a G&T—ask your bartender to suggest a good flavor match for your particular gin.
8. Bitter brilliance
If you enjoy the sting of a bittersweet negroni (and what barfly doesn’t?), then next time around try asking your bartender to stir it with a teaspoon or two of the face-puckeringly bitter amaro Fernet Branca. Minty, herbal and black as espresso, this old-school Italian digestif will make your negroni taste seriously grown-up.
9. Small is beautiful
A great big 10oz martini may look tempting, but if you want your drink to be in tip-top condition from start to finish, then a small glass is the way to go. Back in the early days of cocktails, glasses were often a thimble-sized 3oz, but anything up to about 7oz will allow you to see off your drink before it’s gone all warm and flabby. To get around the problem of having to constantly order another drink, some bars serve half-sized martinis in a tiny cocktail glass, with the rest of the drink in a mini-decanter on the side, chilled on a bed of crushed ice so that the drink can be topped up as you go.
10. Ring the changes with Cynar
Take your taste buds for a spin by replacing the rosso vermouth in your usual Manhattan or negroni with Cynar (pronounced chee-nar), an Italian digestif made with artichokes. This earthy, burnt-sugar liqueur is not just delicious, it also plays an interesting trick on your palate. Cynarin, a compound found in artichokes, briefly blocks the tongue’s sweetness receptors—a moment later, the sensation returns with a surge.
11. A weighty issue
Want to enjoy your G&T even more? Order it in a heavy glass loaded up with ice. According to Professor Charles Spence that extra bit of weight will increase your perception of quality.
12. Order an extra wedge
A cocktail served over a mountain of crushed ice is a beautiful thing, but the speed at which crushed ice melts means the drink can quickly end up diluted and flavorless. So next time you order a mojito or a caipirinha, take a tip from Paul Mathew, a consultant for top bars across Asia: ‘Ask for an extra wedge of lime to garnish the glass, and then squeeze it in half way through the drink to keep the flavor as close as possible to that of the first sip.’
13. The insider’s sparkle
You’re probably already brand-calling the spirits for your cocktail, but if you’re ordering something like a mojito or a spritz you should give a thought to the brand of sparkling water, too. That’s the advice from Zoe Burgess, head of research and development at the Drink Factory, the flavor lab behind world-famous London cocktail bars that include 69 Colebrooke Row and Zetter Townhouse. ‘Ask for Vichy Catalan water in any drinks requiring sparkling water,’ she recommends. ‘The natural salt and mineral content in Vichy Catalan adds an instant brightness to any drink.’
14. Have an extra helping of ice
There is one simple way you can improve just about any cocktail: use more ice. Whether you’re shaking, stirring or sipping something on the rocks, ice works much more efficiently if there’s a lot of it. Put a couple of cubes in a G&T and they’ll have melted away in minutes leaving your drink all watery. Fill the glass up to the brim with ice and you’ll find your drink stays colder for longer, with minimal dilution. It will taste crisper, too, as coldness helps to preserve carbonation and mask sweetness (which is why flat cola tastes like undrinkable syrup). The bigger the cubes, the better—if you’re sipping something like an Old Fashioned, try having it over a giant ice block or an ice ball to make it a real long-player.
15. Dirty or not dirty?
If you like your martini with an olive, there’s a good reason. Strange Hill’s Stuart Bale, a man who has spent many hours in the lab analyzing the flavor science behind one of history’s most iconic cocktails, explains why: ‘It has long been known that salt works as a flavor enhancer. Our bodies crave salt, but it also reduces the surface tension of liquids, allowing more aromatic compounds to escape and our perception of aromas to increase.’ Having said that, Bale believes that olives often risk overpowering gin’s more delicate botanicals, so instead he recommends adding ‘a drop or two of salt solution’ to your martini to get the same effect. Not as sexy, perhaps, but scientifically sound.
16. Just say no
If you order a cocktail and your bartender reaches for a dust-covered bottle of vermouth on a shelf under hot lights, give it a miss. Vermouth is at least 75 percent wine and, just like wine, it oxidizes over time. That means it should always be kept in the fridge, out of direct light and drunk within 4–6 weeks.
Find out how St. Regis ’ in-house mixologists are hacking the classic Bloody Mary to produce some wild and wonderful new flavors.
Share your tips for the perfect cocktail to #momentumtravel.
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With thousands of breathtaking options on offer, deciding where to holiday in Indonesia can be hard work. That’s why we’ve come up with 10 simple questions to steer you towards your perfect island partner.
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Lombok
Best for: beaches
The beaches of Indonesia are the stuff of castaway fantasies. There are literally thousands to choose from, but the place that best combines extraordinary beauty with the convenience of easy transport links is Lombok – you can fly direct, or nip over on a fast boat from Bali.
There are beaches on the island for every occasion, but the standout for many visitors is Mawun. It goes without saying that Mawun has white sand and stunning, turquoise water, but the bonus here is the seclusion of an enclosed bay. The beach is rarely busy, and at “off-peak” times there’s a very real chance of having it all to yourself.
Another winner is Senggigi Beach, where can sit on the sand and watch the surfers do their stuff (or, if you’re so inclined, borrow a board and join in).
Jimbaran or Nusa Dua, Bali
Best for: children and teenagers
Older kids will love Jimbaran in Bali for its range of watersports. Close your eyes and try not to worry as you send them off parasailing, jet skiing, water skiing or bouncing along on a banana boat.
If you want to take it down a notch, there’s snorkeling and learning about turtle conservation.
If you’ve got younger kids, you might want to stay at a family-friendly resort to make use of the various kids clubs. (It’s your break, too, and it’s easier to relax by the pool knowing that your child is being professionally entertained in a purpose-built playroom.)
If you’re trying to cater for more than one age group, you might want to take a look at The Westin Resort in Nusa Dua, Bali. They have a “teen zone” packed with PlayStations and dedicated clubs for both toddlers and younger kids.
Ubud, Bali
Best for: wellness
If your holiday packing is pretty much sun cream and yoga pants, and you like to come back from time away cleansed and invigorated, Ubud is for you.
Ubud is Bali’s center for healing, and in fact the name of the area comes from Ubad, which means medicine. This is the place to head for the full menu of luxury spas, Ayurvedic treatments, acupuncture or panchakarma programs.
Ubud is also Bali’s cultural nexus, and you can easily fill your days with temples and art galleries, ceremonies and dancing, and great cuisine.
After all that, enjoy a hedonistic four-handed massage before settling into bed to re-read Eat, Pray, Love.
Kuta, Bali
Best for: partying
With a reputation for good times, busy, crowded Kuta in Bali draws a young, energetic crowd ready to party.
Days are spent swimming, shopping, sunbathing or just chilling. Nightlife ranges from places where you buy beer by the bucket to the kind of upscale establishments where the barman takes care not to bruise the gin in your martini.
It’s not the prettiest of places on the island, or the most authentically Balinese, but it has an appealingly brash, good-humored vibe all of its own.
If hardcore partying isn’t your thing, you’ll also find a few quieter, less high-octane places for watching sunset turn into sunrise.
Yogyakarta, Java
Best for: cultural experiences
As it’s the history, culture and ceremonies of a new place that thrill you, you’ll probably find Yogyakarta the perfect destination.
This is the city where Java began, a place that was a powerhouse in the 8th and 9th centuries, and an opportunity for modern visitors to enjoy fascinating Javanese arts and traditions at every turn.
Beyond the urban sprawl are two of Indonesia’s most astounding archaeological sites: Borobudur and Prambanan. The Mahayana Buddhist temple at Borobudur boasts nine stacked platforms, six square and three circular, topped by a central dome, while the UNESCO World Heritage-listed temple compounds at Prambanan makes for a stunning spectacle in the style of Cambodia’s Angkor Wat.
Thanks to Yogyakarta’s surprisingly mild climate, a bit of exploring won’t leave you exhausted. That’s good news as there’s still the Sultan’s Palace to see, local silversmiths to admire in action at Kotagede, and endless pavement stalls selling the must-try local specialty gudeg: a stew of jackfruits simmered in coconut cream and served with chicken, egg or tofu.
Jakarta, Java
Best for: urban buzz
Beaches are OK, but who wants to spend a couple of weeks just lying in the sun? If you find lazing around a recipe for boredom, then your best bet is Jakarta.
From the aromatic, old-fashioned streets of Chinatown to the crazy nightlife in North Jakarta, you really can have any experience you like in this city of 10 million people.
You’ll find haute couture in Plaza Indonesia and the Grand Indonesia shopping town, but bargain hunters will be in heaven in the wholesale textile malls of Tanah Abang.
For a Jakartan market with edge, head to Pasar Santa on Jalan Wolter Monginsidi. This was a conservative indoor market until 2014, when it was transformed by a group of young entrepreneurs who wanted to use it to showcase their start-up companies. Now Pasar Santa has a unique mix of style-conscious places to eat, vinyl record stores, vintage clothing shops and cool coffee lounges. We promise you’ll go for the shopping and stay for the people watching.
Lombok’s Gili islands
Best for: diving
The Gili islands off the northwestern coast of Lombok are famed for their fantastic diving. The conditions are rarely difficult, the current is near non-existent, and you’ll pretty much always have at least 20m of visibility for spotting the first-class marine life.
Advanced divers will enjoy the deeper reefs, which have vast areas of pristine coral, swathes of hard corals and brightly colored fans.
A speedboat from Lombok’s main beach resort of Senggigi gets you to the trio of islands in around 20 minutes.
Trawangan (which everyone refers to as Gili T) is the funkiest of the three with chic bars and cool restaurants. Gili Air is more traditional and Meno is the least developed.
In recent times the waters surrounding Lombok have been intently watched by conservationists, so turtles are a common sight once again. You may also come face-to-face with a manta ray, reef sharks or even the rare Mola mola – the heaviest bony fish in the world, capable of weighing more than 950kg.
Not desperate to swim rapidly away from a fish that weighs much the same as your car? Fear not: there are endless colorful, pleasingly small fish pottering about in the shallows, too.
Lampung, Sumatra
Best for: wildlife
Lampung is an easy hop from Jakarta—take a 40-minute flight, or a seven-hour bus trip, your call—and you’ll soon be surrounded by what the World Wildlife Fund has called ‘one of the planet’s most biologically outstanding habitats.’
Elephants inhabit the rainforest of the Way Kambas National Park, while Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park is home to Sumatran rhinos and tigers. The park is also famous for the many bird species that prefer foothill climates, as well as for several species of sea turtle that nest along its coastal zone.
While you’re in Sumatra it would be remiss not to give a few coins to help orangutans. There are now less than 700 in the wild, making them critically endangered. It feels unimaginable that orangutans share 97 percent of our DNA and yet could be extinct in 20 years.
The one piece of nature that you don’t want to see at its most magnificent is Mount Krakatoa. Happily dormant right now, the volcano holds the record for creating the loudest sound ever heard in modern history: its 1883 eruption was audible up to 3,000 miles away.
Nusa Dua, Bali
Best for: loved-up luxe
Many resorts in Indonesia are aimed at honeymooners, but the neatly groomed enclave of Nusa Dua in Bali turns the sense of seclusion and luxe up a notch.
Just 14km southeast of Kuta, it’s easy to get to, unlike some of Indonesia’s more remote beauty spots. (After all, nothing ruins a romantic holiday in paradise faster than three hours uncomfortably bouncing on a wooden speedboat.)
The beautifully quiet coastal stretch is home to an array of five-star resorts, fully mod-conned-up, with plenty of spas and options for candle-lit dinners on the beach.
Take a look at The St Regis, The Westin or The Laguna, which is encircled by a network of seven large, swimmable lagoons and pools.
Bali
Best for: when you can’t make your mind up
There’s a reason that Bali is the most famous island in Indonesia. It’s because it’s easily the best all-rounder, with a beautiful hinterland of volcanic mountains and rice paddies and some pretty outstanding beaches. There are so many that you can even chose your preferred sand color—soft and white in the south; exotic volcanic black in the west.
The Kuta-Legian-Seminyak strip is an 8km sweep of golden sand that’s well known as a weekend hangout for visitors who’ve hopped over from Australia. Now, however, it’s increasing in appeal to other travelers drawn to chic restaurants and designer shops.
Hardcore divers will gravitate towards Malibu Point for glimpses of sharks, tuna and manta rays, while snorkelers will enjoy Crystal Bay, where the clearest water in the region offers visibility between 30-50m.
Honeymooning couples head toward the luxury of Nusa Dua, party people take on Kuta and parents simply find one of the many child-friendly resorts and hunker down while the kids clubs do all the work.
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What is your personal paradise?
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What’s on your 90s pop mix tape?
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Which of these most appeals to you?
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After a holiday, is your camera filled with shots of:
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If your friends planned a surprise for you, would you like it to be:
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Complete this sentence: “The buzz of a big city makes me feel…”
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A friend tells you they’ve spent the morning aligning their chakras. Do you…
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When you’re sitting on your suitcase trying to squash it closed, is it because you’ve tried to squeeze in: