Tony Conigliaro on cocktail trends in 2018

Tony Conigliaro is one of London’s most influential mixologists. We asked him for his thoughts on cocktail trends for 2018, his favourite drinks and his latest venture – Gazelle in Mayfair

By Olivia Holborow and Rick Jordan

24 July 2018

Watch: The full interview with Tony Conigliaro

Or keep scrolling for a transcript of highlights.

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Is there a cocktail trend for 2018?

The London cocktail scene is so strong right now and especially open to new ways of doing things. Therefore I think the trend is that there is no trend. Mixologists are expressing themselves in thousands of ways. Increasingly, bartenders have become more like chefs in experimenting and expressing what they want to say. There is perhaps a bigger emphasis on ingredients – a greater appreciation of what people want locally.

Is there a cocktail you must drink in 2018?

Whatever you want it to be. Find your favourite drink and live with it, explore it.

Tony ConigliaroKintzing

What do people get wrong when making their own drinks?

Overcomplication. Cocktails should be simple and elegant – there’s nothing wrong with working hard until the ingredients are perfected, but there should never be too much fuss. In a drink with 20 different ingredients the flavours become lost. We want to showcase individual ingredients.

Is there an all-time essential rule for making cocktails?

Enjoy it – they’re supposed to be fun.

Why does the same cocktail taste different in different bars?

The technical skill of a bartender will inevitably affect the taste of cocktails from bar to bar – one might stir a drink 20 times and another might stir twice this amount. Likewise with ingredients – while one bartender might use lemons from the Amalfi Coast, another might source them from Brazil. It’s in the subtleties. Yet ultimately it comes down to personal preference.

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Tell us about the philosophy of your drinks.

The philosophy of our drinks has always been about experiencing a clean, linear progression of flavours. Our drinks are very pared back. Excess ingredients are left behind to narrow the drink down to flavours in their purest, simplest form so that they are beautiful and elegant.

What are your favourite cocktails?

One of my oldest drinks is the Twinkle – vodka, elderflower cordial and Champagne, with a lemon twist. Super simple. What we’ve tried to do is take it to the next level and make it more of an experience. We wanted to reassess ingredients, push the ingredients even further, look at new mixing techniques and interesting flavour combinations.

Then there's the Baby Doll. Appearing across London bars in all its different incarnations, the Baby Doll cocktail is loosely based on the perfume by YSL. We loved the name – it’s a super-fun cocktail, a concoction of rhubarb syrup, egg-whites, rum and lemon. It is short and sour, with a hint of sweetness.

And the Coral Fizz, which was invented by my mentor, Dick Bradshaw (he also created the Espresso Martini). The Coral Fizz contains rose-petal vodka, Peychaud’s Bitters and Champagne. This is a Champagne-focused cocktail. Making drinks with Champagne is notoriously difficult since sparkling wine can be unpredictable, expanding certain flavours with its bubbles – but this just allows us to showcase our drinks to a higher level.

The Bar at GazelleJames Mason

How does Gazelle fit into Mayfair?

Mayfair is the home of English cocktails, so we’ve tried to revisit modern Mayfair. The interiors were designed by myself and Shaun Clarkson ID. We wanted to take on every project as an opportunity to create something expressively different. Behind the bar is a commissioned artwork that at first looks Art Deco but is actually based on the design of a Native American bangle using an array of glass and metal. Then for the luxury and comfort of the main restaurant we wanted bright and bold, joyous colours. We’ve been lucky with the old Georgian windows, the light coming through them at different times of day is always beautiful. The artwork on the walls is by Brooklyn-based photographer Zackery Michael.

Where do you love to travel?

I love going to Japan, it’s become a regular pilgrimage over the years. It’s great for exploring, there are so many new restaurants opening there all the time – every time I visit is a new drink discovery.

Read a full review of Gazelle in our round-up of the best restaurants in London.

Find out why we included Tony Conigliaro in our list of 50 people changing the way we travel.