Lustau Solera Standout 2026 Top 50
Words by Simon Difford
From bone-dry Fino to luscious Pedro Ximénez, Lustau's sherries offer bartenders an exceptional palette of flavours. Add the bodega's acclaimed brandies and vermouths, including category-defining Lustau Vermut Rosé, and the creative possibilities are vast. The judges' selection of the 50 best cocktails reflects that remarkable diversity.
Many thanks to all the bartenders who contributed recipes.
Creoli
Creoli combines Manzanilla sherry, unaged rhum agricole, Grand Marnier and Orange Angostura bitters. Dry and elegant, it opens with saline notes and fresh
Dialèg
Nutty, aromatic and elegant, with layers of dried fruits, honeyed grapes, Mediterranean herbs and a long oxidative finish.
Grandma’s Baking
Notes of vanilla, lime, nuttiness. Creamy, thick texture. Lime aromatics from zest. Tonka bean tincture made by sous vide tonka beans in overproof vodka.
Where Flor Begins
A delicate and mineral cocktail inspired by the white albariza soils of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Built around Lustau Manzanilla Papirusa, it enhances its
Flor de Mar y Tierra
Orange oil and zest lift aromas of toasted nuts, fig, and dried fruit. Amontillado brings hazelnut and caramel, East India adds raisin, date, and spice.
Common Thread
Nose: bright lemon oils, walnut, gentle spice, subtle oak Palate: orchard fruit, orange peel, citrus, baking spices, walnut Finish: Long lingering dark
Old Seville
This spirit forward cocktail features notes of roasted nuts, bitter and sweet oranges, vanilla, and a hint of spice that dances on the palate. Designed
BEE ROUS
Inspired by the structure of a classic through a contemporary lens. Fino brings freshness and precision. Palo Cortado layers of dried fruits, spice and
Liquid Amber
Liquid Amber is a sweet-bitter highball with floral Moscato and herbal, tart Rueberry. Tonic brings light bitterness and a crisp finish, while a whole
Golden Anchor
an elegant mix of honey, flowers and oxidatives notes
Belétage Adonis
The Belétage Adonis evolves the classic into a three-part composition centred on Lustau Amontillado. Its biological and oxidative ageing shapes the cocktail's
Cortaburma (Cutting Through the Mist)
A bright, low-ABV tropical cocktail where oxidative sherry, warm spice and fresh citrus meet rich orgeat. It opens vibrant and gently sweet before evolving
The Andalusian Orchard
A crisp, autumnal cocktail that transforms bone-dry Fino sherry into a rich, orchard-fruit experience. It balances the savory, yeast-driven salinity of
Cask & Cane
I created this cocktail at Death and Company Melbourne for the Lustau Solera Standout Competition. I pimped one of my favorite cocktail of all time, the
Levante
The taste of the sherry ist the star in this drink. All other ingredients support this. In the finish, the drink is strongly reminiscent of a Croissant
Fourth Deck
A bright and elegant stirred cocktail that balances the saline dryness of Lustau Fino Sherry with fresh melon, citrus and alpine herbs. Layers of Midori,
