Didn’t have any choc to go on top, but still very pleasant. Has rather a fantasy-confectionary feel to me - like a gaudy Halloween costume. I had some VERY well aged home cinnamon sugar (finished pods go in a jar of sugar) - half a tspn was plenty, a quarter might even suffice. Loved the jaffa choc-orange combination. Happy day for differences and diversity!

I thought the equal parts version was a bit too sweet for my tastes. I upped the gin, dropped the amaro and pamplemousse, and kept the lemon the same. Much more to my liking.

This slightly tart and kinda bitter daiquiri is good with light white rum. Just tried it with Planteray five year old Barbados rum with similar results. Added the ice cubes.

A Golden Gem in the Heart of 1862 Dry Bar

I recently had the pleasure of trying the Golden Martini at 1862 Dry Bar by Alberto Martínez, and I must say—it was an unforgettable experience. This cocktail is a masterclass in balance and elegance. The presentation alone is stunning: a shimmering golden hue that immediately catches the eye and sets the tone for what’s to come.

From the first sip, I was impressed by its smoothness and complexity. The blend of ingredients is both bold and refined, with just the right touch of sweetness and a silky texture that lingers beautifully. It’s clear that great care has gone into crafting this drink—not just in flavor, but in the entire experience it delivers.

Special praise must go to Ángel San José Martín, the brilliant mind behind this creation. His vision and craftsmanship shine through in every detail of the Golden Martini. It’s rare to encounter a cocktail that feels both innovative and timeless, and Ángel has achieved just that. His work elevates 1862 Dry Bar’s offering to a whole new level, and I’m grateful to have experienced it.

Whether you’re a cocktail aficionado or simply looking to treat yourself to something special, the Golden Martini is a must-try. I’ll definitely be coming back for another round.

Jerónimo Martín.

We have the most lovely small gin producer near us (Cinnamon Grove Gin - do call in if you're in Pembrokeshire) who do a fabulous Orange Gin. If you can get your hands on this (I'm sure other orange gins are available) it really will take your negronis to the next level. Honestly you'll thank me.

Works on paper, missed the target for me. Too bitter (which is saying something with my palate) and the lime seemed to be fighting with the campari.

Quite light but incredibly balanced and flavorful. All ingredients are key for the balance

Good cocktail, but I suggest to check the bitterness before you add the grapefruit bitters. I needed to omit it and add a barspoon sugar syrup.

Love this with Punt E Mes but I just tried it with Cocchi Storico and Old Grand Dad 114° (the original 'barrel strength') bourbon. Still fantastic and better than a regular manhattan imo.

We like Saunders' Little Italy so had to try this, though it's a rather loose riff on a Boulevardier. It got me to reopen a neglected bottle of the only grappa we have, a Marolo Grappa based on brunello (sangiovese) grapes. No idea just how much this differs from moscato grappa. Limiting the Campari to just 1 teaspoon is right on the money: this drink opens plenty bitter enough then expands into a nice interplay of the grappa with the fruits and herbal flavors in the vermouth (Cocchi Storico) and those in the Amaro Nonino before a lingering, bitter finish. Sweet vs. sour vs. bitter balance is excellent. 5 stars to S. Sedgley!

An excellent cocktail! Cucumber forward followed by tequila, lime and a hint of mint. Good blend of tart and sweet. Used Espolon tequila because that's what I have. Used rich simple syrup and reduced the volume by about half.

Not bad, but I’d either use less juice (.5 oz) or just a regular vodka, unless you really like lemon.

This was notably dry and boozy for my palette using Ferrand dry curaçao. Next time I’d swap for Cointreau… but would it be better than either a champs elysee or a sidecar on its own? Unclear…

Couldn’t find a peach aperitif in my area!

Used Jack Daniels but substituted my homemade cantaloupe liqueur for the peach aperitif. Delicious!

This was really fantastic. I opted to go with a lower proof rye (Woodford Reserve) to pair with the 40%abv calvados. I also decided to sub cocchi instead of opening a new bottle of carpano antica, but now that I've seen the original recipe uses cinnamon tincture instead of angostura I guess I have to give this one another shot sooner than later.

A surprising, tasty combination of flavors. Lime over lemon seemed questionable but it works nicely. As others have noted, we did find this a tad cloying as written (and using Giffard peach) , but upping the cognac to 2oz restored the balance (to our palate). Enjoy!

This is brilliant. So well balanced

I really enjoyed this.
Well Balanced, it becomes a unique taste. The cacao seems to smooth everything out.
(I used blood orange and brown cacao.)

A bit too dry to my liking but otherwise a very interesting drink with a complex flavour profile, I get a lot of woody-cherry notes from it.

An easy-to-make and yet original aperitve. Could be a quizz for non-Greek guests! I added a drop of celery bitter in it and thought it was a good move.

The first time I made this, I didn’t like it at all, but that must have been operator error because I just tried it again and thoroughly enjoyed it. A great showcase for the musty, turmeric-laden idiosyncrasies of Suze.

Just made it with the exact same ingredients and it was perfect. Cheers!

Based on other comments we dropped the sugar syrup. Also used Americano Bianco as the aromatised wine. A rich combination of bitter and sweet; glad we dropped the syrup.