Watering holes around the world are a sanctuary of sorts. The places offer noise enough to drown the mundane, and solace enough to lose yourself. Liquid takes a tour through four of Barcelona’s most talked of bars and discovers a little bit of magic in its glass!

Text: Scott Adams

SpanishFlamenco

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bar trail

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R ed jalapeño chillies with honey. Coca-Cola ‘air’. Liquid nigiri sushi. These

aren’t the latest offerings from an avant-garde restaurant but the creations of a few radical barmen in Barcelona, Spain. Turning the cocktail scene on its head is a new wave of mixologists who are introducing bold colours, exciting textures, scintillating aromas and most of all, imagination to the glass.BANKER’S BARIn the elegant Banker’s Bar, inside the Mandarin Oriental hotel, you’ll find one of the movers and shakers in cocktails. Head barman, Roger Vilalta, is setting a trend in modern mixology. “Most of my cocktails use fresh fruit juice and homemade fruit syrups,” he boasts. Drinkers

at the Banker’s Bar love Roger’s more unusual combinations, which are highlighted by variations in texture and an astute perception of how to combine, what could be described as, unusual bedfellows. A good example is the Devil’s Horn, a spicy concoction using dark rum, macerated raspberries and red jalapeño chillies, and topped off with a drizzle of honey.

“Along with flavours, I’ve been experimenting with textures through my mixology for quite a while now,” explains the 35-year-old. The Cubajito brings the point home nicely. “It’s a tribute to the three great rum-based cocktails; the Cuba Libre, the Mojito and the Daiquiri,” he says proudly. Creating a Cubajito is not just mixing a few

a new wave of mixologists are introducing bold colours, exciting textures, scintillating aromas and imagination to the glass.

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spirits together; it’s a complicated process. After the main ingredients have been blended, the ‘coup de grâce’ comes from beaten Coca-Cola foam or ‘air’ as Roger prefers to call it. He gently pours the airy foam into the top of the glass over the back of a spoon. “The ‘air’ is there, not only as a decorative element, but it also provides texture,” says Roger. “As it slips over your lips, it feels like velvet. Then, as you drink deeper, you notice the fresh scent of the mint, the tang of the lemon, and the rich flavour of the rum.”41º BARBarcelona has created many great chefs and among them is one of the world’s best. Ferrán Adriá has risen to culinary heights due to his manipulation of the prime ingredients’ composition — something that has been tagged ‘molecular gastronomy’ by the press. Now, something very similar

Ferrán Adriá hAs risen to culinAry heights due to his mAnipulAtion oF the prime ingredients’ composition.

is happening at 41º, a recently opened cocktail bar set on the busy Parel-lel Street near the port.

41º has proved so popular that you are now only able to access the bar with a reservation. Once inside,

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you’ll find a chic, highly-industrial setting with double height ceilings crisscrossed with metal beams, and exposed air-conditioning ducts. The bar top features large, forged steel letters topped with a glass counter.

Marc Alverez, who is in charge of the bar, uses base ingredients, which you may not at first think of as flavours for a drink in a cocktail glass. “We have developed a special technique to extract the essence from fruits, vegetables and other foods,” explains the 33-year-old with dark Latin looks. “Most of it is achieved using sous vide. We then use those extracted essences in the drinks.” This means that food and drink can be paired. “It’s the perfect marriage of eating and drinking,” muses Alvarez as he prepares a Nigiri cocktail, which uses flavours from the Japanese dish, which can then be served with tapas size portions of the same sushi.

ECLIPSEPerched on the 26th floor of the W hotel and offering spectacular views of the coastline from the floor to ceiling windows, is Eclipse. Head barman and mixologist, Patrick Weber, uses fresh fruit juice and herbs to infuse the spirits with natural aromas, which are then topped off with mixers or soda to create truly summery drinks.

The 37-year-old barman, who has both Argentinian and

glistening Mediterranean Sea. His signature cocktail is the

Watermelon Martini, a refreshing mix of vodka and freshly squeezed watermelon juice, served with a wedge of the same fruit in the glass. Those who are keen to learn how to create delicious cocktails at home can sign up for a cocktail master class, where some of the trade secrets of how to mix a perfect drink will be passed on by Patrick to the participants.

Scandinavian ancestry, believes fresh is best. “What I love doing here in Eclipse, with its beachside setting, is to combine tropical fruit with spirits to create really refreshing drinks,” he explains, as we sit looking out across the

Head barman and mixologist, Patrick Weber, uses fresH fruit juice and Herbs to infuse tHe sPirits WitH natural aromas.

FRANK’S BARAlso beachside is the newly reno-vated Frank’s Bar found in the Arts Hotel. If you like your drinks with a feminine touch, this is the place. In charge of the bar is Irina de Filipa. Her philosophy is simple: “I want to use the traditional recipes as my base and then give them a modern twist. The perfect example of her style is the Cucumberjito; a refresh-ing mix of gin, cucumber pulp and mint. The result has proved to be one of the bar’s most sought-after beverages. Those who love Gin and Tonic shouldn’t miss the eight spe-cial varieties which are infused with subtle flavours such as green apple. “Gin and Tonic is one of the most popular drinks in Spain,” says Irina, “I wanted to keep the essence of the drink but provide some subtle variety. My favourite ingredients are honey and halved grapes to provide a slightly sweeter drink.”

different drink which uses sake as its base along with sugar, fresh strawberry pulp and tangy lime juice.

Barcelona has always been cutting-edge when it comes to creativity and style, and you can be rest assured that today, you will find plenty of top mixologists shaking up the city to create cocktail fever.

FAct FileBest Beds The Mandarin Oriental in Barcelona has the privileged position of being set right on the famed Passeig de Gracia. The ultra modern hotel is set around a pristine white atrium. During the day, laze by the pool or enjoy relaxed dining on the rooftop Mimosa Garden. As night falls, dress up and move into the refined Banker’s Bar to experience some of Barcelona’s most happening moves with a cocktail shaker. For more information, log on to www.mohg.com/barcelona.

Barcelona’s Best BarsBankers Bar - www.mohg.com/barcelonaEclipse - www.w-hotels.com/barcelona41º - www.41grados.esFrank’s Bar - www.hotelartsbarcelona.com

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Irina has also allowed the tastes of the international clientele, who frequent the bar, to inspire her. “I invented the Caipisake as a tribute to Japan,” she explains. “It’s a very

Those who love Gin and Tonic shouldn’T miss The eiGhT special varieTies which are infused wiTh subTle flavours such as Green apple.