“I’m an admirer and a lover of the night. So being able to transcribe a night through a drinking experience for me is extremely exciting. From the feeling you have when you’re getting ready, then when you arrive and you have your first drink. There is this excitement, the evolution of the evening. Seeing like minded faces, and the night somehow starts to melt and become something unique. The drinks are integral to this as you feel more relaxed and happy to be there.
“But such a night never ends because it remains in your mind. These are the moments we want to create with SEVENTY ONE.”
So explains Tasso Ferreira, joint founder along with internationally renowned fashion photographer Mert Alas, of SEVENTY ONE gin.
And this was one such night…
16th June, At Sloane hotel, London
As day turned to evening, we stepped out of the summer sunshine and into another world, finding ourselves in elegant surroundings with just a hint of refined decadence, at the discrete bar that lies concealed within the beautiful At Sloane hotel, Chelsea.
A glance around the room revealed a crowd of happily chattering and well-dressed individuals. Each with a glass in hand. And a glass signifying the reason for this refined coming together for a celebration like no other.
The celebration of the blooming of the Queen of the Night…
But who, or what, is the Queen of the Night?
The Queen of the Night is a unique orchid. And, as its name suggests, a truly exotic one. It blooms just once a year, in June, during the hours of darkness, making it exceptionally rare. Moreover, it is the crowning botanical in SEVENTY ONE gin.
The Queen of the Night and SEVENTY ONE gin
The role the Queen of the Night plays in the creation of SEVENTY ONE gin, is hugely significant, both literally and emotionally. Literally, as the final flourish as the spirit nears competition. But also emotionally, representing the very essence of SEVENTY ONE as the catalyst in creating extraordinary nights.
Nothing, then, could be more fitting than this particular night to celebrate its latest blooming, and the part it plays as a purveyor of sensual pleasure in SEVENTY ONE…
As Tasso explained to us during the evening: “There are moments through the year that for us are very important. With my background in fashion and beauty, and Mert’s in the international world of fashion photography, international Fashion Weeks are very important because of the energy they generate – not only in Paris, but New York, London and Milan. These are all opportunities for us to celebrate beautiful nights.
“But another core celebration for us is this evening, to toast the blooming of the Queen of the Night, our beautiful, rare botanical. This is why we are here tonight.”
While the Queen of the Night is the exquisite finishing touch to SEVENTY ONE, what precedes it?
The man who could tell us was another guest on the night, SEVENTY ONE master blender Steve Wilson: “We start with key botanicals, such as juniper, black coriander and grapefruit, but also Turkish rose and Algerian ivy – all of the highest quality. And significantly, we do something very different during distillation, rather than distilling them all together, which is the normal practice, we distil each botanical separately. This means we can control the temperature and time to extract the maximum essence from each one. This results in 10 individual distillations called absolutes, which are then blended in much the same way a perfumer would create a perfume.
“Next comes another unusual step, as the blended absolutes are rested in three type of cask: New European Oak, cognac and Pedro Ximenez sherry. This resting smoothes the blend, adds hints of additional flavour and imparts a subtle golden hue. The optimum time for this is 71 nights, hence the name of the gin.
“These rested blends are then brought together for the finishing flourish, as the final botanical, the world’s rarest botanical, the Queen of the Night, is added.”
Which brings us beautifully back to the night in question.
One extraordinary night in June
While the creation of SEVENTY ONE gin ends with the addition of the Queen of the Night, it also marks a beginning. As Tasso explained earlier. It’s a beautiful catalyst for extraordinary nights such as this. And as he said, “the night somehow starts to melt and become something unique”. A glance round the room proved this as each guest sipped appreciatively on a SEVENTY ONE cocktail.
It makes you feel special and precious
Monica Berg on the essence of the Queen of the Night
SEVENTY ONE gin and cocktails, a special relationship
Such is the beauty of SEVENTY ONE gin it can, quite elegantly, be served over ice for a perfect evening as it unfolds. But there’s something about it that calls to other ingredients for the creation of special cocktails for special nights.
Given its dedication to craftsmanship it’s hardly surprising that SEVENTY ONE has collaborated with some of the very best bartenders in the world. Agostino Perrone, iconic Director of Mixology at the Connaught created the SEVENTY ONE Golden Martini. While Simone Caporole, respected as one of the world’s most innovative bartenders, was on hand at last year’s SEVENTY ONE launch in New York.
These are the people Tasso states are elevating bartending to a Michelin starred experience. But with a nod to the world of fashion, the latest bartending collaborator is someone he describes as the “Balenciaga of the drinks world”.
Enter Ms Monica Berg…
Monica Berg is the joint founder, with Alex Kratena, of world-renowned bar Tayer + Elementary in London. She is also the recipient of countless accolades including being named International Bartender of The Year at the Spirited Awards, Tales of The Cocktail, and Bartender’s Bartender at The World’s 50 Best Bars.
Monica had already created a drink with SEVENTY ONE for New York Fashion Week (to which Vogue dedicated a whole paragraph in its write-up). But this evening she was bringing a new four cocktail menu to London.
Speaking with her during the evening, her passion for SEVENTY ONE is evident.
“SEVENTY ONE appeals to me as they take so many cues from perfumery. You can really feel the presence of the juniper and the accompanying botanicals and the ageing is just right to mellow it down. It’s very elegantly done, giving it a moreish, indulgent kind of luxurious filter. Then the Queen of the Night is a contrast to the barrels. As its floral notes are something that you’re used to smelling rather than tasting. I really feel its presence.”
One menu, four cocktails, symbolising the 24 hours of a single bloom – for one night only
As for the menu itself Monica continued with an eloquent story:
“Tasso wanted us to reflect the moments of the day of the blooming: dawn, dusk, full bloom and post bloom. And I wanted to capture these different stages with the flower itself as a drinking experience, symbolising the 24 hours around the blooming.
“Dawn is a nice gentle introduction to the evening. It starts off when you take a sip, with hints of stone fruit such as apricots, and tropical notes like nectarine and peach that you would find from the flower itself. It’s a beginning, when you see the light in the morning, it’s always quite crisp and I wanted that feeling in the drink.
“We follow with Dusk. This becomes a little bit richer, not heavy, but more aromatic because at this moment just before sunset your senses are aware that something is happening, but you don’t really know what. Anything can happen.
“Then comes Full Bloom. If you imagine the moment that the flower opens, the Queen of the Night, it’s like breaking through the darkness. Crisp, clean so that regardless of what you’ve tasted or what you did before, you will stop and pay attention. Served on the rocks with a little bit of eucalyptus and petitgrain, so you get these other kind of very big flavours. You’re in the middle of the night, surrounded by darkness and you will really notice that this happened. This is how I imagine the moment the flower blossoms.
“We conclude with Post Bloom. This is all about this luxurious world we are entering. Sandalwood and rose are very aromatic, because I imagine the moment when the flower has blossomed, and these notes will linger in the room reminding you of the flower’s presence. You can feel different elements of it, it’s all about the senses. And it’s built around something that is at the very core of SEVENTY ONE, and that is the Martini.”
As for tasting the cocktails, was it just us or did they evoke sensuality?
As suggested by Tasso and Monica we sipped the first three cocktails in order to take us through the unique day of the blooming.
Dawn beautifully set the tone of the day (or in this case the evening) with a bright, light playfulness, which was refreshing and hinted at good things to come. Dusk was certainly a little more serious, with slightly darker and richer notes, and an almost creamy texture that made us want to savour the moment. The came the exquisitely contrasting Full Bloom, and with it a delightful explosion of herbaceous flavour.
As the night drew to the end, Post Bloom was served for us all to share in the moment. The room was filled with an exotic and heady scent, as we enjoyed a very complex and extraordinarily luxurious Martini.
The menu, from beginning to conclusion, was more than simply a delicious drinking experience, it was a deeply sensual one.
Another night, another moment, created by SEVENTY ONE
An extraordinary night
As we sipped our Post Bloom we asked Monica what the Queen of the Night meant for her.
“I think it’s an attitude that allows you to have fun, first and foremost, to dress up, make an effort, and wear a dress, wear heels, or wear a suit, whatever you want. But so that you feel special and precious, and to just go somewhere and enjoy the the experience.”
And as Tasso had said earlier SEVENTY ONE wants to create moments.
With the memory of this particular night in our mind, we could not agree more.
Blooming of the Queen of the Night
Special creations by Monica Berg for one night only
Dawn
SEVENTY ONE GIN, dry vermouth, fino sherry, Queen of the Night, muyu jasmine verte
Dusk
SEVENTY ONE GIN, bourbon, Noilly Prat Ambre, hinoki
Full Bloom
SEVENTY ONE GIN, blanco tequila, Lillet Blanc, eucalyptus, petitgrain
Post Bloom
SEVENTY ONE GIN, blanco vermouth, dry vermouth, sandalwood, rose
Discover the SEVENTY ONE New York launch and SEVENTY ONE at New York Fashion Week
