BY ALFONSO CORONA AND ISA TRAVERSO-BURGER
This English man is not your common bartender. He is more a bar consultant, not to mention the Master Mixol- ogist for Bombay Sapphire. Jamie is used to high-profile events such as David and Victoria Beckham’s wedding and Sir Elton John’s birthday party, but aside from the day-after-day glamour of his job, he is a grounded, un- fussy -passionate about gin- fellow. After a brief career on stage, Jamie began as a bar-back cleaning glasses, worked his way up to become a bartender and then, he fell in love...with the revival of cocktails in London dur- ing the 1990’s. Now, his name is synonymous with the art of mixing; new cocktails are born all the time thanks to his remarkable balance of flavors and his respectable knowledge on the field of exotic and classic drinks.
Tell us a little about your job.
A region or a destination influences me. I add botanicals to balance and diversify drinks; for example, if I go to Singapore I tend to use melons, lemongrass and chili. The idea is not to copy other drinks but to juxtapose ingredients. There are many unusual things that go well together but it’s all in the DNA of the drink.
How do you conceive the taste of gin?
From a mixologist’s point of view, gin is a perfect choice. The golden era of cocktails, which was during the 1930’s and 1950’s, represented a time of balancing spirits, marrying flavors. You can’t do that with vodka or whisky, but you can do it with gin because it’s delicate and delightful when infused with botanicals.
What are some essences you can mix gin with?
Gin is great as it is, but you can add cinnamon, or simply squeeze a fresh grapefruit. Never use more than five ingredients, always use fresh items. Garnish, for example, should be there for a reason; if you add too much of something, it’s bad. Again, it’s about balance. Also, when you’re mixing a martini, which is traditionally gin –not vodka, never, ever, ever, ever shake it. The reason being that bubbles dilute the drink. James Bond thought wrong when he said shaken, not stirred. It’s quite the opposite.
Give us an example of your favorite or most popular mix.
Bombay, grapefruit, orange, Grand Marnier is a great mix. I also love sweet vermouth, and bitter or Campari.
What’s an advice to those who want to innovate their cocktails?
Balancing is the key. Get to know flavors. Stick to fruits like lemon juice, or try something wacky like Melon and Chili Martini. Keep drinks simple infused with hibiscus flavor, coriander and different aromas that are pleasant to the palate.
What is your emotional spirit to that approach, when is it right? You feel when it’s right and know when it’s not right. You have to get in the zone.
A Chef is an artist, a complete artist, if something goes wrong he can save it, after lot of swearing. Then, a som- melier has the most wonderful palate; he can pick and choose what wine goes precisely with a certain food. A bartender is both, he creates wonderful ingredients, mixes them, and understands the palate too, it’s a chal- lenging profession if done right. In all cases all ingredi- ents have to have a purpose.
How did you decide to become a bartender?
While I was a resting actor in Chelsea, I studied bar backing. I observed what was going on, the whole en- ergy, and the bar culture was changing then. All I talked about was drinks, so then I got more involved, ran a few bars in London, and began reading about the DNA thing. A Martini is such a great drink because it let’s the spirits come through, it’s an acquired taste though, but it’s what I love to talk about and teach to others.
How to create the perfect Martini Cocktail according to Jamie Walker:
•Chill a martini glass. •Fill the glass half of the shaker with ice. •Coat the inside of the glass half of your shaker with Martini & Rossi vermouth. •Discard the ice and the Martini & Rossi dry ver- mouth. •Refill with lots of cold crisp ice. •Pour in 75ml (1.5oz) of Bombay Sapphire. •Holding the base of the glass shaker ( this ensures that no heat from your hands transmits into the drink)Stir (never shake) until ice cold. •Pour into a chilled martini glass. •Serve with your choice of garnish.
