Mr Fogg’s launches vintage cocktail menu

As the London cocktail scene becomes ever more sophisticated, in a bid to stand out from the crowd Mr Fogg’s in Mayfair has launched a vintage cocktail list.

Vintage Brandy Crusta at Mr Fogg’s

Created by bar manager Francesco Medici, the menu dips back into the history books to recreate classic cocktails from around the world with vintage spirits.

Among the cocktails on offer is the Vintage Brandy Crusta (pictured), created in the 1850s by Joseph Santini at his Jewel of the South saloon in New Orleans. Named after the sugar around its rim, the Brandy Crusta is a forerunner to the Sidecar and first appeared in Jerry Thomas’ 1862 Bartender’s Guide.

Mr Fogg’s version includes 1960 Hine Cognac, 1940 Bols Dry Curacao, fresh lemon juice, caster sugar and Angostura bitters.

Mr Fogg’s in Mayfair

Also on the menu is the Vintage Ramos Fizz, created by Henry C. Ramos in 1888 at the Imperial Cabinet Saloon in New Orleans.

Medici’s interpretation of the cocktail is made with 1970 Beefeater gin, 1950 Cointreau, sugar syrup, fresh lemon and lime juice, egg white and double cream topped up with soda water from a vintage Cointreau syphon. Originally called the New Orleans Fizz, the cocktail was wildly popular before prohibition despite taking a long time to make.

The Vintage Blood & Sand meanwhile, blends Auchentoshan Black Lab Scotch from 1970 with Martini Vermouth from the ‘50s and Cherry Branca liqueur from the ‘60s, topped with fresh orange juice.

Inspired by Rudolph Valentino’s 1922 bullfighter movie of the same name, the Blood and Sand first appeared in the Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930.

Ahead of the curve, in 2012 the Nightjar in Shoreditch launched a cocktail list featuring rare vintage spirits at affordable prices.

Among the spirits used in the cocktails were 1863 Hannisville Rye from West Virginia and a rare Monticello Rye from Baltimore dating back to the 1880s.

The Experimental Cocktail Club has also served vintage cocktails, including a twist on a Manhattan called Vintage Purgatory made from 1951 Old Overholt Rye, Benedictine from the ‘50s and Green Chartreuse from the ‘70s.

Mr Fogg’s is based on the drawing room of Jules Verne’s famous adventurer Phileas Fogg from Around the World in 80 Days. Last year the bar launched an ambitious 80-strong cocktail list inspired by Fogg’s gallivanting around the globe with the menu taking the form of a vintage map.

Click through for images and recipes of some of the other vintage cocktails available on the bar’s new list.

Vintage Martinez

Thought to predate the Martini, the first mention of the Martinez appears in O.H. Bryon’s 1884 book The Modern Bartender, where it is listed as a twist on the Manhattan.

The cocktail is thought to have been created by Julio Richelieu in 1874 for a gold miner who visited the Californian town of Martinez during the Gold Rush. Feeling flush, the minor asked for Champagne. As Richelieu didn’t have any, he served him what came to be known as a Martinez instead.

Mr Fogg’s vintage version is made with 1970 Beefeater gin, Francesco Cinzano Antica Formula vermouth from 1960, Luxardo Maraschino liqueur from the ‘50s and orange bitters.

Vintage Negroni

This classic Italian cocktail famous for its burnt orange colour and bitter flavour came to be in 1919 when Florentine count Camillo Negroni asked bartender Fosco Scarselli to add gin rather than soda water to his Americano cocktail at the Caffè Casoni in a bid to strengthen it.

Mr Fogg’s Vintage Negroni blends Sarti Dry gin from the 1950s, Martini vermouth from the ‘50s, and Campari Bitters.

Vintage Hemingway Daiquiri

The Hemingway Daiquiri was created for the American author in the 1930s by Costantino Ribalaigua Vert, the legendary head bartender of La Floridita in Havana.

Mr Fogg’s vintage version is made with Bacardi Blanca rum from the 1970s, Luxardo Maraschino from the ‘50s, fresh lime and grapefruit juice.