A classic cocktail can be a familiar friend on the bar menu, yet it is usually the legacy of an innovative bartender. In the spirit of innovation, Ouranos presents a collection of eight Wavering Classics - cocktails that pay homage to their classic recipes while diverging from those recipes in creative ways. The Americano, for example, was first served in Milan’s Caffe Campari in the 1860s. Traditionally a combination of Campari, sweet red vermouth, and soda water, the Americano finds a new zip at Ouranos with the substitution of pink grapefruit soda for soda water. The Negroni emerged in 1919 when an Italian count requested a strong Americano; his bartender substituted gin for soda water, creating an instant classic. Our Negroni goes a step further, as the mixologist adds bitters and lemon zest to create a more complex flavour. A Daiquiri is typically a combination of white rum, lime juice, and simple syrup; we use honey syrup rather than simple syrup and add bitter lemon, yielding a heavier, more balanced taste. The Last Word comes from Prohibition-Era Detroit and combines equal parts gin, lime juice, green chartreuse, and maraschino liqueur; our version substitutes lemon for lime juice and uses kirschwasser instead of the maraschino, giving the drink a peppy astringency. Whether it’s making a simple addition (like the bit of cardamom we put in our Mai Tai) or an intriguing substitution (St. Germain for maraschino liqueur in the Aviation), our bartenders are seeking to put a new twist on old favourites.
