The Art of Mixology

It's no secret that cocktails are a night-out staple, different from standard alcoholic beverages, cocktails are a taste sensation. Cocktail-making is known to be a science, and not just because of its charming powers to uplift moods all over. A good cocktail, when mixed well with the right amount of concoction and ice, can be the ultimate crowd-pleaser.

The Press Club Restaurant and Bar, located within Fable Dunedin, has been attracting guests with its eclectic cocktail menu and in-house mixologist, Jeremy Jourdain. 

A mixologist is rather much like a well-trained cook. Before each unique piece, they study the freshness of ingredients, notion, routine and a flavour compound. Mixing the right amount of alcohol with the right amount of refresher to make it taste delicious is one thing – but making sure it tastes good without losing the zest of the alcohol is something the Einstein’s of bartending cooked up very carefully.

We sat down with Jeremy to get some insight into the work he has been doing for the past 18 months since joining The Press Club. 

What inspires you to create new drinks?

"I love to think about different ingredients coming together, creating new flavours, rims and colours. The inspiration comes from my surroundings; a conversation with a guest staying in-house, my team, social media. The aim is to tell a story through a drink, feeling some sort of vibe or texture. Fables' tagline is The story that stays with you, I want to create drinks that leave a lasting impression."

While one may believe that making a drink is an easy task for the bartender, mixology requires genuine chemistry of components to feed out innovative and excellent cocktails. A good mixologist, like Jeremy, is behind the scenes of a good cocktail! 

What sparked your interest in the first place when it came to creating cocktails? 

"In this process, creating the 'wahoo effect' is one of the biggest goals, it can be challenging to create a memorable experience through a drink. Success to me is when I see the face of our guests, getting excited by the drink after the first sip or reading on their lips "OMG". It gives me shivers and pushes me to go further and get better. Drinking a cocktail is a real conversation and the joy around it is perceptible. 

What’s your favourite drink on The Press Club menu? 

"It's really hard to only pick one so I'll give you two! I love The Darkness; a deep-red coloured cocktail with citrus and dark fruit flavours, it's made out of black gin and crème de cassis. I also love to make (and drink) the Verde, it's a light and refreshing citrus cocktail made out of white rum and limoncello. When it's all combined it creates a fantastic neon green colour. 

Take a look at the full drinks menu here.

The Press Club is open 7 days a week for you to try these delicious concoctions yourself!