Such complicated cocktails
But Ron Ramirez's inventions for Distil at lebua are simply astonishing to taste
Ron Ramirez, the mixologist at lebua, has been busy – really busy. Fans of creative cocktails should be delighted to learn that he has unveiled not just one new cocktail series, but three.
The first series, Aged, is a first for Thailand. It involves two processes – maceration and ageing. “We macerate the fruit by spraying it with house-made jasmine bitters for three days, then add the mixture to a fine bourbon and age it in a French-oak barrel for 50 days,” Ramirez explains, sort of.
It’s a complex process, but the result is simply delicious.
The aged bourbon is used to create three cocktails. A favourite with the ladies is the Vanity, served in a glass made entirely of ice. A lovely, frothy, strawberry colour, the drink features raspberries, lime, egg white and pineapple.
“Our Art series is, as the name suggests, artistic,” Ramirez says. “We call the series our ‘Seven Wonders’ after our seven preparation methods – shaken, muddled, smoked, foamed, macerated, built and stirred. Expression and application, both in the creation of the drink and its appearance, are the focus.”
The something-for-everyone series includes Earl’s River, a light cocktail so called after Earl Grey tea, one of its main ingredients, and Heaven’s Edge, whose secret spice foam creates a novel finish. The first is a cold-infused vodka elegantly stirred with lemon juice and with Earl Grey leaves wrapped around the dry ice.
Lastly, the G&T series: “Our G&T series represents another first for Bangkok,” the mixologist says. “We’re not only the first to use Bulldog gin from England, which is a premium dry gin, we are also at the forefront of the cold infusion we use in the process.”
When infused with other flavours at such low temperatures, the gin often mistaken for vodka since it’s so smooth. Bulldog is cold-infused for two days with Ramirez’s novel combinations – fruit and roots, nuts and flowers, apples and berries, petals and spices.
Must-tries include the apple and berries G&T, whose sweet, apple-flavoured mixture is both smooth and refreshing.
Distil is known for many items not available anywhere else in Thailand. Havana Club Selección de Maestros Rum, Absolut 100 vodka, L’Or Martell Cognac, Royal Salute 100 cask whisky and Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute whisky are on offer exclusively, as well as GH Mumm Rene Lalou 1999 champagne, Grand Cru and Perrier-Jouët, Blason, Rosé.
Another unique feature of Distil is the Oyster Bar, for which fresh Fins de Claire, Tarbouriech Pink Diamond and Gillardeau oysters are flown in twice weekly from France. Fresh sushi and sashimi are also on the menu, along with Iranian caviar such as Almas, Beluga Impérial Huso Huso, Ossetra Royal Réserve and Sevruga Royal Réserve.
Be stil, my heart
_ Distil is in the 64th floor Tower Club at lebua.
_ It’s open daily from 5pm to 1am.
_ Plan a date at (02) 624 9555 or www.lebua.com/distil.
