Cocktail
Dazed
and
Infused
Fruit-infused
spirits are
bringing color
and flair to
happy hour
BY GWEN SHAFFER
ILLUS TRATION GINA BINKLEY
iIn the mid-’90s a photographer cap-
tured pop goddess Madonna sipping a
Cosmopolitan at New York City’s Rain-
bow Room.Accordingtosomecocktail
aficionados, that’s all it took to catapult
this crisp concoction of cranberry juice,
vodka, limeandsimplesyruptothetop
of drink menus all over the country. The
original cocktail was based on Absolut
Citron, which had taken flavored vodka
mainstream when introduced in 1988.
Nearly two decades later, small
distilleries and creative bartenders are
infusing vodka, rum, tequila and even
bourbon, using only fresh fruit and
herbs. From litchi and pomegranate to
plum and wasabi, there’s nothing artificial or typical about these spirits.
Tear Down That Bar
Tony Abou-Ganim, founder of the
beverage consulting firm Modern
Mixologist, works with a new generation of “bar chefs” who approach
mixing drinks from a culinary perspective. These drinks tear down the
wall separating kitchen from bar.
“I will order a cocktail at the bar
before dinner and base my dining
decision on it,” Abou-Ganim says.
“The quality of the drink sets the
tone for the meal.”
Abou-Ganim began his career in
1980, mixing cocktails for high rollers at a Las Vegas casino. “We served
lemon and lime vodkas that were
actually neon yellow and green,
