Erik Lorincz was born to be a mixologist. His grandmother made wine and tinctures thathe tasted from a very young age, forming his palate at an age when most of us only know mac and cheese and PB&J. His father still makes his own spirits to this day. The groundwork was laid when he was just a child and he has used his intimate knowledge of spirits and flavor profiles from his youth to become one of the top mixologists in the world. He recently won the crown of “Best bartender in the world” by beating out 9000 other competitors in the Diageo World Class five day competition.

Watching this masterwork at the Fairmont Hotel on a media tour proved that he is more than just a refined palate. He showed up in a tailored suit wielding gold mixing tins and bar spoons, and spoke and moved with an undeniable grace. He is the complete package. These days you can find Lorincz presiding over the famed American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London (a Fairmont managed hotel) where he uses his understanding from his childhood, along with training he underwent with Kazuo Uyeda in Tokyo. Uyeda taught him the proper way to stir a drink, ensuring that the exact right amount of water content was introduced to the cocktail without chipping the ice or bruising the spirits.

His spoon moves effortlessly, and almost silently in the mixing glass, and although it may not seem like that would matter, the care and precision taken in mixing the drink is apparent in the final product.The media that were on hand made the same three cocktails that Erik made, using precise measurements, and the same tools he was using, yet his always had an edge over theothers when tasted side by side. The obvious explanation is the stirring, and “hard shake” techniques he learned in Japan and has perfected over the years. The Savoy cocktailbook, an encyclopedia of all things cocktail recipe, has been reworked to include some more modern drinks, many of which Lorincz himself created and contributed, and is scheduled for release this summer. In the seminar he taught two classic cocktails, and one of his signature cocktails, the Restoration Celebration, which he conceived to commemorate the reopening of the Savoy on 10/10/10. It is nothing if not a cocktail to be celebrated, itself.

Restoration Celebration
1oz London dry gin
3/4oz fresh lemon juice
3/4oz pineapple juice
3/4oz cherry puree
2 barspoons of cinnamon sugar
Champagne

Fresh mint garnish

Mix all ingredients except Champagne in a mixing tin 2/3 full of ice.
Shake vigorously for 10 seconds.
Fill a Collins glass with ice, and add ¼ glass of champagne
Strain the mixture from the tin over the champagne
Spank the mint sprig to release it’s essence, and place it on top of the ice, using the rim as support.