Sayanora, spritzers! Hello, fortified wines. According to mixologist Leo Robitschek (you’ll find him behind the bar at 11 Madison), this is what our boozy taste buds tell us once the seasons change. We asked Robitschek what other trends we’ll be seeing come fall.
How do our drink taste buds change with the seasons?
I think that we are very lucky in New York that we see four distinct seasons. Seasonal ingredients help shape and define dining in the city, which is reflected in cocktails as well. In the summer months more refreshing and citrus-based cocktails are popular, while in the winter you see the use of darker ingredients.
What do you think will be the big drinking trend this fall?
I think we will see an increase in the use of amaros and fortified wines in cocktails, and hopefully whiskey drinkers will accept aged rum as a new friend. We are lucky that the amount of great quality spirits available to us is increasing.
Any new drinks we’ll be ordering or hot spots opening?
I think many people are getting a taste for bitterness, more so than in the past. Dark, lush, sweet and bitter ingredients like Amaro Cio Caro, Montenegro, and Nardini will hopefully be seen in more cocktails. As for hot spots, Julie Reiner and our friends from Freemans will be bringing us something new and exciting to look forward to.
