New Cocktails at The Fairmont

Internationally, the Fairmont is a respected brand in hotels. But while the company has hired incredibly skilled chefs and bartenders for its restaurants and cocktail lounges, its upper management saw this aspect of its brand was lagging behind other areas. The company decided to up its cocktail game in particular, hoping its bars would begin to garner the respect they deserve.

To craft a new menu of unique cocktails that could be standardized across all Fairmont hotels worldwide, the company recently gathered five of its best bartenders worldwide for several days of cocktail boot camp. Together, the bartenders mixed drink after drink, sipping each other’s concoctions and offering their own input and expertise.

A large part of the challenge was to craft cocktails that could be enjoyed by diverse palates — of bartenders and customers alike. And the team had to craft drinks that would be accessible to bartenders in countries with more restrictive liquor laws, or for bartenders who have less training and expertise. Ideally, the menu would include riffs on canonical cocktails that less experienced bartenders could learn and become inspired to branch out on their own, finding their voice in the process.

Though the team’s workshop is complete, the menu is still being finalized. Look for it to appear in Fairmont bars worldwide later this year.