6 Boston Mixologists on How They Stir Creativity Into Every Cocktail

Presented by: Bacardi

Creativity makes us come alive. It frees us to create new from nothing and to express our own perspective. These bartenders continue to push the boundaries of cocktail creation and each crafted a unique expression of Bombay Sapphire Gin in some delicious summer cocktails.

Wannaluck Hongthong

1. Vannaluck Hongthong Island Creek Oyster Bar

300 District Ave., Burlington, MA 01803

Passage to Laverstoke

1 ½ oz. Bombay Sapphire Gin

1 oz. pineapple gomme syrup

½ oz. lemon juice

1 barspoon Benedictine

1 dash Absinthe

Cocktail inspiration: I didn’t want to lose any of the characteristics that make Bombay Sapphire unique, so my whole inspiration was to do something complex on the palette but with simplistic ingredients. I created a cocktail that highlighted some of the more unique botanicals that Bombay Sapphire uses.

Creative passion: I enjoy carpentry and horticulture. Creating something from my hands is a really satisfying experience. I also just started to garden. I love growing something in my own yard and then being able to harvest it and cook it or eat it right then and there.

Artist collaboration: I would love to work with a landscape architect and create a green space that can be enjoyed by all for many generations. For me, being outdoors is such a simple pleasure but it brings me an incredible amount of joy.

Amanda Freestone

2. Amanda Freestone Earl’s Kitchen + Bar

800 Boylston St. #107, Boston, MA 02199

Sapphire’s Mystique

2 oz. Bombay Sapphire Gin

3/4 oz. Kleos Mastiha Liqueur

1/2 celery juice

1/2 lemon

1/2 clover honey syrup

chamomile and ginger-infused egg white

Cocktail inspiration: I get a lot of inspiration from traveling. I love to learn about cultures through linguistics, cuisines, and manifestations of heritage.

Creative passion: My favorite way to pass time is to draw the flora and fauna that I see around me. The number of petals of a flower fascinates me and the way the vascular flow defines the plants’ growth intrigues me to put it all on paper.

Artist collaboration: My dream would be to work with Elon Musk on furthering sustainability in restaurants. I’m pretty sure I can talk him into letting me open the first cocktail bar on Mars, too!

Harrison Snow

3. Harrison Snow Wit’s End

1248 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 02139

Mads Mikkelsen

1 oz. Bombay Sapphire Gin

1/2 oz. vermouth

1/2 oz. dry vermouth

2 dashes house orange bitters

4 drops preserved lemon brine

Cocktail inspiration: I wanted to create a cocktail that highlighted the unique, olfactory experience of drinking Bombay Sapphire and showcased the botanicals of the gin rather than masking them. I believe that Sapphire is best enjoyed in a martini, and that is what I created.

Creative passion: Bartending, filmmaking, and music are all creative passions of mine because all three involve capturing a moment of somebody’s day and making it special.

Artistic collaboration: I’d make a Mafia movie with Joe Pesci.

Sam Treadway

4. Sam Treadway Backbar

7 Sanborn Ct., Somerville, MA 02143

Mango Market

2 oz. Bombay Sapphire Gin

1 oz. mango syrup

3/4 oz. lime juice

1/4 oz. cinnamon syrup

3 leaves cilantro

1 slice jalapeno

Cocktail inspiration: Visiting street food markets in Vietnam.

Creative passion: I’m creative with cocktails and problem-solving, and I love to travel.

Artist collaboration: I would work with an artist to try to bring more awareness to the dire situation our oceans are in like overfishing, tons of plastic, too much acid, and rising sea levels. I’d like to work with an artist in some creative way to make a campaign that people can’t ignore.

Jenny Luu

5. Jenny Luu A4cade

292 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139

Cloud Blossom

1 1/2 oz. Bombay Sapphire Gin

1/2 oz. lime juice

1/2 oz. mint syrup

1 1/4 oz. honeydew juice

1 oz. yogurt simple syrup

1/8 oz. cucumber water

FOAM: egg whites, 1 oz. lime juice, 1 oz. simple syrup, 4 oz. mango, and St. Germain syrup

Cocktail inspiration: Eager to quench my thirst and sweet tooth, I wanted to recreate the experiences of my childhood. My cocktail evokes a warm, mellow summer, sitting on the stoop watching clouds pass over the sun.

Creative passion: I’ve always loved different mediums of art and self-expression. What has stuck with me all these years is my passion for poetry that allows me to express myself the best I can: openly, intimately, and honestly.

Artist collaboration: There is one music artist, EyeLoveBrandon on Spotify, who creates very in-depth instrumental tracks and albums that have been an inspiration for me in the making of this cocktail. I would create a short film to performing my poetry with his custom instrumental track in the background.

Eli Mofo Shapiro

6. Eli Mofo Shapiro Rail Stop

96 Guest St., Boston, MA 02135

Yaaaaas!!!

1 1/2 oz. Bombay Sapphire Gin

1 oz. St. Germain

1/2 oz. lemon juice

6 oz. prosecco

Cocktail inspiration: The idea of this cocktail, besides tasting awesome and looking ‘Gram-worthy, is sustainability and to illustrate the different uses for single ingredients. The goal of this drink is to get people to think about how many different uses one could get out of a single ingredient.

Creative passion: Making drinks! I also like drawing, painting, graffiti, music, and any other way I can express myself creatively.

Artist collaboration: If I could work on one passion project it would be to work with my favorite hip-hop band, Wu Tang Clan, on their new clothing line and create an industry approved bar shoe, so I can stand for 12-plus hours in comfort and style.