The Gorky Park cocktail recipe

Some cocktails are ordered. Others are discovered. The Gorky Park cocktail, crafted by Nicolae Arman of Montréal’s acclaimed Coldroom, belongs firmly in the second category. Arman is known for building drinks with intention — each ingredient a deliberate choice, each glass a small narrative. The Gorky Park cocktail is no exception. If you find it on the menu at your next event, consider yourself fortunate. And consider yourself even more so now that you know what’s in it.

The story behind the cocktail of Nicolae Arman

So Nicolae, where does the inspiration for the cocktail come from?

For real, it comes from my family with whom I spent a lot of time lately and wanted to put in value some ingredients that I do not use often. I started with Cynar. There are several mixologists / bartenders who use it, but I never. I have a lot of the shooter called the Blackbird (Amaro and Bourbon), so I chose the Bourbon Buffalo Trace which is slightly overproof, so 45% alcohol, and is a little spicy. I wanted to have a little punch, because when you taste the cocktail, you want the punch first, the second sugar, with the Cynar, which will also give bitterness, and that will give a length in the mouth to the cocktail. Cynar is a liqueur artichoke, which we do not see much on the market. I wanted to keep the vegetal side with the Avua Cachaça Amburana, there is a little note that looks like cinnamon. But it is the amburana that gives this impression. To keep this vegetal side, I add mint and a few drops of Fernet Branca. The more I look at it, the more it looks like a Manhattan, but far away. With a big cube of ice.

The recipe of the Gorky Park by Nicolae Arman

The ingredients: 

• ½ ounce of Cynar
• ¾ Buffalo Trace Bourbon
• ¼ ounce Avua Cachaça Amburana distributed by Molly Pitcher
• 2-3 dash of Fernet Branca
• Mint for decorating and for the cocktail

Method:

1. In a mixing glass, you tap the mint and add all Ingredients.
2. Mix everything with a big ice cube.
3. Pour it all into the glass with the same big ice cube
4. Put the mint to decorate

Address :

The Coldroom

Follow the duck near El Pequeño
Old Montréal
Quebec, Canada