A simple, colourful cocktail to mimic Haring’s simple but brilliant art
The Absolut Vodka Drinks Squad – a team of mixology experts and entrée strategists – got together to create a signature cocktail to celebrate the release of the Absolut Haring limited-edition bottle nearly four decades after Keith Haring first painted the iconic bottle.
The cocktail is a bold fusion of East-meets-West: crisp apple, zesty orange and toasted sesame with a kick of ginger, while its golden yellow hue mirrors Haring’s original Absolut artwork. We caught up with Absolut Vodka Global Brand Ambassador, Rico Dynan, to explain how the team created the Absolut Haring Fizz cocktail.
How did the team approach making this cocktail compared to Warhol’s Milk Punch last year?
With Warhol’s signature cocktail, we created to celebrate the rediscovery of his blue painting, we devised a drink that we thought he would like. We were fortunate, as there were plenty of stories about his sweet tooth and his love for cornflakes, which were the inspiration behind the Warhol Milk Punch. With Keith Haring, such information wasn’t as readily available and so we started to delve into his art. His drawings are brilliantly simple and so we looked at simple ingredients – oranges, apples and lemons, but explored how we could create something a little more complex with them. We also wanted to include ingredients that would be a nod to his love of Asian food. Haring travelled extensively in Asia and even opened a pop-up shop in Tokyo in 1987. One of his favourite restaurants was the famous Mr. Chow – a place where artists such as Haring and Warhol gathered and led to Haring’s portrait of the eponymous owner, Mr. Chow as Green Prawn in a Bowl of Noodle. The overall result is a cocktail made up of very simple colours that feels and looks like Haring’s art.
Haring’s drawings are brilliantly simple and so we looked at simple ingredients such as oranges for our signature cocktail.
How do you make the Haring Fizz cocktail?
Creating new cocktails is always a case of trial and error, but we ended up with a drink using a lemon and orange sherbet that unintentionally came out almost the exact colour of Haring’s original Absolut painting. The sherbet is basically an oleo saccharum, which is Latin for an oily sugar. It is made using equal parts orange and lemon zest and sugar, which you cover and leave overnight so the sugar draws in the oil. By the morning, the sugar has melted and once strained, you are left with a very intense, phenomenal tasting citrus-flavoured oil that is made from everyday ingredients. We then make a foam made with apple juice, ginger syrup using a nitrous ‘cream’ siphon and finally, add the taste of sesame.
How did you get the hint of sesame in the cocktail?
Given Haring’s connection to Asia, we were very keen to add some sesame flavour. We initially looked at using a sesame paste and sesame oil, but we decided to revert to a ‘fat washing’ technique because we wanted the flavour, but without the oiliness or thick paste. Fat washing is a process where you typically add fat to alcohol, let the fat solidify and take it away. In this case, we used sesame oil instead of fat. When you take the mixture of sesame oil and alcohol out of the freezer, you are left with a spirit that has a luxurious taste of sesame. It was then simply a case of combining all the elements, shaking the sesame vodka with the sherbet, applying foam on top and garnishing with a thick black sesame line. And there you have it, the Haring Fizz!
We also wanted to include ingredients that would be a nod to Haring’s love of Asian food.
How popular are cocktails right now?
The cocktail trend is huge – the world of drinks is evolving just as much as the world of food. If you examine drinking culture today, especially with Gen Z, people are drinking less, but they are drinking in a more discerning way. They are looking for a tailored experience by going to good bars that provide great cocktails, so the scene is really buzzing.
What is the most popular vodka cocktail currently?
In general, the most popular vodka drink is the vodka soda, but it can vary from country to country. So, in the US at the moment, the most popular vodka cocktail would probably be the Bloody Mary, while in the UK it is definitely the Pornstar Martini!
What is your favourite cocktail?
I always love an espresso martini. At my age, I don’t want to be challenged by anything, especially when it comes to drinks and an espresso martini is simply delicious!
Creating a cocktail is always a case of trial and error, and we unintentionally created a cocktail the exact colour of Haring’s original Absolut painting.
