Wild Sips: MONKEY 47’s Portugal adventure to inspire bartenders
Doing things by hand is a matter of honour, which is why MONKEY 47 contains only handpicked botanicals. In a first-of-a-kind advocacy activation, MONKEY 47 collaborated with local bar owner, Constança Cordeiro and her Toca Da Raposa cocktail bar in Lisbon.
We invited bartenders to a three-day event where they handpick their own botanicals at Constança’s farm before creating unique MONKEY 47 cocktails to be served at the 50 best Discovery bar in Lisbon’s city centre. We had a chat with Fabrizio Balbi, MONKEY 47 Global Brand Ambassador to find out some more.
What is your focus for MONKEY 47 at the moment?
One of the main focuses for MONKEY 47 right now is the advocacy programme, specifically aimed at supporting bartenders in the luxury segment, since MONKEY 47 is a premium gin. We want to share its story, including how the gin is made, the design of the bottle, and our Brand Home – a place where invited bartenders, drink representatives and consumers can visit the distillery for an exclusive tour and be treated to a dinner prepared from ingredients sourced within 47 kilometres of the distillery.
What was the inspiration for the Portugal Wild Sips event?
The inspiration for this initiative came from a local bar owner, Constança Cordeiro. She is a renowned Portuguese bartender known for her innovative cocktails and sustainable philosophy. She runs three bars in Lisbon, but mainly she works at the Toca Da Raposa cocktail bar (the Fox’s Den), which had been nominated in the 50 Best Discoveries Bars list. It’s a great venue and she has this idea of ‘Wild Sips’ – a collaboration with Satan’s Whiskers (50 best bar) based in the UK and one of its bartenders Keïla Urzaiz.
What did the three-day Wild Sips event in Lisbon entail?
The experience allowed the guests to enjoy the beautiful Portuguese countryside, aligning with the essence of MONKEY 47, which is rooted in fresh botanicals and a connection to nature. For the first couple of days, the bartenders visited Constança’s farm just outside Lisbon, where they stayed overnight. This provided them the opportunity to forage for botanicals and create recipes using MONKEY 47. All of the botanicals were transformed into spirits and syrups from eucalyptus vodka to lemon verbena syrup, and then they had a play around to create some unique cocktails. Once they had created their recipes, they printed out menus and did a guest shift at Toca Da Raposa on the third day.
How did the event go?
People loved the idea that everything was being made from scratch and being creative with fresh botanicals. The standout recipe for me, sounds super simple – a paloma with a twist. A long drink made with wild mint and grapefruit. It was the highlight of the night! The event was a great collaboration, with great visibility in one of the best bars in the world. In the days that followed the event, we completed a project to put our new brandworld on Lisbon’s famous trams, which look terrific.
What’s next for MONKEY 47 in terms of advocacy?
We are doing Wild Herb workshops throughout Germany. It’s about learning about botanicals and creating recipes. At the last event in Frankfurt, around 80 people attended for the day, and then there was a guest shift in a bar in the evening.
How did you fall into the role of brand ambassador at Pernod Ricard?
Before joining Pernod Ricard, I had already been in contact with some sales representatives from Italy due to our collaboration with the bars I worked at. After participating in the opening of a hotel in Rome, I found out that Pernod Ricard Italy was looking for a brand ambassador to represent prestige brands. This was the first time Italy was hiring for such a role, which made it an exciting new challenge for me. So, I took the chance and was hired. This is when I started discussing MONKEY 47 and that’s when I first visited the distillery in Black Forest. I was aware of MONKEY 47 from my bartender days and it was always part of my signature cocktails. But from the moment I visited the distillery, I knew that if I ever worked for a prestigious brand, I would want it to be MONKEY 47. Funnily enough, this dream became true in no time.
What’s your top bartender life hack?
Bartending is a job where you meet so many people every day but it doesn’t mean your day is full of positive vibes. You need to reset your mind and body from what can be a stressful environment, so I like to go for long walks in the middle of the forest to help me clear my mind – and get some exercise too!
What is the easiest cocktail to make?
Without a doubt a MONKEY 47 & Tonic with a nice fresh grapefruit zest. MONKEY 47 has the right complexity to please different palates and it’s just two ingredients. No need for shaking, stirring or anything else.
What is your favourite cocktail?
It depends on my mood. If I feel like partying then a nice Tommy’s Margarita with a Touch of Smoke House Cut (MONKEY 47 distillery exclusive with smoked juniper). If I feel like sitting at the bar counter and chatting with the bartender, I will opt for a MONKEY 47 Sloe Negroni to sip “ASAP” (As Sloe As Possible).
