Raising The Bar (And Beyond)

Precision Japanese techniques and revolutionary cocktail techniques by well established mixologists are employed to create the finest drinks for their guests.

- AMY VAN

The Backdrop: Revolutionary cocktail-making

The menu at The Backdrop (a small hidden bar at VOCO Hotel) is dedicated to the extraction of botanicals, and showcases the techniques discovered and perfected from the 1800s until today.

Visionary mixologist-owner Dario Knox recently unveiled a ground-breaking cocktail-making technique for his “Percolated Cocktails”. According to him, this revolutionary technique redefines the art of cocktail crafting.

Percolated Cocktails mark a paradigm shift away from the conventional tools and methods that have been used in bartending for over three centuries. Shakers, mixing glasses, ice, and barspoons are no longer needed in Dario’s new world. Instead, he extracts and isolates the essence of botanicals directly into each creation – such as the Percolated Espresso Martini made with neutral overproof spirit, angelica, coffee and vanilla, or the Percolated Sidecar, which features neutral spirit with citrus.

At the core of his progressive technique lies the use of a single ingredient: neutral spirit. The transformation of neutral spirit during this process is remarkable. As the spirit is carefully brought down to the desired alcohol by volume (ABV), the magic unfolds. The pure essence of botanicals is meticulously extracted through a percolation process, elevating the liquid to new heights of complexity and flavour.

“In 2013 I started getting interested in the making of alcohol products like Campari, Aperol and Chartreuse. I understand the flavours but I was trying to figure out how they are made. This curiosity led to the intention of creating something like my own product,” says Dario.