We sit down with Salvatore and Gerry to talk all things drinks, Hoxton spirits and a little healthy family competition.
Following in your dad’s footsteps is surely way more enticing when he’s one of the world’s best bartenders, but Gerry Calabrese still did things his own way. The English drinks expert chose not to study under his father Salvatore, AKA The Maestro – the man who perfected the Martini, has served everyone from megastars to royalty, won every industry award possible and essentially turned what was previously considered a temporary gig into a coveted career. Instead, Gerry went to work with the late, great Doug Ankrah at London’s LAB bar, the top UK venue at the time. Now a celebrated bar operator and the brains behind spirits range HOXTON, it seems Gerry knew what he was doing.
“I grew up watching my dad in a white dinner jacket and dickie bow in a luxury environment, and he glides across the room, my old man. It’s very high end, but that’s just not me and I could never get my head around doing that,” Gerry says. “As soon as I walked into LAB, there was a cool-looking dude behind the bar covered in tattoos flaring, the whole place was bouncing with house music, it stunk of lime and mint, and I thought ‘This I can do!’” Gerry started as a bar back, moved up the ranks and later ran his own hugely successful London bar Hoxton Pony for more than 10 years. Today, he’s focused on his spirits range full-time.
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Gerry is passionate about HOXTON, especially his spirit brand’s all-natural creds. Having spotted the potential of the flavoured spirits category, Gerry knew a key challenge would be in shifting perceptions because many existing products were full of additives, sugar, essences and other artificial ingredients. While initially “crucified” for introducing flavoured spirits to the market – “They thought I was bastardising the gin category” – Gerry’s since been validated by the success of his range. He remains fixed on leading the pack with the best quality, most natural flavoured spirits they can make.
The HOXTON range is distilled in Dijon, France, made with real fruit and natural ingredients, in partnership with Gabriel Boudier, one of the world’s most respected distillers. The collection also includes Banana Rum, Spiced Whisky and Tropical Gin, among others. In many ways, the brand is an evolution of Gerry’s approach at Hoxton Pony. “I was always championing seasonality,” he says. “About 90% of my menu in April was with rhubarb because that’s what was available. So, I was doing all sorts of reductions and macerations in-house, which is the bedrock of what Hoxton Spirits is all about.”
Salvatore is known to help out by taste-testing the spirits during their production. “I try to crucify Gerry, but I can’t,” he says, having only offered a few tips and tweaks in the past. “His brand is totally different from anything else on the shelf. When we create a cocktail, we bring flavour, and he has this clever approach to creating something with the flavours already inside it, so it’s a shortcut.”
The gin-based HOXTON London Spritz is made with 15 ingredients. “We individually macerate them into the gin for different degrees of time and temperature to get the optimum extraction for the purest possible taste of that ingredient,” Gerry says. “We macerate the cherry, for instance, for five weeks because, for me, that’s the best amount of time to get the best flavour. The orange peel is macerated for three weeks, the fennel for three days… The whole process takes 18 weeks from start to finish because it’s that complex.”
A twist on the traditional Italian aperitivo, the London Spritz is designed to be super approachable and adaptable. “I love it just with ice and a slice of orange, and it tastes like a Negroni, but it also makes a banging Spritz,” Gerry says. Simply add prosecco and soda, a garnish if you’re feeling fancy, and you’re good to go. “Because there’s so much love that’s gone into the bottle, it’s incredibly versatile, so you don’t need me to tell you how to make it taste good.”
For Salvatore, he likes the London Spritz served up as a Sour. “If you add lemon juice and give it a shake, you can make it an Amaro Sour,” he says. “It’s bitter and sweet and fresh.”
So, does Gerry ever get nervous making a drink for his dad? Salvatore is, after all, the man who created the Breakfast Martini, introduced the now-universal concept of keeping gin, vodka and glasses in the freezer for peak Martinis, and has almost 60 years of illustrious experience – and many great bars – behind him. “We get very competitive and have ‘shake-offs’ at family occasions,” Gerry says. “I lose, but I give it a good go.”
When Gerry wants to impress, it’s all about the Daiquiri. “I’m a big Daiquiri guy, and I think they’re great because of their simplicity. It’s just three ingredients, and the art of mixology is the balance between sweet, sour and the spirit, which sounds easy to do, but really, it’s not. If you can make a great Daiquiri, you’re a great bartender, in my opinion. It’s my favourite drink to make.”
For Salvatore? “I always say it took God six days to create the world, and it took me five to create the perfect Martini – the Duke’s Martini. I’ve served it to everyone from Sean Connery to Her Majesty, and I made my legacy with that.”
And given their proud Italian heritage, we had to ask for their tips on nailing the Negroni. Gerry sticks with equal parts for the cocktail’s three ingredients, while Salvatore shares a subtle addition. “I squeeze a little bit of the orange in there to bring some freshness, but it’s just a few drops. It’s a simple twist that lifts the flavours,” he says.
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