Cocktail Menu: Two winning Massenez cocktails

Bartender Tom Opie shared his two cocktails that won him the 2023 Massenez Amuse Bouche Cocktail Competition.

“This drink takes you straight to a French backyard during Nouveau Day: bananas, jammy dark berries, nuts, choccy and a lick of absinthe for subtle anise. Stirred down, served ice cold and sprayed with the fruity, peppery aromas of pepperberry. This kind of sits between a Hanky Panky and a nutty, creamy Gamay, somehow with a little extra texture and slight umami. Lacto fermented berries also add a little funk, which is what you get with great Beaujolais wines,” Tom described.

For the competition, Tom paired the cocktail with an amuse bouche, an onigiri made with miso-cured banana and sesame, charred slightly to caramelise.