Unprecedented Tradition
The term ‘unprecedented’ was, in 2020, a well-worn refrain — one that might not please an overcritical historian. But though there are many precedents of mankind facing illness in history, the way in which our generation experienced the pandemic was, without question, new.
The internet age transformed isolation into a paradoxically collective phenomenon, as people had the power to import the outside world into their homes. Daily experiences that were once anchored in public spaces—schools, offices, restaurants, bars—were uprooted from their natural settings and reproduced in homes across the globe.
Confronted by the loss of pubs and bars, the internet was quick to compensate. We were taught how to recreate cocktails at home, from the simple to the suitably time-killing. The ‘Quarantini’, made from accessible ingredients, became an online favourite — as did a charming video of Stanley Tucci teaching the world how to make a negroni from his kitchen. Through separate albeit interconnected experiences, we learned that the loss of our favourite bars did not have to mean the loss of an invigorating drinking experience.
It is no coincidence that the London-based Bottled Cocktail Company is driven by this ethos. Launched in 2021, drinks expert and founder Keivan Nemati has set himself a simple goal: to give consumers an authentic mixology experience in the comfort of their own home.
With a bright range of classic flavours, Nemati and his team embody years of passion, experience, and friendship honed in the vibrant culinary and bar scenes of London. A Silver Fir Negroni El President, a Dry Gin Martini Elderflower High Ball, and a Passionfruit Spritz make up part of the quintessential collection, developed with unique attention to olfactory pleasures. Indeed, with a background in perfumery,Nemati’sdevotion to scent is key to his knowledge of flavour:
“About 80% of a human’s perception of flavour actually comes from the sense of smell. We create our own aromatic essences and tinctures to tweak the flavour profile of classic cocktails. It opens up a world of possibility in terms of flavour combinations and manipulation, while at the same time keeping their integrity in terms of structure.”
Echoing the detailed production processes of fine liqueurs, aperitifs, and bitters, each cocktail is fine-tuned in a laboratory in North London, highlighting a distinctive dedication to both flavour and craft. To complete the bottles, sleek and refined branding perfectly captures the balance of history and innovation that is channelled into each drink — a smart visual touch from Italian creative agency HB Production.
Today, as the world returns to its former pace, the taste for inventive drinks once honed in the slow days of lockdown is now more difficult to quench. To have these flavours to hand—pre-batched, pre-bottled, and fresh—is an innovative solution for a time-poor demographic not willing to compromise on quality. And so, born of unprecedented times, The Bottled Cocktail Company has brought us a striking range of unprecedented drinks, to be enjoyed cold, with ice, straight from the kitchen fridge.
