Bartending legend Dale DeGroff was the guest of honor at a mixology event featuring Hendrick’s Gin at The Café in Westerly on Oct. 13. During the event, The Evolution of the Martini, DeGroff, known as the King of Cocktails and iconic cocktail tome author, was accompanied by Brand Ambassador Erik Andersson, Hendrick’s East, William Grant & Sons, who together led guests through an exploratory history of the martini and showcased cocktails featuring Hendrick’s Orbium Gin, a limited-release spirit with extracts of quinine, wormwood and lotus blossom. DeGroff’s work in the late 1980s at New York City’s Rainbow Room is credited for igniting the modern cocktail renaissance. His updated edition of “The New Craft of the Cocktail: Everything You Need to Know to Think Like a Master Mixologist” was released in 2020 and includes anecdotes from his 40 years of experience with recipes included, all making for a lively discussion. DeGroff’s contributions to the industry are numerous, with honors including his two-time James Beard Award recognition, a 2008 Tales of the Cocktail Lifetime Achievement Award and, in 2015, the New York Times naming him “one of the world’s foremost cocktail experts.”
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- Cocktail legend Dale DeGroff was the featured guest during The Evolution of the Martini event at The Café in Westerly on Oct. 13.
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- Hendrick’s Orbium Gin, a limited-release spirit with extracts of quinine, wormwood and lotus blossom, was the event’s featured spirit.
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- Brand Ambassador Erik Andersson, Hendrick’s East, William Grant & Sons and Dale DeGroff gave a presentation on the history of the martini.
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- Brand Ambassador Erik Andersson, Hendrick’s East, William Grant & Sons and Dale DeGroff gave a cocktail demonstration to guests.
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- Brand Ambassador Erik Andersson, Hendrick’s East, William Grant & Sons creating a signature event martini featuring Hendrick’s Orbium Gin. Guests enjoyed DeGroff’s Smoky Martini No. 2, which featured Hendrick’s Orbium Gin, Reyka Vodka, Martini & Rossi Ambrato, Monkey Shoulder Scotch and a dash of DeGroff’s Pimento Bitters.
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- Brand Ambassador Erik Andersson, Hendrick’s East, William Grant & Sons during the cocktail demonstration.
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- The Sidewinder and Sally Martini, created by the bar team at The Café, represented a modern version of the martini, featuring Hendrick’s Gin, western style gin, Dolin Blanc Vermouth and Peychaud’s bitters, served in an absinthe-rinsed coupe glass.
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- Guests enjoyed an artful assortment of charcuterie at The Café.
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- Hendrick’s Orbium Gin on display at The Café in Westerly.
Photos by Phil Halpern.
