Magazine: Under the cocktail umbrella

Anikó Kapi
brand manager
Dunapro

According to Anikó Kapi, Martini brand manager of Dunapro Kft.’s drink portfolio, when having dinner in a restaurant, guests like simpler cocktails with few ingredients. Each person has their favourite taste when it comes to cocktails; some prefer sweet taste while others like bitter ones. It is often said that ‘beginners’ like the former and ‘experienced’ cocktail drinkers drink the latter. Citrus varieties with low alcohol content are popular in the summer period. People like to try new cocktails in the summer.

Csaba Gulyás
drink specialist
Zwack

Csaba Gulyás, drink specialist of Zwack reckons that the ritual of mixing the cocktail is important in both the summer and the winter periods. The most important principle is GLGT: the cocktail has to be ‘great looking and great tasting’. In the luxury gastronomy segment places serve so-called signature drinks – the trendy categories are gin, mescal, vermouth and bitter these days. This trend is good for the company as Unicum Plum is a perfect cocktail ingredient. For instance Zwack & Soda (a lemonade-type drink made with Unicum Plum) is a really popular cocktail.

Cocktails are often paired with food, for instance an aperitivo-type drink matches perfectly with Italian-style starters. Artisan-type carbonated soft drinks are coming up, new brands and flavours are available. Alcohol content is less and less important in cocktail making. On the contrary, the use of natural ingredients is increasingly important, together with lower sugar content. High-quality ice is being used more frequently than before, what is more, it often forms part of cocktails in a creative way. //