There is no easy or difficult way of making a cocktail. As the book Elements of Style concludes: “The longest way round is usually the shortest way home.” In the case of a cocktail, it’s all about capturing a multifaceted story that is told by the mixture of the ingredients, the establishment that the cocktail is consumed in, and the artistry of the person preparing it. Sipping on the Knickerbocker Hotel at 1 Knickerbocker made me realize this great story of composition.

John Nutter adding the Plymouth gin to start off the Knickerbocker Hotel.