The rituals
01 / 04
Glassware
Thin rim, wide bowl. The aromatics are the brushwork; give them room. A tumbler will do, a tasting glass is better, a plastic cup does the drink no favours.
02 / 04
Temperature
6°C, straight from the coldest shelf. Colder flattens the fruit into sugar, warmer loosens the acidity and the finish turns soft. Twenty minutes out of the fridge is already too long.
03 / 04
Ice
One clear cube, or none at all. Never crushed — it dilutes fast and smudges the painting. If the bottle is properly cold, skip the ice entirely.
04 / 04
Garnish
One element only, and it has to earn its place: a slapped herb, a strip of citrus oil, a crack of pepper. Anything decorative gets in the way of the nose.
The three works