Alex Kratena & Monica Berg at Kantine Kohlmann

Aquavit on the menu and in the cocktails,

was the topic of the seminar of Alex and Monica on that day. I didn’t attend the seminar but for sure the guestshift later that evening. Exited during the day and the first at the bar counter of Kantine Kohlmann that night. About fifteen minutes later both entered the bar, both dressed in white impeccable bar jackets with short sleeves. A lovely and handsome couple. Alex introduced me to Monica whom I met the first time personally. I am thrilled by the professionalism, their good mood, kindness and service without any affectations of star-tenders. They made drinks, polished glasses, emptied ashtrays, prepared ice blocks and refilled the water glasses. Monica even threw my drink after I asked her to do so because I love this technique a lot. Unfortunately I was to distracted to press the shutter of my camera.

One drink of this night, namely the “Suicide Blonde” belongs now to my hall of fame of rare drinks which caressed my taste buds. It was again a subtle, elegant and powdery flavor like the one in Athens. Sandalwood and bergamot were the ingredients I realised first. The drink itself is based on Aquavit, Linie Double Cask, Vetiver and finally sprayed with bergamot. The double cask gives a sherry and port wine flavor and I assume that the vetiver gives the wooden perfume direction. Ususally I prefer the spirit as the dominant part of the cocktail and all other ingredients just support it. But I also love these sophisticated elegant drinks where you have to sip all the time and feel so caressed, and feel sad if you notice that the glass is empty. The good think was, that they brought a lot and I had another one. I also tried all the drinks on the menu, had nice conversations and received a great gift from one of my favorite bartenders in Berlin, another button for my bag. All in all a quite successful event in the life of a barstalker.

Only one sad news this evening: Tony Galea is leaving Berlin soon.