Behind the Bar with Archie Sebag

Archie Sebag is a bartender turned entrepreneur from South London, UK. He recently opened the Streatham Cocktail Club offering spirit-themed masterclasses and a monthly cocktail delivery service.

How did you get started as a mixologist?

Having never made a cocktail before, it all started in Lockdown in March 2020: I had a 1 month old and couldn’t leave the house. In my fruit bowl I had a pineapple and a coconut so I decided to make a Pina Colada – it was disgusting! 

I wanted to find out how to make a good one, which led me to The Educated Barfly and Steve The Bartender’s Youtube channels, and having watched my first video I was hooked!

I set up an Instagram account @cocktailsoflockdown to document my journey and have since made hundreds of different cocktails from both existing recipes and creating my own. 

My passion for cocktails has led me, from how flavour combinations work to how spirits are made and have now set up my own cocktail company. 

I recently completed my WSET (Wine & Spirits Educational Trust) Level 2 spirits exam. I am also a mentor for DRINKCLUSIVE, a scheme designed to elevate minority groups within the drinks industry.

How would you describe your personal style as a bartender?

Master the classics then tinker. The Milk & Honey formula.

What keeps you passionate about bartending and the hospitality industry?

Self-improvement mixed with serving customers and education.

What inspires your creativity when crafting new cocktails? 

Having visited Cognac in France, I fell in love with the spirit as well as Pineau de Charente (a mistelle made with Cognac EdV and grape must).  I also love playing with anything made by Monks – Chartreuse, Benedictine and Frangelico!

What’s your favorite Fee Brothers product to work with, and why? 

Hands down – Turkish Tobacco Bitters – what a great way to add a layer of complexity to a cocktail. Stick a dash or two in an Amaretto Sour, a Manhattan, a Bijou or an Old Fashioned.

What advice would you give to someone aspiring to become a better mixologist?

Practice, practice, practice – be critical of your own work.  When starting out be precise with measurements – juicing the last bit of lime or finishing the bottle of spirits will throw the cocktail off balance.

What is your signature drink, and what makes it special? 

The 1000 Year Old Cigar – It’s a riff on Maks Pazuniak’s 100 Year Old Cigar (which is made with aged rum, Cynar, Islay whisky and an absinthe rinse) however swapping out the aged rum for XO Cognac and absinthe for Turkish Tobacco Bitters.

I use Frapin’s XO Cigar blend – a Single Family Estate, 100 % Grande Champagne – Premier Cru De Cognac. It’s high end but definitely worth it!  Obviously a dash of Turkish Tobacco bitters combines perfectly with this big flavour digestif.

Do you have a favorite recipe in which you use Fee Brothers products?

It has to be my take on Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s Amaretto Sour – it is such a good drink. When someone doesn’t know what they want, this is what I make:

• 45 mL/1.5 fl. oz. Amaretto 
• 22.5 mL/.75 fl. oz. bourbon 
• 30 mL/1 fl. oz. lemon juice
• 5 mL/.15 fl. oz. Simple Syrup
• 15 mL/1 oz. egg white or 2-3 dashes of Fee Foam
• 1 Dash of Fee Brothers Turkish Tobacco Bitters 

Use a good quality Amaretto and a higher proof bourbon – I use Luxardo which is 24% ABV and Wild Turkey 101. This will help keep the sweetness in check. 

Learn more about Archie on Instagram at @cocktailsoflockdown and @streatham_cocktail_club.