Ever sipped on a cocktail that emitted the scent of an ex lover? It is a silkily seductive idea, and one that award winning bartender Tony Conigliaro must have considered as he set about creating his new signature drink.

“I had this idea that I wanted to marry an iconic perfume with a classic cocktail”, says Conigliaro. Some of his creations start with a concept such as this that he works back from, while others are inspired by a new methodology or flavour.

“Considering perfume opened up a way of looking at cocktails that was really different,” he says. “Usually cocktails don’t have much of an aroma because at that temperature smell is less volatile. But I was interested in how we could push that theory because smell is, for so many people, such an important part of the tasting process.”

The end product of two years of experimentation seems simple enough – a sugar cube that is infused with the essence of Chanel No 5 and topped with Perrier-Jouet. Yet upon closer inspection there is a subtlety and depth that only hints at the dedication he has to his craft.

Much like a good perfume, this cocktail has layers. An initial bouquet of lighter floral notes soon shifts to a deeper jasmine and rose scent, that towards the end of the glass merges with a base of sandalwood. These scents envelope and magnify the tasting experience. Conigliaro has been surprised by the different reactions to it: “One guy got quite emotional because it reminded him of his late grandmother…it triggers peoples’ memories.”

When you meet Conigliaro, you quickly realise that his olfactory ablity is no fluke, but is rather the result of a zealous curiosity, sharp intelligence and an enjoyment of what he does.

“Cocktail making and perfumery have a shared history, back when the alchemists in Arabia were first distilling things,” Conigliaro explains. His initial interest in perfume developed both so that scent could play a part in his inventions and also to deepen his appreciation of structure and mixology.

Although No 5 Champagne Cocktail has been showcased at some industry events, the first time it will feature on a menu is at Conigliaro’s new bar in Angel that recently opened.

69 Colebrooke Row, dubbed “the bar with no name”, is Conigliaro’s first personal bar venture, although he has 14 years industry experience. In 2000 he helped set up Oliver Peyton’s Knightsbridge bar Isola. Later he worked with Rainer Becker to open London’s Shochu Lounge, the first Shochu bar outside of Asia. He and Heston Blumenthal have exchanged ideas, and Blumenthal sought advice from Conigliaro for the Victorian Feast’s “pink drink” that featured in the recent television series.

His time at Isola triggered a passion for experimental work with flavour. “The head chef Bruno Loubet used to come sit with us and have conversations about how flavours work and what goes with what. It opened my eyes and made me realise that what was going on in the kitchen was very closely relevant to what we were doing behind the bar”.

Loubet then introduced Conigliaro to the work of revered chef Ferran Adrià whose deconstructive methods made Spanish restaurant El Bulli a global culinary icon.

“I really admire Adrià. He asks questions of food like ‘how does it work?’ and ‘why does it work?’. That interests me more than the historical,” he says, though he hastily adds that history has its value and should be used to keep pushing the boundaries of taste into the future.

The deconstructive approach is certainly reflected in No 5 Champagne Cocktail, which had Conigliaro experimenting with various flavours at different temperatures to translate the notes in Chanel No 5 into food essences. Conigliaro has adopted a similarly attentive approach to the design of his bar, an intimate space in blacks, reds and greys inspired by 1950’s film-noir.

The drinks menu is straightforward and includes other Conigliaro classics, such as his “Dry” Martini and the “Oh Gosh” (the first words uttered by the customer who first tried the concoction). But Conigliaro says that things will get really interesting when they install their laboratory upstairs. And this lab is no joke – I can’t quite keep up when he starts explaining all the kit he has collected over the years. But despite Conigliaro’s ambitious approach to cocktails, there is a playfulness at 69 Colebrooke Row.

Mixologist, artist or mad scientist? Conigliaro simply prefers bar tender. And while what is served may seem simple, there is always a twist.

- Felicity Harrison is FQR’s managing editor

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