I'm a stranger to reviewing, but not at all one to the world of alcohol, or indeed cocktails. So I thought I'd begin my journey at the point where I'd fallen in love with cocktails. One of the simplest cocktails to make, but the one that is most often done wrong. The icon of the cocktail world. The humble Martini.
What are the origins of the Martini? Any enthusiast could spend endless amounts of time leafing through the world's first 'cocktail books' to hunt down the origins this beautifully simple drink; many argue it is based loosely on the classic Martinez, substituting sweet vermouth with it's drier brother. Others contest that the Italian Vermouth company 'Martini & Rosso' adopted the Martinez themselves, and created the King of the cocktail world that we now know and love.
The whole shaken vs. stirred debate is one that I'm sure has caused a lot of grief to fellow cocktail enthusiasts over the years, but for me it is simple. Do you attempt to emulate James Bond when you ask for it shaken? Or will it always be the classic stirred Martini for you? There's a lot of science behind the different tastes and appearances of a shaken Martini vs. a stirred one; shaken you give the drink a cloudy appearance, stirred it is a picture-perfect drink. For me, the classics speak for themselves. If the ingredients are good enough, stir them, I'll wait patiently, and I'll fall in love with the finished product. The Martini, at its most basic, is an aperitif, a drink to whet the appetite. There's no other place to start in the world of cocktails.
A sure favourite of the Cardiff cocktail scene, the vintage, kitsch decor of Ten Feet Tall and the background drum & bass remixes lends itself perfectly to a chilled out after-work drink.
My choice to begin could only be one thing, the Martini. The vast selection of gin on TFT's back bar meant any gin-drinker would happily sip a Martini here. I opted for a personal favourite, Martin Millers, a crisp gin with a soft cucumber finish, that lends itself perfectly to the simplicity of the Martini. Stirred for about sixty seconds, and garnished with fresh lemon zest, this has to be one of the most elegant and damned delicious Martini's I have had to date.
Often seen as the distant relative of the Martini, (Martini < Martinez < Manhattan), the Manhattan was the next obvious choice for sipping. Another cocktail that can be made or massacred without thought, but can make your palette sing when perfected. We chose the classic Maker's Mark, stirred with Martini extra dry and lashings of Angostura Bitters, a match made in cocktail heaven. The classic recipes suggest only a dash of bitters, but when you're as bitter about life as we are, your taste buds tend to match your mindset. Garnished with fresh orange zest, the drink was brought to life, every sip a wonder.
If you're in the mood for a beautifully crafted classic or a twist on something well known, TFT is the place to head. With daily happy hours, inventive twists on cocktail classics and bartenders who really do know the drinks, it's a sure fire for any occasion. Sprinkle in enough mis-matched crockery, bottleware and chairs in places they really shouldn't be (how did it even get there?!) there's enough wonder in this little bar to keep your mind and taste buds occupied for one very good evening.
Favourite Drink: Gin Martini//Skittles
Rating: 4.5*-5*
Price: £6.50-£8 (££)
Bartender: 5*
W: www.10feettallcardiff.com
C: 11A-12 Church St, Cardiff, South Glamorgan CF10 1BG
029 2022 8883
Deals: 241 selected cocktails 5-10pm daily, all day Sunday
