Mixology Magic: The Joy of Watching Classic Cocktails Come Together

As the bartender at Swans in London told me, ‘It is an art to make people drunk and enjoy life’

Bartender at the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London. Photo by

Vincent Gragnani

Seated at the colorful surrounded by cocktails and books, I couldn’t help but smile as I sipped my Burnt Mandarin Negroni and watched the staff mix drinks.

“You really enjoy your work,” I said.

The bartender laughed and replied:

“It is an art to make people drunk and enjoy life. That’s the fun.”

And he excelled at both.

Swans Bar in Maison Assouline, London. Photos by

Vincent Gragnani

To me, watching a skilled bartender is mesmerizing.

The exotic bottles, the pouring, the stirring, the formulas committed to memory, and the ability to describe each ingredient so easily.

More importantly: The joy of the staff here was infectious.

This evening was even more surreal given that, three days earlier, I was looking forward to a quiet Veterans Day weekend at home.