Amaury Guyot, head bartender and owner of the Dersou restaurant, specialized in food pairing, in Paris.
Do you remember when you first came across Dolin?
I believe it was in 2007, when I was starting to get interested in cocktails. It’s probably one of the first vermouths I bought to make my first Martini and Manhattan.
What Dolin product(s) do you have on your back bar?
I’ve got Dolin Dry, Dolin Rouge and sometimes Dolin Bitter.
What type of cocktails do you make with Dolin? The classics or contemporary creations?
Generally, vermouth is an alcohol that backs up a spirit giving it a little more depth and contrast. As a result, its aromatic qualities allow us, not only to create all the classics, but also to move away from these and come up with original creations. Bartenders like and respect Dolin due to the quality of its products, without the need for excessive marketing.
Are you a fan of the recent food & cocktail pairing trend?
The idea caught my interest in 2013, a year after Sherry Butt opened, when I met the chef, Taku Sekine, who is now my partner at Dersou. We decided to build a business model based on a concept of a restaurant offering only a tasting menu with a cocktail pairing. As the classic setup of a cocktail bar is not adapted to that of a restaurant, everything has been redesigned and reworked to create interesting pairings. The alcoholic content had to be reduced to complement the entire menu based on a fusion of Franco-Asian cuisine. Vermouth is perfect for lightening up the spirits that are a little too strong, without losing any flavors and complexities.
