Stanislas Jouenne is head bartender and consultant for Paris brewery institution, Le Gallopin, in Paris.
Do you remember when you first came across Dolin?
It was about ten years ago at a vermouth tasting in a professional context. This is where I discovered the Dolin Rouge. I found it to be very well structured with good body and substance. Its balance between spiciness and sweetness immediately appealed to my palate.
What Doline product(s) do you have on your back bar?
Each vermouth producer sets itself apart through its own particular style and profile, so I have several types of French vermouth on the Le Gallopin bar shelves. For Dolin, I selected Dolin Rouge, Dolin Dry and Dolin Blanc.
What type of cocktails do you make with Dolin? The classics or contemporary creations?
With the Dolin Rouge, I particularly like to prepare Negronis, but I also use it to give a Manhattan or a Martinez a bit of a twist. It’s a vermouth that offers many creative possibilities. Recently, I used it as a fruity and spicy infusion with a Grognard cocktail to sweeten the bitterness of the liquid. It’s a derivative of the Martinez and the Harvard using calvados, Dolin Rouge infused with prunes and spices, Noyau de Poissy, cocktail bitters, and a rim of roasted peanuts, bacon and chia seeds. I use the Dolin Dry for dry Martinis. The measure of vermouth often varies according to the customer’s taste. In a great classic such as the Trinity cocktail made with scotch whisky, crème de menthe, apricot liqueur and Dolin Dry, the dry vermouth balances the sweetness of the other ingredients.
Are you a fan of the recent food & cocktail pairing trend?
At Le Gallopin, we offer a "Food & Cocktail Pairing" dinner on Thursdays, based on homely French cuisine and cocktails created in collaboration with partner spirit producers and using French ingredients. There are five pairings, with an appetizer, starter, a meat dish, a fish dish and a dessert. I don’t use the conventional measures to avoid overloading the palate during the meal. I mix the drinks with lower alcohol products such as wine, sherry and vermouth.
